1 Introduction Introduction an Existing Section of Farm Track

1 Introduction Introduction an Existing Section of Farm Track

Penmanshiel wind farm RES 1 Introduction Introduction an existing section of farm track. The proposed site access track will, in part, follow the right of way route. Further details of potential impacts upon this receptor are described in Chapter 7: 1.1 This Environmental Statement (ES) is submitted in support of a planning application made by RES UK Landscape and Visual and Chapter 16: Socio-Economics. & Ireland Limited (RES) (“the applicant”) for planning permission to install 15 wind turbines with 1.8 The proposed wind farm site itself is not subject to any environmental designations. The nearest associated access track, infrastructure and ancillary development including a substation, permanent Natura 2000 site is the St Abbs to Fast Castle Special Protection Area (SPA) approximately 2 km to and temporary anemometer masts, a temporary construction compound and a network of the north east. Several Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are also within 2 km of the site underground cables at Penmanshiel Farm in the Scottish Borders Council (SBC) area. boundary. These are Drone Hill Moss, Pease Bridge Glen, St Abbs Head to Fast Castle, Berwickshire 1.2 This chapter outlines the development context of the proposed wind farm, the application details, coast (intertidal) and Old Cambus Quarry (geological). provides information on the applicant and outlines the structure of this ES. 1.9 Various ecological assessments have been carried out on the development site including habitat, bat activity, otter and water vole, badger, reptile and amphibian surveys. The findings of these surveys Development Context are discussed in detail in Chapter 8: Ecology. Site Location 1.10 Ornithological surveys have been undertaken starting winter 2009 and ending winter 2011. Results from these surveys are reported in Chapter 9: Ornithology. 1.3 The proposed wind farm site is located near Grantshouse in the Scottish Borders with the closest 1.11 The proposed wind farm site is considered low sensitivity on the SNH/RSPB bird sensitivity map1. turbine located approximately 1.5 km from the village edge. Further afield, Coldingham is located approximately 7 km to the south-east and Cockburnspath is situated approximately 4.5 km to the 1.12 There is one category C(S) Listed Building on the site, Harelawside Farm. No part of the proposed north-west. The consented, and currently under construction 22 turbine wind farm, Drone Hill is wind farm site lies within a Conservation Area or Garden and Designed Landscape. situated to the east of the site with approximately 530 m between the closest turbines. The 1.13 The “Winding Cairn”, which is a Scheduled Monument (SM), is located within the site boundary near proposed wind farm site is located on Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 map sheet 67 and the southern tip of the existing Penmanshiel Moor forestry where the majority of turbines are Explorer 1:25,000 map 346. The centre point of the proposed wind farm site is Ordnance Survey proposed. In the wider area (10 km from site boundary) there are a number of SAMs including: grid reference 382200E, 667800N. The proposed wind farm site boundary covers approximately Harly Darlies, Ewieside Hill, St. Helen’s Church, Dowlaw, Lowries Knowes as well as the Garden and 592 hectares. The location of the proposed wind farm site is shown in Figure 1.1. Designated Landscape at Dunglass and Conservation Area at Oldhamstocks. These are considered in 1.4 The proposed wind farm site itself comprises a large area of commercial forest as well as detail in Chapter 10: Cultural Heritage and Archaeology. agricultural land, mainly used for arable and improved pasture. The main development site is made 1.14 A series of watercourses are present throughout the proposed site. Broad Bog Burn and Blegdon up of Penmanshiel Farm and Harelawside Farm as well as the Penmanshiel Moor commercial forestry Burn cross the forested section of the site before draining south into the Harelaw Burn, just after it operation, which will need to be felled. An area of woodland at Penmanshiel Moss has also been emerges out of the forest. Longstruther Burn crosses open ground at Moss Maw before draining into included in the site boundary, together with a number of shelter belts. No infrastructure is planned the Winding Burn just before it emerges south out of the forest. Both Harelaw Burn and Winding on these areas; however further tree felling may be undertaken in these areas in order to maximise Burn flow into the Howpark Burn along the south-east boundary of the site. The Howpark Burn turbine energy yield. subsequently flows into the Eye Water just beyond the site boundary to the east of Grantshouse. 1.5 The site is mainly located in an area classified as coastal moorland with coastal farmland and The presence of surface watercourses adjacent to and within the site is described in more detail in pastoral upland fringe. The lowest lying turbine is located at 179 m and the highest at 227 m above Chapter 11: Geology, Hydrology and Hydrogeology. sea level. 