Dulas ReSolutions Environmental Statement January 2011 Crook Hill 12 Wind Farm Infrastructure Refinement with Access Route via Hades Quarry Volume 2: Written Statement ReSolutions Crook Hill 12 Wind Farm Infrastructure Refinement with Access Route via Hades Quarry Environmental Statement January 2011 Volume 2 Written Statement Crook Hill Wind Farm Infrastructure Refinement Written Statement Preface With Access via Hades Quarry PREFACE This Environmental Statement (ES) has been Hill 12 scheme with an amended track prepared in support of a planning application for arrangement. Turbine locations have not been an amendment to the consented Crook Hill altered from those previously approved by the Wind Farm located north of Rochdale above Secretary of State. Watergrove Reservoir in the Metropolitan Boroughs of Rochdale and Calderdale. The In addition, the developer has established that Ordnance Survey grid reference for the centre of there is an improved access opportunity to the the site is 3925 4195 and its location is shown in site following investigations of the Hades Figure 1, Volume 3 of this Environmental Quarry route from the west of the proposed Statement (ES). The planning application is an development. This route would be created from amendment to the site infrastructure of the the existing entrance point at Shawforth (see Crook Hill 12 wind farm as well as a proposal Figure 1, Volume 3), and would utilise elements for a new access to the site from the west at the of the existing track on Shawforth Moor up to village of Shawforth. The new access and Middle Hill Quarry. From this point a new track amended infrastructure requirements will allow would be required to connect up with the the site the erection and use of twelve (12) wind infrastructure on Rough Hill. Indications are that turbines, each typically up to 3 Megawatts this alternative route would be preferable to the (MW) in capacity, ancillary equipment and on access route already approved on Higher site infrastructure for a period of twenty-five Calderbrook Road, as it would be a better years (25) for the purposes of generating engineering solution, would avoid effects to a renewable energy through wind power. listed church, and would require less cut and fill. Two previous applications for a wind farm at The wind turbine design detailed in this ES this location were made in March 2007 (refs comprises a three bladed rotor that is up to 07/D48920 and 07/00632/WDF) and July 2008 ninety (90) metres in diameter supported on an (refs 08/D51145 and 08/01281). Both these (up to) eighty (80) metre high cylindrical/lattice applications were subject to appeals by the tower to give a maximum tip height of up to developer on the grounds of non-determination 125m. The planning application also comprises under section 78 of the Town and Country an (up to) eighty (80) metre fixed lattice Planning Act 1990. An inquiry into the appeals anemometry mast to monitor and optimise the for the Crook Hill 12 and the Crook Hill 8 performance of Crook Hill Wind Farm wind schemes took place in February 2009 and the turbines. All components of the project are appeals were upheld and planning permission displayed in Figure 2, Volume 3. granted. The appeal references for the approved schemes are: Planning permission to erect a 60m temporary anemometry mast to measure the wind resource • APP/P4225/A/08/2065277, was granted in August 2006. This operated for • APP/A4710/A/08/2065274, 18 months before decommissioning. • APP/P4225/A/08/2091045, and This Environmental Statement has been • APP/P4225/A/08/2091045. prepared and compiled by renewable energy consultancy, Dulas Ltd, to inform the Subsequent investigations at the Crook Hill site undertaking of an Environmental Impact determined firstly that the access track Assessment (EIA) of the proposed wind farm arrangements as approved could be improved scheme. Dulas has over 25 years experience in such that they could be better fitted to the renewable energy development and planning, topography of the site creating a more benign and its combined technical and environmental design that reduces the environmental impacts of understanding of wind farm development construction. Consequently the developer, coupled with a detailed knowledge of impact Coronation Power Ltd, is making an application avoidance and mitigation has led to Dulas’ to amend the planning permission for the Crook Dulas Ltd January 2011 i Crook Hill Wind Farm Infrastructure Refinement Written Statement Preface With Access via Hades Quarry involvement in over 65 renewable energy Hydrogeology and Mining projects throughout the United Kingdom. Sinclair Knight Mertz Alberton House The Environmental Impact Assessment team has St Mary's Parsonage been assembled with the intention of conducting Manchester M3 2WJ a thorough, objective assessment of all the environmental effects likely to arise as a result Transport Access Analysis of the proposed development. The specialist advice and support was delivered by the Collett Transport following external, independent consultancies, Victoria Terminal each of which also has extensive experience in Albert Road renewable energy planning and