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Scoping Report Proposed 10 Turbine Wind Farm Cairnmore Hill, Caithness Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report Document reference: 03001-000350 Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1. The Purpose of this Report 1 1.2. Structure of this Report 2 2. Development Description 4 2.1. Proposed Wind Farm 4 2.2. Construction and Environmental Management 6 2.3. Operation and Maintenance 6 2.4. Decommissioning 7 3. Planning and Energy Policy Context 8 3.1. Nationa l Planning Policy and Guidance 8 3.2. Regional and Local Planning Policy and Guidance 10 4. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 12 4.1. Introduction 12 4.2. Alternatives and the ‘Do Nothing’ Scenario 12 4.3. Cumulative Assessment 12 4.4. The Environmental Statement 12 4.5. Determining Potentially Significant Effects 13 4.6. The Environmental Statement (ES) 14 5. Potential Significant Environmental Effects 15 5.1. Landscape and Visual Impacts 15 5.2. Terrestrial Ecology and Ornithology 23 5.3. Archaeo log y an d Cu ltura l He ritage 30 5.4. Traffic and Transport 34 5.5. Hydrology, Hydrogeology & Geology 37 5.6. Noise 41 6. Likely Non-Significant Environmental Effects 43 6.1. Electromagnetic Interference, Aviation & Shadow Flicker 43 6.2. Peat and Peat Slide Risk 44 6.3. Carbon Assessment 44 7. Next Steps 45 Annexe A: Figures - Figure 1: Site Location - Figure 2: Indicative Turbine Layout - Figure 3: Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) Proposed Wind Farm; Cairnmore Hill, Caithness Scoping Report 1. INTRODUCTION RES Ltd (‘the Applicant’) has identified the potential for a wind farm development approximately 4.5 km West of Scrabster, and the intention is to submit an application for Planning Permission to construct and operate a wind farm and associated infrastructure at this site (hereafter referred to as the ‘Proposal’). The site location is shown on Figure 1 and an Indicative Turbine Layout is shown on Figure 2 both included in Appendix 1. If it is considered that as “the development is likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of factors such as its nature, size or location” an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required. In this case, RES has volunteered to undertake an EIA rather than request a formal screening opinion to confirm whether likely significant effects may arise. EIA is a process that identifies the likely significant environmental effects, (both positive and negative) of a Proposal and aims to prevent, reduce and offset any significant adverse environmental effects. The findings of the assessment are presented in a single document, known as an Environmental Statement (ES). The ES will be a clear and concise assessment of the environmental impacts associated with construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed wind farm, identifying the effects, in EIA terms, resulting from the assessment of potential environmental impacts. The purpose of the ES is to inform The Highland Council, other statutory consultees and the wider public about the proposals, allowing these organisations and groups to provide feedback, and enabling The Highland Council to take into account all relevant environmental information when making a determination of an application. 1.1. The Purpose of this Report This report is provided to The Highland Council and other stakeholders in support of a request by RES for a ‘Scoping Opinion’ regarding the information to be provided within the ES which will accompany an application for Planning Permission. The specific objectives of this report are to: • Seek agreement on the likely significant effects associated with the Proposal at Cairnmore Hill to ensure that all likely significant effects have been correctly included in the proposed scope of the EIA ('scoped in'); • Seek agreement where known non-significant effects will be excluded ('scoped out'); and • Invite comment on the proposed approach to baseline data collection, prediction of environmental effects and the assessment of significance. The scoping report will be provided to the consultees set out in Table 1.1. 1 Proposed Wind Farm; Cairnmore Hill, Caithness Scoping Report Table 1.1: EIA Consultees Statutory Consultees Non-Statutory Consultees The Highland Council Transport Scotland Planning Services Scrabster Harbour Trust Road and Transport Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Environmental Health (RSPB) Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Communications Providers (including Three, O2, EE (Everything, Everywhere), Vodafone, Airwave, Arqiva, Atkins, BBC, Channel 5, CSS Spectrum Management Services Ltd, BT and Joint Radio Company (JRC)) Historic Environment Scotland (HES) Association of Salmon Fisheries Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Scottish Water Caithness West Community Council Scottish Rights of Way Society Scottish Government Scottish Wildlife Trust Civil Aviation Authority Highlands & Islands Airport National Air Traffic Services MoD Defence Infrastructure Organisation Marine Scotland The Crown Estate Visit Scotland Health and Safety Executive Nuclear Safety Directorate Scotways Given the nature of the site and the proposals, the following bodies are not deemed relevant consultees for this proposal: • Forestry Commission Scotland; • Mountaineering Council of Scotland; and • John Muir Trust. 