1.15 There are two residential properties within the proposed wind farm site boundary, Harelawside Farm and Harelawbrae. Just outside the western site boundary lies Penmanshiel Farm, South Environmental Sensitivity Penmanshiel Farm and the Penmanshiel Farm Cottages. To the south along Howpark Road lie 1.6 The proposed wind farm site is not subject to any landscape designation. There are however, Howpark Farm Cottage, Howpark Farm and The Coverage. To the north there are a number of regional landscape designations nearby including the Berwickshire Coast Area of Great Landscape properties at Old Cambus as well as Old Townhead Farm and Headchester. The closest residence to Value (AGLV) which traces the east coastline within Scottish Borders and the Lammermuir Hills the turbines is Penmanshiel Farm at 941 m, and the second closest residence is Headchesters at 975 AGLV which lies to the west and south west of the site in both Scottish Borders and East Lothian. m from the nearest turbine. More information on these properties in relation to potential noise Further details are provided in Chapter 7: Landscape and Visual. 1.7 There is one right of way on the proposed wind farm site, Laird’s Way (BB11) which is also an SBC 1 Bright, JA et al ( 2006), Bird Sensitivity Map to provide locational guidance for onshore wind farms in Scotland. Core path (#100). The right of way joins Grantshouse to the A1107 near Old Cambus partly utilising http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/sensitivitymap_tcm9-157991.pdf 1-1 Volume 2: Main Report Chapter 1: Introduction Penmanshiel wind farm RES impacts is presented in Chapter 12: Noise and Chapter 14: Electromagnetic Interference and 1.23 Under the requirements of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006, the applicant has undertaken Pre- Aviation and Chapter 17: Other Issues – Health and Safety, Air quality and Climate and Shadow Application Consultation (PAC) with the local community including the submission of a PAC report Flicker. with the planning application. A pre-application notice was registered with SBC on 24 March 2011 1.16 The proposed wind farm requires the felling of 204 ha of trees in order to allow the efficient allowing for the statutory 12-week minimum process to consult the local community. This notice operation of the turbines. This is predominantly commercial plantation forestry located on set out the public consultation process to be undertaken in advance of a planning application being Penmanshiel Moor (189 ha) that was planted in the late 1980’s. Compensatory woodland planting submitted for this proposal and the methods RES would use to consult the local community on the has been discussed with SBC and a mechanism has been agreed, in principle, for addressing this proposed development. Designed within the statutory framework of the Planning etc. (Scotland) requirement. More information about potential impacts on the forest resource is presented in Act 2006 and in consultation with SBC, the PAC also meets the 10 National Standards for Community Chapter 13: Forestry. Engagement as set out in Planning Advice Note 81 (PAN 81): Community Engagement and also draws on SP=EED (Scottish Planning = Effective Engagement and Delivery) derived from PAN 81 to 1.17 The impacts of the proposed wind farm, including de-forestation, upon traffic and transport are effectively audit the consultation process. considered in Chapter 15: Access, Traffic and Transport. 1.24 The outcome of the PAC process is outlined in the PAC report submitted with the planning Application Details application. 1.18 RES UK & Ireland (Ltd), a subsidiary of Renewable Energy Systems Holdings Ltd, is applying to Applicant Scottish Borders Council (SBC) for full planning permission to construct a wind farm comprising 15 wind turbines on Penmanshiel Farm. The proposed wind farm site and access lies within the Area 1.25 RES is one of the world’s leading independent renewable energy developers with operations across Planning Office Boundary of Scottish Borders Council. The planning application boundary is shown in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. RES, a British company, has been at the forefront of wind Figure 1.2 and the proposed turbine layout is shown in Figure 1.3. energy development since the 1970s and has developed and/or built 100 wind farms (or more than 5 Gigawatts (GW) of wind capacity) around the world, including 10% of the UK’s wind energy. This 1.19 Each turbine will have a tapered tubular tower and be three bladed with an overall height to blade includes seven wind farms in Scotland with a total generation capacity of more than 120 MW. In tip not exceeding 100 m. This turbine size has been selected following a thorough site selection and 2010, RES commenced construction of Hill of Towie Wind Farm in Moray and Kelburn Wind Farm in design evolution process that is outlined in detail in Chapter 3: Design Evolution and Alternatives.

View Full Text

Details

  • File Type
    pdf
  • Upload Time
    -
  • Content Languages
    English
  • Upload User
    Anonymous/Not logged-in
  • File Pages
    5 Page
  • File Size
    -

Download

Channel Download Status
Express Download Enable

Copyright

We respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of all users. All uploaded documents are either original works of the uploader or authorized works of the rightful owners.

  • Not to be reproduced or distributed without explicit permission.
  • Not used for commercial purposes outside of approved use cases.
  • Not used to infringe on the rights of the original creators.
  • If you believe any content infringes your copyright, please contact us immediately.

Support

For help with questions, suggestions, or problems, please contact us