Prepared By: Arcus Consultancy Services 7th Floor 145 St. Vincent Street Glasgow G2 5JF T +44 (0)141 221 9997 l E [email protected] w www.arcusconsulting.co.uk Registered in England & Wales No. 5644976 EIA Update Report Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 ORE Catapult .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Reasons for the Variation ............................................................................... 1 1.3 EIA Update Report Outline ............................................................................. 1 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 3 2.1 Site and Surroundings .................................................................................... 3 2.2 Project Description ......................................................................................... 3 2.3 Planning History ............................................................................................. 3 2.4 Variation ......................................................................................................... 4 3 EIA METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. 5 3.1 Legislative Context of the EIA ........................................................................ 5 3.1.1 Screening ............................................................................................................. 5 3.1.2 Scoping ............................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Consultation ................................................................................................... 6 3.2.1 Public Consultation ............................................................................................... 6 3.3 Assessment ..................................................................................................... 7 3.3.1 Baseline Studies ................................................................................................... 7 3.3.2 Predicting and Assessing Effects ............................................................................. 7 3.3.3 Assessment of Effects and Evaluating Significance ................................................... 7 3.3.4 Mitigation and Assessment of Residual Effects ......................................................... 9 3.3.5 Cumulative Effects ................................................................................................ 9 4 PLANNING POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT ................................................... 10 4.1 The Development Plan ................................................................................. 10 4.2 Material Considerations ............................................................................... 11 4.3 Summary ...................................................................................................... 12 5 SEASCAPE, LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ..................................................................... 13 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 13 5.1.1 Study Area ......................................................................................................... 15 5.2 Landscape Policy, Assessment Methodology and Significance Criteria ....... 15 5.2.1 Landscape related Planning Policy ........................................................................ 16 5.2.2 Current Guidance – Landscape & Visual ................................................................ 16 5.2.3 Current Guidance – Seascape assessment ............................................................. 17 5.2.4 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Methodology ......................................... 17 ORE Catapult Arcus Consultancy Services December 2017 Page i EIA Update Report Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine 5.2.5 Seascape Assessment Methodology ...................................................................... 21 5.2.6 Assessment Limitations ....................................................................................... 22 5.3 Baseline Conditions ...................................................................................... 22 5.3.1 Landscape/Seascape Baseline .............................................................................. 22 5.3.2 Visual Baseline ................................................................................................... 24 5.4 Assessment of Potential Effects ................................................................... 28 5.4.1 Viewpoint Assessment ......................................................................................... 29 5.4.2 Effects on Settlements within 5 km ....................................................................... 42 5.5 Cumulative Effects ....................................................................................... 43 5.6 Summary of Effects ...................................................................................... 43 5.7 Statement of Significance ............................................................................ 44 6 NOISE ...................................................................................................................... 45 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 45 6.2 Assessment Methodology and Significance Criteria .................................... 45 6.2.1 Legislation, Policy and Guidance ........................................................................... 45 6.2.2 Study Area ......................................................................................................... 46 6.2.3 Baseline Survey Methodology ............................................................................... 47 6.2.4 Methodology for the Assessment of Effects ........................................................... 48 6.2.5 Assessment Limitations ....................................................................................... 49 6.3 Baseline Conditions ...................................................................................... 49 6.3.1 Measured background noise levels ....................................................................... 49 6.3.2 Derived Noise limits ............................................................................................ 50 6.3.3 Operational noise levels ....................................................................................... 52 6.4 Assessment of Potential Effects ................................................................... 53 6.5 Mitigation Measures and Residual Effects ................................................... 55 6.5.1 Operational noise mitigation ................................................................................ 55 6.5.2 Residual Effects .................................................................................................. 56 6.5.3 Monitoring requirements ..................................................................................... 56 6.6 Cumulative Effects ....................................................................................... 56 6.6.1 Forthwind Demonstration Project ......................................................................... 56 6.7 Summary of Effects ...................................................................................... 58 6.8 Statement of Significance ............................................................................ 58 7 ORNITHOLOGY ........................................................................................................ 59 7.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 59 7.1.1 Consultation ....................................................................................................... 59 7.2 Assessment Methodology and Significance Criteria .................................... 60 7.2.1 Legislation, Policy and Guidance ........................................................................... 60 7.2.2 Study Area ......................................................................................................... 62 7.2.3 Baseline Survey Methodology ............................................................................... 62 Arcus Consultancy Services ORE Catapult Page ii December 2017 EIA Update Report Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine 7.2.4 Methodology for the Assessment of Effects ........................................................... 63 7.2.5 Assessment Limitations ....................................................................................... 64 7.3 Baseline Conditions ...................................................................................... 64 7.3.1 Designated Sites ................................................................................................. 64 7.3.2 Baseline and Monitoring Survey Results ................................................................ 67 7.4 Assessment of Potential Effects ................................................................... 69 7.4.1 Identification of Likely Significant Effects .............................................................