Stornoway Wind Farm Limited Stornoway Wind Farm Pre-Application Consultation Report Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited – May 2019 3 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited Executive summary Purpose of this report This Report has been produced for the purpose of summarising the pre-application consultation activities undertaken by Stornoway Wind Farm Limited for a proposed wind farm on the site of the Consented Stornoway Wind Farm, Isle of Lewis. It provides information on how Stornoway Wind Farm Limited has sought to engage with the various stakeholders and summarises the feedback received. The Report also sets out how the feedback has influenced the development of the project. May 2019 Doc Ref. 40001CGos0341R 4 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited May 2019 Doc Ref. 40001CGos0341R 5 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited Contents 1. Introduction and Project Background 7 2. Public Consultation in Context 9 2.1 Scottish Government Advice 9 2.2 Lewis Wind Power Commitment to Effective Consultation 10 2.3 Consultees 10 Community Councils – All Consultation Activities: 11 Tong Community Council Local Residents: 11 Elected Representatives: 11 CnES Council: 11 Local Business Organisations 12 3. Consultation Activity Timetable 15 January 2018 15 April 2018 15 July 2018 15 October 2018 15 November 2018 15 February 2019 15 4. Community Consultation Activities 17 4.1 Introduction 17 4.2 Direct Stakeholder Engagement 17 4.3 Website 18 4.4 News Releases and Editorial Information 18 4.5 Project Leaflets 18 4.6 Local Newspaper Advertising 19 4.7 Public Exhibitions 19 5. Consultation Findings 23 5.1 Introduction 23 5.2 Feedback from First Series of Public Exhibitions 23 Questionnaire Responses 23 5.3 Feedback from Project Update/Stage 2 Series of Public Exhibitions 25 Questionnaire Responses 25 5.4 Community Benefit and Community Ownership Opportunity 27 6. Developer Response to the Public Consultation 29 6.1 Introduction 29 May 2019 Doc Ref. 40001CGos0341R 6 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited 6.2 Visual Impact and Turbine Heights 29 6.3 Community Benefits 29 Table 5.1 Exhibition Attendance Stage 1 23 Table 5.2 Exhibition Attendance Stage 2 25 Appendix A Contents List May 2019 Doc Ref. 40001CGos0341R 7 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited 1. Introduction and Project Background 1.1.1 Stornoway Wind Farm Limited (SWL) is a subsidiary of Lewis Wind Power Holdings Limited (LWP), which is a joint venture between EDF Renewables Ltd and Wood Investment Services in partnership with the Stornoway Trust. 1.1.2 Stornoway Wind Farm Limited (the ‘Applicant’) is submitting an application under section 36 of the Electricity Act (1989) (as amended) to construct and operate the ‘Proposed Development’ comprising up to 35 turbines with a generating capacity in excess of 50MW on the site of the Consented Stornoway Wind Farm. The Applicant also seeks a direction from the Scottish Ministers pursuant to section 57(2) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended) that planning permission is deemed to be granted for the Proposed Development. 1.1.3 This Pre-Application Consultation Report describes the consultation programme undertaken for the new wind farm (the Proposed Development) on the same site (the Development Site) as the consented Stornoway Wind Farm. 1.1.4 In 2012 permission was granted for a 36-turbine wind farm on land 1.5km to the west of the town of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. A variation to the Consented Stornoway Wind Farm was granted in 2016 allowing for the installation of larger turbines up to 145m high, with a rotor diameter of up to 128m. The Proposed Development incorporates larger, more productive turbines that would increase efficiency and renewable energy yield compared to the Consented Stornoway Wind Farm and so would make an important contribution to achieving renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets. 1.1.5 The Proposed Development therefore incorporates a number of changes to the Consented Stornoway Wind Farm including the use of taller turbines than those permitted under the original consent. As a result, the consultation activities detailed in this report have been undertaken in relation to a new application at the same site (the Development Site), under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. 1.1.6 Lewis Wind Power takes the utmost care with its site selection and recognises the vitally important role of effective communications and consultation activities. This is to give all local stakeholders the opportunity to learn more about the proposal and to make their views known whilst the design process is ongoing and ahead of any application being submitted. 1.1.7 Open, honest and transparent communications have therefore been maintained with all stakeholders throughout the original and revised application process for the Proposed Development. As such, the final design of the Proposed Development has followed an iterative process that has responded to the comments of consultees and the additional information gathered throughout the full public consultation and design process. 