Appendix 4.1 Scoping Report Contents A copy pf the EIA Scoping Report sent to the Scottish Government in November 2018 DOUGLAS WEST WIND FARM i APPENDIX 4.1 EXTENSION This page is intentionally blank. DOUGLAS WEST WIND FARM II APPENDIX 4.1 EXTENSION Douglas West Wind Farm Extension Part of a Coordinated Strategy for the Future of the Hagshaw Wind Cluster EIA SCOPING REPORT NOVEMBER 2018 Quality Management Version 1 Version 2 Version 3 Version 5 Date 09/09/18 28/11/2018 Prepared by Caroline Pringle/ Various Various Anna Hudson Jessica Yanetta Signature Checked by Lindsay Smith/ Paul Client – Theo Philip Darnbrough Signature Authorised by Jenny Hazzard Theo Philips Signature Project number EDI_1016 EDI_1016 EDI_1016 EDI_1016 3R Energy Lanark Auction Market Hyndford Rd Lanark ML11 9AX ITP Energised 7 Dundas Street Edinburgh EH3 6QG Registration Number: SC450178 Tel: 0131 557 8325 © Copyright 2018 Energised Environments Ltd. 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Content Overview iii 1 Introduction 1 2 The Proposed Development 3 3 Planning Policy Context 5 4 Landscape and Visual 6 5 Ecology and Ornithology 17 6 Noise and Vibration 25 7 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 26 8 Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Geology 31 9 Carbon Calculator 33 10 Traffic and Transport 34 11 Socio-Economics, Recreation and Tourism 35 12 Aviation, Radar and Telecommunications 38 13 Shadow Flicker 40 14 Forestry 41 15 Summary 43 Appendix 1.1 3R Energy Forward Strategy Appendix 4.1 LVIA Assessment Criteria Appendix 4.2 Night-Time Lighting Methodology Figure 1.1 Forward Strategy Plan Figure 2.1 Site Location Plan Figure 2.2 Site Layout Plan Figure 2.3 Environmental Constraints Figure 4.1 Landscape Designations within 20 km Figure 4.2 Proposed Viewpoint Locations Overlaid on ZTV Figure 4.3 Other Wind Farms within 35 km Project Number: EDI_1016 ii Scoping Report Douglas West Extension Overview A Coordinated Approach to the Future of the Hagshaw Wind Cluster The Proposed Development outlined in this Scoping Report forms one component of a wider strategy for the future of the Hagshaw Wind Cluster and 3R Energy as a local business. 3R Energy’s Forward Strategy for the development of their business and landholding in the Douglas Valley can be found in Appendix 1.1. This Overview intends to explain the background to the Proposed Development and how it fits into a wider strategic plan for the local area. As neighbouring landowners to Cumberhead Forest, 3R Energy (via William Mitchell & Sons Ltd) have been contacted by a number of developers seeking to secure access over their land to develop an ‘infill’ wind energy scheme on the eastern part of Cumberhead Forest as an extension to the consented Douglas West Wind Farm (i.e. the ‘Proposed Development’). As landowners of Scotland’s first wind farm on the neighbouring Hagshaw Hill, 3R Energy have also been approached by a number of developers about the potential to repower Hagshaw Hill Wind Farm at the end of its operational life (refer to Appendix 1.1 and Figure 1.1). Following careful consideration 3R Energy concluded that there are many benefits in taking both of these projects forward together as a local business, helping to sustain existing employment levels, keep income generated in the local area, and to maximise renewable generation and community benefit from the Douglas West and Hagshaw Hill sites. Together, these projects (Douglas West Extension & Hagshaw Hill Repowering) create a strategic opportunity for the local area to secure a 30 year income stream to deliver on the aims and objectives of the Local Community Action Plans for the villages of Douglas, Glespin, Coalburn, Rigside and Douglas Water, to develop Adventure Tourism opportunities in the Douglas Valley, and much more. The development of 3R Energy’s renewables portfolio is also beneficial to the development of the Green Energy Park on their landholding. There are also many benefits from a physical perspective in terms of ensuring a coordinated layout, phasing, access, grid connection and landscape strategy for the future of the Hagshaw Cluster which can be achieved by both projects being taken forward by a single developer. A coordinated strategy for the Douglas West Extension and Hagshaw Hill Repowering schemes will allow for: • delivery of an outcome which is better designed in landscape terms, more strategically efficient and cost-effective; • optimisation of renewable generation from an established wind farm location; • more efficient use of existing infrastructure and grid connection assets; • consideration of energy storage options; • better