Carno III Wind Farm Tip Height Extension Further Environmental Information July 2020 VOLUME 1 of 3 WRITTEN STATEMENT AND APPENDIX Prepared by Preface This Further Environmental Information (FEI) has been prepared by Natural Power Consultants Ltd., on behalf of Amegni Renewables Ltd. in accordance with the statutory procedures set out in the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Wales) Regulations 2017. The FEI supports the formal Section 73 application for the Carno III Wind Farm Tip Height Extension (THE) and associated infrastructure, near Carno, Powys, Mid-Wales, which has been prepared for Powys County Council (PCC) under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). A separate application will also be submitted to Powys County Council under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) for a new section of access track that leaves the main public highway and enters agricultural land opposite Wig Lane. Due to Covid-19 restrictions a hard copy will not be available for viewing, as agreed with Powys County Council. The Section 73 application and supporting documents will be available for viewing on the Powys County Council website using their online ‘Search for Planning Applications’ facility. This is Volume 1 of 3 of the Further Environmental Information. This volume presents all the relevant environmental assessments that have been undertaken along with their appendices. Volume 2 contains all the relevant maps, plans, figures, diagrams and visualisations. Volume 3 presents the key information in the Non-Technical Summary as a bilingual English/Welsh document. Electronic copies on DVD/memory stick can also be obtained from Natural Power Consultants Ltd., Harbour House, Y Lanfa, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 1AS Tel: +44 (0) 1970 636869 Further Environmental Information, Environmental Statement and Supplementary Environmental Information in PDF file format on DVD/memory stick. £25 No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission from Natural Power Consultants Ltd. and Amegni Renewables Ltd. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the material published. However, neither Natural Power nor Amegni Renewables will be liable for any inaccuracies. VOLUME 1 WRITTEN STATEMENT 6.18 INFORMATION SOURCES ........................................................................................................................... 20 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment .............................................................................................. 20 LANDMAP and Landscape Character ........................................................................................................ 20 CONTENTS PAGE Viewpoint Assessment ................................................................................................................................ 21 Proposed Additional Access Track Assessment ..................................................................................... 21 SECTION 1: PROJECT OVERVIEW AND UPDATE Residential Amenity Assessment .............................................................................................................. 21 6.19 CONSULTATION AND SCOPING ................................................................................................................ 21 1.11 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 2 6.20 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY AND SIGNFICANCE CRITERIA ............................................................ 24 1.12 SITE LOCATION ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Assessment Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 24 1.13 PROPOSED CHANGES ................................................................................................................................. 2 Viewpoints Used in Assessment ................................................................................................................ 24 1.14 CONSULTATION ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Viewpoint Photography and Reviewed Baseline ........................................................................................... 25 1.15 STRUCTURE OF FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (FEI) ...................................................... 5 Other Wind Farms within the Study Area ...................................................................................................... 25 1.16 PROJECT TEAM ............................................................................................................................................ 6 6.21 BASELINE CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................................. 26 Background .................................................................................................................................................. 26 SECTION 4: PROJECT DESCRIPTION Study Area and Context .............................................................................................................................. 27 Landscape Character Areas ....................................................................................................................... 27 4.22 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 10 National Landscape Character Areas (LCA) ................................................................................................. 27 4.23 SITE LOCATION ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Powys Landscape Character Assessment .................................................................................................... 27 4.24 CHANGES TO PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................... 10 Use of LANDMAP to Assess Effects on Landscape Character ..................................................................... 27 4.25 SITE LAYOUT ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Landscape and Landscape Related Designations ................................................................................... 27 4.26 PUBLIC ROAD ACCESS ............................................................................................................................. 11 National Landscape Designations (ES paragraphs 6.4.76-78) ..................................................................... 27 4.28 TURBINES .................................................................................................................................................... 11 Historic Landscape, Parks and Gardens (ES paragraphs 6.4.24-32) ........................................................... 27 Turbine Foundations ................................................................................................................................... 11 Conservation Areas (ES paragraphs 6.4.57-60) ............................................................................................ 28 4.29 CRANE PADS ............................................................................................................................................... 12 Cultural Aspects of the Landscape ............................................................................................................ 28 4.30 BORROW PITS ............................................................................................................................................. 12 Settlements (ES paragraphs 6.4.47-56) ........................................................................................................ 28 4.31 SITE TRACKS ............................................................................................................................................... 12 Individual Residential Properties .................................................................................................................... 28 4.32 ON-SITE CABLING....................................................................................................................................... 12 Transport Routes (ES paragraphs 6.4.35-46) ............................................................................................... 28 4.33 SUBSTATION AND CONTROL BUILDING ................................................................................................. 12 National Trails/Long Distance Paths (ES paragraphs 6.4.61-65) .................................................................. 29 4.34 CONSTRUCTION COMPOUND AND FACILITIES ..................................................................................... 12 Cycle Routes .................................................................................................................................................. 29 4.35 OFF-SITE GRID CONNECTION .............................................................................................................. 13