Argyll and Bute Landscape Wind Energy Capacity Study Volume Two – Detailed Sensitivity Assessments August 2017 Carol Anderson Landscape Associates Contents 1 Introduction to the sensitivity assessment 4 2 Detailed sensitivity assessment of landscape character types 6 1: Steep Ridgeland and Mountains 7 2: High Tops 14 2a: Mull High Tops 20 3 + 4: Hidden and Mountain Glens 26 5: Open Ridgeland 32 5a: Bute Open Ridgeland 41 6: Upland Forest‐Moor Mosaic 51 6a: Loch Fyne Upland Forest‐Moor Mosaic 58 6b: Knapdale Upland Forest‐Moor Mosaic 64 6c: Mull of Kintyre Upland Forest‐Moor Mosaic 70 7: Craggy Upland 76 7a: Craggy Upland with Settled Glens 83 7b: Craggy Coasts and Islands 93 7c: North Loch Awe Craggy 103 7d: Lorn Craggy Upland 109 7e: Mull Craggy Upland 114 8: Moorland Plateau 120 8a: Moorland Plateau with Farmland 130 9: Rocky Moorland 140 9a: Small Island Rocky Moorland 152 9b: Low‐lying Rocky Moorland 160 9c: Cnoc and Lochan Rocky Moorland 168 10: Upland Parallel Ridges 174 11: Boulder Moors 180 12: High Stepped Basalt 186 13: Rolling Farmland and Estates 198 13a: Bute Rolling Farmland and Estates 206 14: Bay Farmland 211 15: Lowland Bog and Moor 219 15a: Less Extensive Lowland Bog and Moor 227 16: Marginal Farmland Mosaic 232 16a: Small Island Marginal Farmland Mosaic 238 17: Mull Basalt Lowlands 246 17a: Bute Basalt Lowlands 258 18: Lowland Ridges and Moss 263 19: Kintyre Coastal Plain 271 19a: Bute Coastal Plain 279 20: Rocky Mosaic 285 21: Low Coastal Hills 297 22: Coastal Parallel Ridges 307 23: Flat Moss and Mudflats 314 25: Sand‐Dunes and Machair 319 26: Inland Machair and Moss 324 27: Tiree Focal Hills 330 3 Detailed Sensitivity Assessment of National Scenic Areas 336 Knapdale 337 Lynn of Lorn 342 2 Kyles of Bute 346 Loch na Keal, Isle of Mull 350 Jura 356 4 Guidance on the Siting of Smaller Turbines 362 Guidance for micro‐small turbines (12m – 20m in height) 364 Guidance for small turbines (20m – 35m in height) 371 Guidance for small‐medium turbines (35m – 50m in height) 377 3 1 Introduction to the sensitivity assessment 1.1 Sensitivity assessments have been undertaken for each character type and any sub-types defined and for the National Scenic Areas (NSA) as explained in Section 3 of Volume One. A summary of sensitivity to all wind energy development typologies is set out for each landscape character type in Volume One. The detailed sensitivity assessment tables in this report consider the following typologies in different landscapes as follows: LCT’s that may be suitable for very large turbines >130m: Detailed sensitivity assessments for the Very Large typology (turbines >130m high) were only undertaken for landscape character types judged to have a medium or lower sensitivity to large turbines (turbines 80-130m) in the 2012 ABLWECS and/or landscapes where operational wind farms are already located. These are: Steep Ridgeland and Mountains (2) Upland Forest Moor Mosaic (6) Loch Fyne Upland Forest Moor Mosaic (6a) Knapdale Upland Forest Moor Mosaic (6b) Craggy Upland (7) Upland landscapes (LCTs 1 ,2, 2a,6a-c, 7, 6b, 6c,7,7c,7d and 10): Only the Large and Medium typologies (turbines >50m) are assessed in detail for upland landscapes within Argyll and Bute. Small scale valleys, glens and coastal moss (LCTs 3, 4, 23): Detailed sensitivity assessments for larger turbines (>50m high) are not provided for these areas since demand for wind energy developments is very low. However, a summary of sensitivity to all typologies is included in Volume One. National Scenic Areas (NSAs) Detailed sensitivity assessments have been undertaken for smaller turbines <50m high only. This accords with Scottish Planning Policy guidance on spatial frameworks which classifies NSAs as falling in Group I - areas where wind farms will not be acceptable. Mull, Islay, Jura and Bute These islands were subject to detailed sensitivity assessment in the 2012 study although the brief at that time only required turbines up to 50m high to be considered. Turbines up to 130m have been additionally assessed in 2017 in landscape character types judged to have some scope to accommodate the small-medium typology (turbines 35-50m) in 2012. These landscapes are: Bute Open Ridgeland (5a) Moorland Plateau (8 – Islay) Moorland Plateau with Farmland (8 – Islay Rocky Moorland (9 -Islay) High Stepped Basalt (12 - Mull) 4 Lowland Bog and Moor (15- Islay) Mull Basalt Lowlands (17) Detailed assessment of turbines up to 130m has been undertaken for the islands of Coll, Colonsay and Tiree which were added to the study area for the 2017 revised and updated study. All other LCTs: Detailed assessments are provided for the Large, Medium, Small-medium and Small typologies for all other LCTs: 5 2 Detailed sensitivity assessment of landscape character types 6 Landscape Character Type 1: Steep Ridgeland and Mountains 7 Landscape Character Type 1: Steep Ridgeland and Mountains – Sensitivity assessment for larger typologies Topic and summary description Assessment of very large Assessment of large Assessment of medium typologies (>130m) typologies (80-130m) typologies (50-80m) Context Turbines sited on the ‘outer’ edges Turbines sited on the ‘outer’ edges Turbines sited on the ‘outer’ These steep-sided mountains form a of this character type on steep of this character type on steep edges of this character type on dramatic backdrop north of the Firth slopes, prominent hill tops and on slopes, prominent hill tops and on steep slopes, prominent hill tops of Clyde and to the narrow sea lochs the narrow peninsulas extending the narrow peninsulas extending and on the narrow peninsulas of the Cowal Peninsula, including the into the Firth of Clyde, and on the into the Firth of Clyde, and on the extending into the Firth of Clyde, Kyles of Bute, where they rise mountains grouped at the head of mountains grouped at the head of and on the mountains grouped at abruptly from, and strongly contrast Loch Fyne, would detract from the Loch Fyne, would detract from the the head of Loch Fyne, would with, the smooth plane of sea/loch. dramatic scenic composition of dramatic scenic composition of detract from the dramatic scenic They are also seen in conjunction water and steep-sided mountains. water and steep-sided mountains. composition of water and steep- with the higher and often craggier Sensitivity is reduced within the Sensitivity is reduced within the sided mountains. Sensitivity is interior of this landscape where the interior of this landscape where the reduced within the interior of this mountains of the High Tops (2) within dramatic juxtaposition of water and dramatic juxtaposition of water and landscape where the dramatic Argyll and Bute at the head of Loch mountains is less evident although mountains is less evident although juxtaposition of water and Fyne where they contribute to the larger turbines would be likely to be turbines may be visible on skylines. mountains is less evident scenic quality of the Fjord-like more visible on skylines. High sensitivity although turbines may be visible landscape of sheer-sided mountains High sensitivity on skylines. plummeting to the loch. This High sensitivity landscape merges more gradually with the Upland Forest Moor Mosaic (6a) on the eastern side of Loch Fyne. Scale Turbines towards 200m high would Tall turbines could relate to this This typology could also relate to The Steep Ridgeland and Mountains dominate smaller hills lying on the large-scale landscape without this large-scale landscape without generally rise to around 700m but western and southern fringes of this dominating the height of individual dominating the height of individual with lower hills occurring on the LCT. Expansiveness is reduced peaks. Expansiveness is reduced peaks. Expansiveness is reduced western and southern fringes of the within the narrow valleys which cut within the narrow valleys which cut within the narrow valleys which character type. The higher mountains into these hills and where the more into these hills and where the more cut into these hills and where the have a massive scale although the pronounced peaks provide pronounced peaks provide more pronounced peaks provide narrow glens and sea lochs which cut enclosure, thus limiting scope to enclosure, thus limiting scope to enclosure, thus limiting scope to into the hills and occasional small site large numbers of turbines. site large numbers of turbines. site large numbers of turbines. High-medium sensitivity Medium sensitivity Medium sensitivity 8 basins occurring between peaks are more contained. Landform Turbines would significantly detract Turbines would significantly detract Turbines would significantly This landscape comprises mountains from the distinctive craggy, irregular from the distinctive craggy, irregular detract from the distinctive and long ridges (some of these very landform characteristic of much of landform characteristic of much of craggy, irregular landform narrow) with steep slopes, patterned these uplands. There would be these uplands. There would be characteristic of much of these with small craggy knolls and deep physical constraints involved in physical constraints involved in uplands. There would be physical gullies and occasionally featuring locating turbines on narrow ridges, locating turbines on narrow ridges, constraints involved in locating rocky summits. Sea lochs penetrate confined craggy summits and steep confined craggy summits and steep turbines on narrow ridges, deep into the hills and extend as long hill slopes and it would be difficult to hill slopes and it would be difficult to confined craggy summits and glens with flat floodplains (the largest attain a cohesive layout for more attain a cohesive layout for more steep hill slopes and it would be of these being Glendaruel). extensive developments due to the extensive developments due to the difficult to attain a cohesive layout complexity of landform and rarity of complexity of landform and rarity of for more extensive developments Occasional small areas of slacker broader areas with a gentler broader areas with a gentler due to the complexity of landform landform and less precipitous slopes landform.