Cumulative Landscape and Visual Assessment of Wind Energy in Caithness Prepared by LUC for The Highland Council July 2014 Project Title: Cumulative Landscape and Visual Assessment of Wind Energy Development in Highland - Caithness Client: The Highland Council Version Date Version Details Prepared by Checked by Approved by Principal V1 02/07/13 Draft Report GW / PM PM / NJ NJ V2 14/04/14 Revision following GW / PM PM / NJ NJ comments V3 11/07/14 Final report GW / PM NJ NJ H:\1 Projects\56\5668 LIVE ABC and THC Cumulative Assessment\B Project Working\CAITHNESS report\5668_THC_CaithnessReport_20140711_V3.docx Cumulative Landscape and Visual Assessment of Wind Energy in Caithness Prepared by LUC for The Highland Council July 2014 Planning & EIA LUC EDINBURGH Offices also in: Land Use Consultants Ltd Registered in England Design 28 Stafford St London Registered number: 2549296 Landscape Planning Edinburgh EH3 7BD Bristol Registered Office: Landscape Management T 0131 202 1616 Glasgow 43 Chalton Street Ecology
[email protected] London NW1 1JD LUC uses 100% recycled paper Mapping & Visualisation FS 566056 EMS 566057 Contents Executive summary 2 1 Introduction 1 2 Methodology 3 3 The study area 13 4 Wind energy development in the study area 16 5 Landscape character sensitivity 20 6 Designated landscapes and wild land 24 7 Visual receptors 27 8 Cumulative visibility analysis 34 9 Strategic assessment of cumulative effects 52 10 Recommendations 61 Appendix 1: Sensitivity criteria development Appendix 2: Landscape sensitivity evaluation Appendix 3: User guidance Executive summary Scope and approach The Cumulative Landscape and Visual Assessment (CLVA) of Wind Energy in Caithness was undertaken between February and July 2013, and finalised in 2014.