coordinated habitat management proposals; • enhanced public access delivery across multiple sites; and, • a significant Community Benefit/Shared Ownership package which would generate a 30-year income stream to fund a Community-Led Investment Strategy for the Douglas Valley. Together the two projects represent a £212.5m+ investment in the Scottish and South Lanarkshire economies, producing enough electricity to power around 121,200 homes and displace around 210,800 tonnes of CO2 each year. Including the consented (but not yet built) Douglas West turbines, 3R Energy’s projects have the potential to increase the renewable energy output from the Douglas West and Hagshaw Hill sites from 42 MW at present to 238 MW, and increase the community benefit contributions from £55,000 p.a. at present to £1.08m p.a., by the mid-2020s. As a local company, 3R Energy is committed to working with the local communities in the Douglas Valley for the long term to develop and deliver successful projects which create significant and lasting benefits for the local area. Project Number: EDI_1016 iii Scoping Report Douglas West Extension 1 Introduction 1.1 Background and Context 1.1.1 A subsidiary of 3R Energy, Douglas West Extension Limited (hereafter referred to as “the Applicant”) intends to apply to the Scottish Ministers for permission to extend the consented Douglas West Wind Farm (the proposed extension hereafter referred to as the “Proposed Development”), at site centre British National Grid (BNG) NS 80399 32105. 1.1.2 The Applicant intends to submit an application for the Proposed Development to the Scottish Ministers via the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit (ECU) under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. The application will be supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA Report) as required by the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 as amended (the EIA Regulations). This document forms the Scoping Report submitted to ECU in order to request a Scoping Opinion from the Scottish Ministers, on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Proposed Development. 1.1.3 The Proposed Development will consist of around 13 wind turbines up to 200 m blade tip height and its generating capacity will be >50 MW in total. The associated infrastructure will include: site access, access tracks, crane hardstanding, underground cabling, on-site substation and maintenance building, energy storage compound, temporary construction compound(s), laydown areas, concrete batching plant, potential excavations/borrow workings and one or more permanent meteorological masts. 1.2 The Applicant 1.2.1 Douglas West Extension Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of 3R Energy which was established in 2009, with its head office situated in Lanark. The company was initially established to help farms and rural businesses benefit from renewable energy, with the mainstay of the business being farm sized wind turbines, CHP systems and biomass boilers. More recently, a successful application to develop a 49 MW wind farm at Douglas West represented the next step in the development of the business into larger-scale renewables. The current proposal to extend the Douglas West Wind Farm (the Proposed Development), together with an application currently being prepared to repower the nearby Hagshaw Hill Wind Farm, build on 3R Energy’s experience and knowledge of renewable generation in the local area, helping to grow and diversify the business for the future. 1.2.2 3R Energy is part of a family group of companies which also includes: Holz Energie UK Ltd, also based in Lanark, which is a wholly owned UK import franchise of the successful German wood-gas CHP manufacturer, Holz Energie Wegsheid. Mitchell Farming Partnerships and William Mitchell & Sons (WMS) Ltd, based at Newtonhead Farm Rigside and Hazelside Farm Douglas respectively, which manage the farming assets of the Group. Together the Group: • owns and manages 3,500 acres of land in the Douglas Valley • has farmed the land for over 120 years • generates a combined annual turnover of ca. £6m • employs 18 people on a full and part time basis 1.2.3 As a local company, 3R Energy is committed to working with the local communities in the Douglas Valley for the long term to develop and deliver successful projects which create significant and tangible benefits for the surrounding communities. Project Number: EDI_1016 1 Scoping Report Douglas West Extension 1.2.4 3R Energy’s Forward Strategy for the development of their business and landholding in the Douglas Valley can be found in Appendix 1.1.