1.2. Structure of this Report The remainder of this report is structured as follows: • Section 2 provides a brief description of the nature and purpose of the Proposal, typical construction activities and decommissioning proposals; • Section 3 provides an outline of the planning and renewable energy policy context; • Section 4 describes the intended Environmental Assessment process and the approach that will be adopted for the cumulative impact assessment; and 2 Proposed Wind Farm; Cairnmore Hill, Caithness Scoping Report • Section 5 describes the baseline environment conditions, the likely significant environmental effects identified and the proposed method for further data collection and evaluation of effects. This is followed by a brief overview of the next steps in the EIA process. 3 Proposed Wind Farm; Cairnmore Hill, Caithness Scoping Report 2. DEVELOPMENT DESCRIPTION 2.1. Proposed Wind Farm The main elements of the Proposal are expected to be as follows: • Up to 10 wind turbines, each up to a maximum tip height of 125 m; • at each turbine, associated transformers, and related switchgear; • turbine foundations; • hardstand areas for erection and maintenance cranes at each turbine location; • one permanent freestanding meteorological mast; • a series of on-site tracks with associated water crossings; • a site access route with any necessary road improvement works from the public road network; • borrow pits (dependent on suitability of stone on-site); • a control building and substation compound and communications mast; • a network of buried electrical cables; • temporary construction compound and laydown areas; • temporary guyed meteorological masts to be used for detailed wind definition and wind farm commissioning/acceptance testing; and • energy storage unit and associated infrastructure. 2.1.1. Wind Turbines The turbine’s maximum dimensions would indicatively be: • maximum rotor diameter of 110 m; • maximum hub height of 80 m; and • maximum tip height from base to tip of 125 m. The indicative capacity of each turbine is up to 3.5 MW, and the overall wind farm capacity would be approximately 35 MW. This reflects the ongoing development of wind turbine technology as well as the potential wind resource that exists in this area. 2.1.2. Turbine Foundations The turbines will be fixed to reinforced concrete foundations, typically up to 20 m in diameter. The foundations will be formed in excavations approximately 3.5 m deep, depending upon ground conditions. Prior to excavation, topsoil and existing vegetation will be lifted and stored. After completion the foundations will be backfilled with suitable excavated or imported material and the original vegetation will be reinstated where possible if it is considered ecologically sensitive. Concrete for site construction, including turbine foundations, would most likely be brought in from a local off-site batching facility. 2.1.3. Transformers Turbines typically generate at 690 V. In order to prevent cable losses and to minimise cable diameter, the voltage would be increased to 33 kV by transformers at each turbine. Depending on 4 Proposed Wind Farm; Cairnmore Hill, Caithness Scoping Report the turbine model selected for the project, these transformers may be housed within the turbine tower or in a small container sited on a concrete slab alongside the turbine. 2.1.4. Electrical Cabling The turbines would be electrically connected to the control building by means of 33 kV cables. These cables would be laid underground in trenches generally running adjacent to the site tracks, leading to the on-site control building. These trenches would be backfilled with retained excavated material, marked with buried safety warning tape and have the original vegetation reinstated. 2.1.5. On Site Substation & Control Building The electrical cables would terminate at the substation, which is likely to be approximately 20 m x 30 m in size. Located adjacent to the substation would be a control building measuring approximately 30 m x 15 m with a pitched roof up to 5.5 m, containing switchgear, control equipment and basic welfare facilities, including a toilet. 2.1.6. Access and Site Tracks Given the location of the site, it is most likely than turbine components would be delivered from the Port of Scrabster. Access to site
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