1.1.8 This report provides details of the range of methods, materials and activities undertaken during the consultation process to demonstrate what has been done during the pre-application phase to comply with the requirements of meaningful community engagement. In doing so, this report also explains outcomes of the consultation programme, details the response of Stornoway Wind Farm Limited (SWL) to feedback and how key issues raised by consultees have been addressed. May 2019 Doc Ref. 40001CGos0341R 8 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited May 2019 Doc Ref. 40001CGos0341R 9 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited 2. Public Consultation in Context 2.1 Scottish Government Advice 2.1.1 Proposals for wind farms with a potential electrical generation capacity greater than 50 megawatts (MW) are subject to the consenting procedures set out in Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 (the Electricity Act) and applications are made directly to the Scottish Ministers. 2.1.2 As the Proposed Development is for a wind farm of over 50 MW (it is anticipated to be approximately 196 MW), an application is being made under the Section 36 process. 2.1.3 Scottish Government Policy on community consultation on new wind farm applications is set out the Planning Series Circular 3:2013 - Development Management Procedures1. This circular promotes early and open negotiations between prospective applicants and all relevant parties to enable the local community and all those with an interest in the proposals a clear opportunity to provide comment and feedback on the proposals. 2.1.4 In particular, Circular 3:2013 emphasises the Scottish Government’s intention to encourage improved trust and positive working relationships from the earliest stages in the planning process and to provide, where possible, an early opportunity for community views to be reflected in proposals. As part of this requirement it is stated that: “Both pre-application consultations with the community and pre-application discussions with the planning authority and statutory consultees are intended to add value at the start of the development management process. They should improve the quality of the proposal and allow prospective applicants the opportunity to amend their emerging proposals in light of community, statutory consultee and planning authority opinion.” Planning Series Circular 3:2013, paragraph 2.2 2.1.5 Circular 3:2013 also requires that prospective applicants should have meaningful and proportionate engagement with those who represent the views of potentially affected communities, guided by PAN 3/2010: 'Community Engagement', the National Standards for Community Engagement or other locally agreed or adapted framework or set of principles. 2.1.6 In identifying the priorities for community engagement, PAN 3/2010 emphasises that community engagement must be meaningful and proportionate and that it must take place at an early stage so that it can help to influence the shape of plans and proposals. 2.1.7 It places particular emphasis on the importance for developers to involve residents at the earliest opportunity so that they can feel confident that engagement in the process has been meaningful. In particular it notes that: “Effective engagement with the public can lead to better plans, better decisions and more satisfactory outcomes and can help to avoid delays in the planning process. The Scottish Government expects engagement with the public to be meaningful and to occur from the earliest stages in the planning process to enable community views to be reflected in development plans and development proposals.” PAN 3/2010, p.3, paragraph 2 1 https://www.gov.scot/publications/planning-series-circular-3-2013-development-management-procedures/ May 2019 Doc Ref. 40001CGos0341R 10 © Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited 2.2 Lewis Wind Power Commitment to Effective Consultation 2.2.1 In line with PAN 3 (2010), Lewis Wind Power is committed to undertaking effective and early consultation methods, both to ensure full local understanding of the Proposed Development and to encourage feedback, views and comments that would help to shape the Proposed Development. 2.2.2 As this is a new application on the site of a consented but unbuilt wind farm, SWL was able to use the consultation programme and feedback for the original application to provide the basis for continued links and ongoing dialogue with local stakeholders and communities. This was achieved by the implementation of a number of principles that sought to: Maximise opportunities for local engagement in the consultation process; Maintain transparency in the detail of the proposals; Encourage full and meaningful feedback; and Thoroughly analyse and account for the feedback generated. 2.2.3 To meet these objectives and to demonstrate full commitment to meaningful consultation for the Proposed Development, the following key stages were incorporated in the programme: 1.