Report No. LOC1001/4 Date: February 2019 REQUEST FOR SCOPING OPINION: PARC SOLAR TRAFFWLL, ANGLESEY REQUEST FOR A SCOPING OPINION PROPOSED PV SOLAR FARM AND POWER STORAGE UNITS PARC SOLAR TRAFFWLL | ANGLESEY Prepared for Prepared by www.thesirusgroup.com Scoping Request Proposed PV Solar Farm and Power Storage Units, Parc Solar Traffwll PREPARED BY PREPARED FOR REPORT NUMBER REPORT STATUS REVISION REPORT DATE LOC1001/4 FINAL - June 2019 WRITTEN & PREPARED BY James Cook | Principal Planner REVIEWED & APPROVED BY David Baker | Development Director AUTHORISED BY Sirius Planning Sirius Planning | 2 Scoping Request Proposed PV Solar Farm and Power Storage Units, Parc Solar Traffwll CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 5 1.1 FORWARD .......................................................................................................... 6 1.2 SUMMARY OF SITE AND PROPOSAL .................................................................. 6 1.3 PLANNING APPROACH ..................................................................................... 7 1.4 REQUIREMENT FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT .................... 7 1.5 PURPOSE OF THE SCOPING REPORT ................................................................. 7 1.6 SCOPE AND FORMAT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT................. 8 1.7 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT TO DATE .......................................................... 10 2. THE SITE AND SURROUNDINGS .................................................................... 12 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 13 2.2 DESIGNATIONS ................................................................................................. 13 3. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ................................................................... 15 3.1 OUTLINE OF THE PROPOSAL ............................................................................ 16 4. POLICY CONTEXT, NEED AND ALTERNATIVES ................................................... 17 4.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 18 4.2 NATIONAL CONTEXT ........................................................................................ 18 4.3 LOCAL CONTEXT.............................................................................................. 18 4.4 ASSESSMENT OF NEED ..................................................................................... 18 4.5 ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................... 18 5. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT CONSIDERATIONS ..................................... 21 5.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 22 5.2 BIODIVERSITY .................................................................................................... 22 5.3 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT .................................................................. 26 5.4 HERITAGE.......................................................................................................... 34 5.5 NOISE ................................................................................................................ 37 5.6 HYDROLOGY, FLOOD RISK AND DRAINAGE .................................................. 39 5.7 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS .................................................................................... 42 5.8 TOPICS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSALS ......................... 42 6. SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................ 46 6.1 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................. 47 Sirius Planning | 3 Scoping Request Proposed PV Solar Farm and Power Storage Units, Parc Solar Traffwll DRAWING SCHEDULE Drawing Number Drawing Title Scale LOC1001/01/01 rev 1 Environmental Setting and Constraints 1:20,000 LOC1001/01/02 rev 3 Indicative Site Boundaries 1:20,000 LOC1001/06/01 - 07 Baseline Zone of Theoretical Visibility Plans 1:20,000 LOC1001/01/04 S1 – S6 Cable Route Options 1:5,000 APPENDIX SCHEDULE Appendix No. Title A Illustrative Panoramic Viewpoints of the Deployment Areas B LVIA Method, Process and Assessment Tables C Heritage Desk Based Assessment Bat, Great Crested Newt, Water Vole and Otter Survey D Methodologies Sirius Planning | 4 Scoping Request Proposed PV Solar Farm and Power Storage Units, Parc Solar Traffwll 1. INTRODUCTION Sirius Planning | 5 Scoping Request Proposed PV Solar Farm and Power Storage Units, Parc Solar Traffwll 1.1 FORWARD 1.1.1 Solar farms are a simple and established technology providing a source of safe and clean energy which produce zero emissions when in operation. Solar energy is not only sustainable; it is renewable meaning that we will never run out of it. 1.1.2 In 2017 Solar PV accounted for 12% of renewable electricity generation in the UK1. In 2017 there was circa 12.8GW of installed capacity of solar energy in the UK2 1.1.3 The Welsh Government’s recently published Planning Policy Wales Edition 103 confirms that it: “…is committed to delivering the outcomes set out in Energy Wales: A Low Carbon Transition. Our priorities are: reducing the amount of energy we use in Wales; reducing our reliance on energy generated from fossil fuels; and actively managing the transition to a low carbon economy.” 1.1.4 Solar farms are an effective and unobtrusive way of creating the electricity we all use – with the panels having a low visual impact on the local landscape and creating no noise, pollution, by-products or emissions. Additionally, solar farms result in minimal disturbance to the ground and can enhance local biodiversity, for example through planting a range species rich wildflower mix in field margins, creating a more diverse habitat and creating pollen rich margins for bees and butterflies. The areas in between the panels can also be used for grazing of sheep. The introduction of native trees and hedgerows on the site can also provide opportunities for nesting, roosting and foraging opportunities for birds, bats and invertebrates. 1.1.5 It is also noted that the non – intrusive nature of the proposal means that after the 40- year lifespan of the panels, they can be lifted and removed from the site and the land can be continue to be used for agriculture. 1.2 SUMMARY OF SITE AND PROPOSAL 1.2.1 It is proposed to construct a solar farm and power storage units across a total area of approximately 117ha. However, the proposed deployment areas are dispersed over a wider area to ensure the scale of the facility sits sympathetically in the local landscape. The deployment sites are located to the west and south-east of the village Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn and to the south and south-east of the village Brygwran. 1.2.2 RAF Valley is situated to the southwest and the A55 lies to the north. 1.2.3 Drawing LOC1001/01/01 identifies the environmental setting and constraints of land in and surrounding the proposal site. 1.2.4 Of note is the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that is located partially on plot area 6 as is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). A Scheduled Ancient Monument is located adjacent to plot area 3, furthermore there are several Listed Buildings 1 Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES): renewable sources of energy https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united- kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes 2 Capacity of, and electricity generated from, renewable sources (DUKES 6.4) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/72 9373/DUKES_6.4.xls 3 https://beta.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2018-12/planning-policy-wales-edition-10.pdf Sirius Planning | 6 Scoping Request Proposed PV Solar Farm and Power Storage Units, Parc Solar Traffwll surrounding the seven plot areas. 1.2.5 Drawing LOC1001/01/01 also identifies three landscape character areas in which the plot areas are located. 1.2.6 Parc Solar Traffwll will have a generating capacity of circa 75MW of electricity, enough to power nearly 18,400 homes per year and offset approximately 21,7 00 tonnes of CO 2 every year, the equivalent of taking over 8,300 cars off the road. 1.3 PLANNING APPROACH 1.3.1 The Welsh Government considers proposals that generating above 10MW of energy to be a Development of National Significance (DNS). 1.3.2 A DNS differs from a normal planning application in the way that it is decided. Instead of a Local Planning Authority making the decision, an Inspector examines the application and makes a recommendation to the Welsh Minister based on planning merits and national priorities. The Minister then decides whether or not to grant permission. The LPA will be consulted during the determination process. 1.3.3 The purpose of the DNS process is to ensure timely decisions are made on those planning applications that are of the greatest significance to Wales because of their potential benefits and impacts. 1.4 REQUIREMENT FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1.4.1 Solar farm developments are not specifically listed under either Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 developments of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (‘the EIA Regulations’). However Schedule 2 refers to ‘Energy Infrastructure’ categories and it is considered that the proposal falls within the category of “industrial installations