environmental Halifax assessments: West Yorkshire HX2 0DF Landscape and Visual Assessment (LVA) Axis PED Chester Enterprise Centre Hoole Bridge Chester CH2 3NE A copy of the full ES will be on display at Rochdale Council offices, Calderdale Council Noise Assessment planning offices in Halifax, and Rossendale Council offices in Bacup. In addition, download Hayes Mackenzie Partnership copies of the Non Technical Summary and some Lodge Park Figures are available at Tre’r ddol www.coronationpower.com Machynlleth Powys SY20 8PL Ten (10) copies of the four volume Environmental Statement have been produced Ecological Assessment for submission with the planning applications to Ecology Matters each of the relevant Councils. In addition Bronhaul multiple copies of the ES on CD have been Pentrebach produced for distribution to other stakeholders Talybont and the local communities, which are available Ceredigion SY24 5EH from Rochdale, Calderdale and Rossendale Councils. Cultural Heritage Assessment AOC Archaeology Group For further copies of the Environmental Edgefield Industrial Estate Statement (at a cost of £200) or CD copies (at a Loanhead EH20 9SY cost of £15) please contact: Photomontages and Wireframes Michael Phillips Phil Marsh Dulas Ltd 5b Hope Bowdler Unit 1, Dyfi Eco Parc Church Stretton Machynlleth Shropshire SY6 7DD Powys SY20 8AX Construction, Operation and Decommissioning Tel: 01654 705015 Donaldson Associates Ltd Fax: 01654 703000 Eastfield E-mail: [email protected] Church Street Uttoxeter Staffordshire ST14 8AA The contact for Coronation Power Ltd, the Developer, is: Dulas Ltd January 2011 2 Crook Hill Wind Farm Infrastructure Refinement Written Statement Preface With Access via Hades Quarry Vickram Mirchandani Crown House 108 Aldersgate London EC1A 4JQ Dulas Ltd January 2011 3 Crook Hill Wind Farm Infrastructure Refinement Written Statement Contents With Access via Hades Quarry CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 THE PROPOSAL 1 1.2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE REFINEMENTS AND NEW ACCESS ARRANGEMENT 3 1.3 PROPOSED GRID CONNECTION ROUTE 3 1.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED WIND FARM SITE 4 1.5 THE DEVELOPER 5 1.6 STRUCTURE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT 5 1.7 CONSULTATIONS 6 2 ASSESSMENT SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 9 2.1 INTRODUCTION 9 2.2 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 9 2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT REQUIREMENTS 10 2.4 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY 11 2.5 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS ES 12 2.6 METHODOLOGY OF ASSESSMENT 14 3 SITE SELECTION AND PROJECT EVOLUTION 18 3.1 INTRODUCTION 18 3.2 SITE SELECTION CRITERIA 18 3.3 BACKGROUND TO SITE SELECTION 21 3.4 PROJECT EVOLUTION 24 3.5 CONCLUSIONS 27 4 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT 28 4.1 INTRODUCTION 28 4.2 DEVELOPMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK 28 4.3 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK 29 4.4 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY FOR THE NORTH WEST / REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY FOR YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER 2008 31 4.5 NATIONAL PLANNING POLICIES 33 5 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 60 5.1 INTRODUCTION 60 5.2 PHYSICAL AND INFRASTRUCTURAL BASELINE ENVIRONMENT 61 5.3 WIND FARM CONSTRUCTION 63 5.4 EXPECTED IMPACTS ARISING FROM CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND DECOMMISSIONING OF THE WIND FARM 80 5.5 IMPACT AVOIDANCE AND MITIGATION 82 5.6 CONCLUSIONS 88 6 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ASSESSMENT 89 6.1 INTRODUCTION 89 6.2 METHOD OF ASSESSMENT 89 Dulas Ltd January 2011 iv Crook Hill Wind Farm Infrastructure Refinement Written Statement Contents With Access via Hades Quarry 6.3 THE PROPOSED AMENDED DEVELOPMENT 93 6.4 LANDSCAPE BASELINE 95 6.5 VISUAL ANALYSIS 110 6.6 ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS 112 6.7 CUMULATIVE ASSESSMENT 136 6.8 CONCLUSIONS 148 7 NOISE ASSESSMENT 153 7.1 INTRODUCTION 153 7.2 PLANNING POLICY, BRITISH STANDARDS AND OTHER GUIDANCE 153 7.3 ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING NOISE ENVIRONMENT 158 7.4 CONSTRUCTION NOISE 161 7.5 PREDICTION OF WIND FARM OPERATIONAL NOISE LEVELS 167 7.6 ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF WIND TURBINE NOISE 169 7.7 ASSESSMENT OF THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF WIND TURBINE NOISE 170 7.8 CONCLUSIONS 170 8 ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT 172 8.1 INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES 172 8.2 ASSESSMENT PROCESS 172 8.3 ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ECIA) PROCESS 173 8.4 ECOLOGICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA 175 8.5 ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY 176 8.6 SITE DESCRIPTION 177 8.7 ORNITHOLOGICAL SURVEY 178 8.8 HABITAT SURVEY 180 8.9 MAMMAL SURVEY 185 8.10 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS 188 8.11 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS 192 8.12 MITIGATION AND HABITAT IMPROVEMENT 192