Proposed 132kV Overhead Line Connection from Sandy Knowe Wind Farm to Glenglass Substation May 2017 Routeing and Consultation Document Routeing and Consultation Document May 2017 PREFACE This Routeing and Consultation Document has been prepared on behalf of SP Transmission plc and relates to the proposal for a 132kV overhead line connection from Sandy Knowe Wind Farm to a connection point close to Glenglass substation. This proposal is referred as the “Proposed Development”. This Routeing and Consultation Document presents the methodology and findings of the routeing study which has been undertaken to inform consultation on the Proposed Development. This Routeing and Consultation Document is available to download for free from the Sandy Knowe Wind Farm Connection Project page on the SP Energy Networks website at the link below... https://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/community_consultation.aspx (this is the generic link to the Community Consultation page and the project will appear in a drop down box.) Hard copies of the Routeing Consultation Document are available to purchase upon request from: Land and Planning, ScottishPower Energy Networks, Ochil House, 10 Technology Avenue, Hamilton International Technology Park, Blantyre, G72 0HT This Routeing Consultation Document is also available for viewing at: Sanquhar Library, 106 High Street, Sanquhar, DG4 6DZ Kirkconnel Library, Greystone Avenue, Sanquhar, DG4 6RA Dumfries &Galloway Planning Dept, English Street, Dumfries, DG1 2DD Proposed 132kV Overhead Line Connection from Sandy Knowe Wind Farm to Glenglass Substation Take care of the environment. Printed in black and white and only if necessary. 1 Routeing and Consultation Document May 2017 Organisations contacted formally by SP Energy Networks (see Appendix 2) and local communities have been asked to respond by the 28th of July 2017. Proposed 132kV Overhead Line Connection from Sandy Knowe Wind Farm to Glenglass Substation Take care of the environment. Printed in black and white and only if necessary. 2 Routeing and Consultation Document May 2017 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 7 1.1. Purpose ..................................................................................................................... 7 1.2. The Need for the Project ........................................................................................... 7 1.3. National Planning Framework ................................................................................... 7 1.4. Scottish Power Transmission’s Statutory Duties ....................................................... 8 1.5. Stakeholder Engagement .......................................................................................... 9 1.6. The Proposed Development and Consenting Process ............................................. 9 1.7. Structure of the report.............................................................................................. 10 1.8. Project Team ........................................................................................................... 11 2. APPROACH TO OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINE ROUTEING ..................................... 12 2.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 12 2.2. Routeing Objective for the Project ........................................................................... 12 2.3. Routeing Principles .................................................................................................. 12 2.4. Routeing Methodology............................................................................................. 17 3. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................. 19 3.1. Proposed Grid Connection ...................................................................................... 19 3.2. Design and Construction of a 132V Wood Pole Line .............................................. 19 4. IDENTIFICATION OF STUDY AREA AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND TECHNICAL ROUTEING CONSTRAINTS ................................................................................................. 22 4.1. Identification of the Study Area ............................................................................... 22 4.2. Description of the Study Area .................................................................................. 22 4.3. Planning Policy Context........................................................................................... 23 4.4. Identification and Mapping of Areas of Environmental Designation and Sensitive Areas ................................................................................................................... 23 4.5 . Environmental Baseline Review .............................................................................. 26 4.6. Technical Constraints .............................................................................................. 44 Proposed 132kV Overhead Line Connection from Sandy Knowe Wind Farm to Glenglass Substation Take care of the environment. Printed in black and white and only if necessary. 3 Routeing and Consultation Document May 2017 5. ROUTE OPTIONS .................................................................................................................. 46 5.1. Identification of Route Options ................................................................................ 46 5.2. Description of Route Options .................................................................................. 46 6. APPRAISAL OF ROUTE OPTIONS ...................................................................................... 48 6.1. Environmental Designations and Sensitive Areas .................................................. 48 6.2. Length of the Route Options ................................................................................... 48 6.3. Landscape Character and Visual Amenity .............................................................. 49 6.4. Terrestrial Ecology and Nature Conservation ......................................................... 53 6.5. Ornithology .............................................................................................................. 55 6.6. Agriculture and Land Use ........................................................................................ 56 6.7. Forestry ................................................................................................................... 62 6.8. Geology and Soils ................................................................................................... 63 6.9. Hydrology and Water Resources ............................................................................ 64 6.10. Archaeology and Cultural Heritage ......................................................................... 66 6.11. Traffic and Transportation ....................................................................................... 67 6.12. Social and Economic ............................................................................................... 67 6.13. Technical Review .................................................................................................... 68 7. IDENTIFICATION OF PREFERRED ROUTE OPTION ......................................................... 70 7.1. ZTV of Route Option 2A .......................................................................................... 70 8. NEXT STEPS ......................................................................................................................... 72 Proposed 132kV Overhead Line Connection from Sandy Knowe Wind Farm to Glenglass Substation Take care of the environment. Printed in black and white and only if necessary. 4 Routeing and Consultation Document May 2017 Figures Figure 1-1: Location Plan Figure 2-1 Routeing Methodology Figure 4-1: Study Area and Buffer Area Figure 4-2: Environmental Designations and Sensitive Areas Figure 4-3: Landscape Character Types Figure 4-4: Other Routeing Constraints Figure 5-1: Route Options Figure 5-2: Route Options (Detail) Figure 5-3: Route Options and Areas of Highest Environmental Value Figure 5-4: Route Options and Environmental Designations and Sensitive Areas Environmental Value Figure 5-5: Route Options. Technical Constrains Figure 6-1: Route Options and Landscape Character Types Figure 7-1: Preferred Route Option Figure 7-2: ZTV of Preferred Route Option Tables Table 4-1 Areas of Highest Environmental Value Table 4-2 Soil Associations Table 4-3 Water Framework Directive, summary of surface waterbodies in the Study Area Table 4-4 Groundwater vulnerability classifications and their interpretation Table 4-5 Water Framework Directory, summary of ground waterbodies in the Study Area Table 4-6 Private Water Supplies and Discharges within the Study Area Table 6-1 Approximate Length of Route Options Table 6-2 Route option 2A – Route option 1 – agriculture/land use issues Proposed 132kV Overhead Line Connection from Sandy Knowe Wind Farm to Glenglass Substation Take care of the environment. Printed in black and white and only if necessary. 5 Routeing and Consultation Document May 2017 Table 6-3 Route option 2A – agriculture/land use issues Table 6-4 Route option 2B – agriculture/land use issues Table 6-5 Route option 3A – agriculture/land use issues Table 6-6 Route option 3B – agriculture/land use issues