North Kyle Energy Project Environmental Impact Assessment Report Volume 1: Non- Technical Summary September 2019 Environmental Impact Assessment Report North Kyle Energy Project Abbreviations Abbreviation Expanded Term CEMP Construction Environmental Management Plan EAC East Ayrshire Council ECoW Ecological Clerk of Works ECU Energy Consents Unit EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIAR Environmental Impact Assessment Report FLS Forestry and Land Scotland GDL Garden and Designed Landscape (Inventory) ha Hectares HGV Heavy Goods Vehicle KFHR Kyle Forest Haul Road OHL Overhead Power Line OHMP Outline Habitat Management Plan NKF North Kyle Forest NTS Non-Technical Summary SuDS Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems TMP Traffic Management Plan WTG Wind Turbine Generator Volume 1: Non-Technical Summary 1 Ramboll North Kyle Energy Project Environmental Impact Assessment Report 1 Introduction 1.1.1 North Kyle Wind Farm Limited (NKWFL or ‘the Applicant’) has applied to Scottish Ministers through the Energy Consents Unit (ECU) under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for consent1 to construct and operate a 54-turbine wind farm at a site within the North Kyle Forest (NKF), approximately 5.5 km east of Patna, 6 km west of New Cumnock and 2.5 km south of Skares. The site location is shown in Figure 1. 1.1.2 The Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) has been prepared by Ramboll Environment and Health UK Limited (Ramboll) on behalf of the Applicant to accompany the application for consent. 1.2 Purpose of the Non-Technical Summary 1.2.1 The purpose of the EIAR is to report on the potential for significant environmental effects as a result of the proposed development, and to specify mitigation to avoid or reduce significant environmental effects. The EIAR comprises the following volumes: • Volume 1: Non-Technical Summary (NTS); • Volume 2: Main Report; • Volume 3a: Figures; • Volume 3b: Visualisations; and • Volume 4: Technical Appendices. 1.2.2 The Application is accompanied by the following documents that do not form part of the EIAR: • Planning Statement; • Socio-economic and Tourism Impact Assessment; • Design and Access Statement; • Pre-Application Consultation Report; • Regeneration and Enhancement Activities Statement2; and • Cover Letter, confirming deposit locations for the EIAR. 1.2.3 This document provides a Non-Technical Summary (NTS) of the EIAR. 1.2.4 The aim of the NTS is to summarise the content and main findings of the EIAR in a clear and concise manner to assist the public in understanding what the significant environmental effects of the proposed development are likely to be. The full EIAR provides a more detailed description of the proposed development and the findings of the EIA Process. 1.3 EIA Process and Methodology 1.3.1 EIA is a process that identifies the potential environmental effects (both beneficial and adverse) of a proposed development and proposed mitigation to avoid, reduce and offset any potential significant adverse environmental effects. The EIA process adopted for the proposed 1 An application for consent for the proposed development will be made to the Scottish Ministers under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, along with a request for a direction that planning permission be deemed to be granted under section 57(2) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended. 2 The Regeneration and Enhancement Activities Statement describes how the proposed development could uniquely assist (directly and indirectly) in regeneration of the local area through the restoration of abandoned surface coal mining areas within the site. Except where works are included in the project description at Chapter 2 of the EIAR the restoration opportunities described in the report do not themselves form part of the proposed development and have not been assessed within this EIAR. Ramboll 2 Volume 1: Non-Technical Summary Environmental Impact Assessment Report North Kyle Energy Project development has followed best practice guidelines, as set out by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment’s Quality Mark Scheme. 1.3.2 A scoping exercise was done at an early stage which invited comments from over 40 consultees regarding the proposed development and the key environmental issues to be addressed. This process allowed the EIAR to focus on the main areas of interest raised by the various consultees, with agreement with consultees that impacts which are not likely to be significant could be scoped out of further assessment. 1.4 Copies of the EIAR 1.4.1 An electronic version of the reports supporting the application, including the EIAR, are available to download from http://www.brockwellenergy.com/our-projects/onshore- wind/north-kyle-application-documents/. Hard copies of the EIAR and other documentation can be viewed at the following locations: East Ayrshire Council Dalmellington Area Centre Planning and Economic Development Service East Ayrshire Council East Ayrshire Council Main Street The Opera House Dalmellington 8 John Finnie Street KA6 7SN Kilmarnock KA1 1DD New Cumnock Development Trust Ochiltree Community Hub 21 Castle 45 Main Street New Cumnock Ochiltree KA18 4AN Cumnock KA18 2PE 1.4.2 The full application package is available at a cost of £700 in hard copy format (including postage and packaging), or on CD-ROM at a cost of £15. A Non-Technical Summary of the EIAR is available free of charge. Copies of documents can be requested from the Applicant using the contact details below: • By post: Toby Taylor, North Kyle Wind Farm Limited, Caledonian Exchange, 19a Canning Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH3 8EG • Telephone: 07976 560218 • email [email protected] 1.5 Commenting on the Application 1.5.1 When the application for the proposed development is lodged with Scottish Government the Applicant will advertise the application in accordance with applicable legislation as follows: • in the Cumnock Chronicle for two successive weeks. • in The Herald on one occasion. • in the Edinburgh Gazette on one occasion. • on the Applicant’s website at http://www.brockwellenergy.com/our-projects/onshore- wind/north-kyle-application-documents/ 1.5.2 The Applicant will provide details of the date by when representations should be made. The Energy Consents Unit (ECU) will invite formal representations on the proposal, which will be taken into account before any decision is reached on the application. Volume 1: Non-Technical Summary 3 Ramboll North Kyle Energy Project Environmental Impact Assessment Report 1.5.3 Any representations in relation to the application should be made to the ECU mailbox, at [email protected], via the Energy Consents website at www.energyconsents.scot or by post to The Scottish Government, Energy Consents Unit, 4th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU, identifying the proposal and specifying the grounds for representation. Written or emailed representations should be dated, clearly stating the name (in block capitals), full return email and postal address of those making representations. 2 Site Location 2.1.1 The proposed development site ('the site') covers an area of approximately 2,061 hectares (ha) and is located within the North Kyle Forest (NKF), East Ayrshire. It lies approximately 5.5 km east of Patna, 6 km west of New Cumnock and 2.5 km south of Skares (Figure 1). 2.1.2 The South-West Scotland Interconnector (275 kilo Volt) overhead power line (OHL) runs through the site. The proposed turbines would be located at least 408 m either side of the transmission line, unless otherwise agreed with the transmission line operator. 2.1.3 The site and surrounding area support ongoing commercial forestry operations. The site is part of the North Kyle Forest Estate managed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS)3. The NKF extends to approximately 4,000 ha in size and is dominated by Sitka spruce. The NKF area within the proposed site boundary is used for productive forestry with a large proportion due to be felled within the next 15 years. 2.1.4 Parts of the site and the surrounding area have been subject to extensive surface coal mining for the last few decades, with historic and active surface mine workings at House of Water, Netherton, Benbain, Chalmerston and Skares. Figure 2 shows the locations of these previous mine complexes. Figure 2 also identifies areas of previously disturbed land4, areas of land that will be disturbed in the future due to existing mining commitments, and areas of land that have not been affected by mining. Surface mining operations are continuing at House of Water; it is understood that these operations are likely to continue through to 2021. 2.1.5 Parts of the previously disturbed land shown on Figure 2 have been restored and rehabilitated as required by previous planning permissions across the various mined areas. However, due to the well documented liquidation of previous coal operators, some areas of the site are highly disturbed and in a state of abandonment, with no prospect of full restoration due to insufficient bonding being in place to fund delivery of restoration. Several of these areas comprise deep, water-filled voids with steep banks and a lack of topsoil meaning there is little vegetation of note. 2.1.6 An extensive network of forest rides and coal haulage roads exist throughout the site that allow for internal access. The Kyle Forest Haul Road (KFHR) is a private road that links various surface mine sites. The KFHR benefits from its own planning permission to remain in perpetuity. 2.1.7 There is currently limited public access to the site due to the previous surface mine operations and ongoing commercial forestry operations. 3 FLS is the Scottish Government agency responsible for managing Scotland's national forests and land. 4 The areas defined by the Coal Authority as ‘surface mining’ are associated with the more recent surface mining and are located in the areas where coal seams are concentrated.