LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL GUIDANCE ON SINGLE AND SMALL GROUPS OF WIND TURBINE DEVELOPMENTS IN BERWICKSHIRE, SCOTTISH BORDERS FINAL Main Report December 2014 Prepared by Alison Grant and Carol Anderson, Landscape Architects for Scottish Borders Council Berwickshire landscape and visual guidance on wind turbines Main Report – December 2014 1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................5 1.1 Policy context ........................................................................................................5 1.2 Study objectives ....................................................................................................6 1.3 Structure of the report ...........................................................................................8 1.4 How to use the study.............................................................................................8 2 STUDY METHODOLOGY...........................................................................................10 2.1 Background to landscape capacity .....................................................................10 2.2 Definition of terms ...............................................................................................10 2.3 General approach to the study............................................................................11 2.4 Operational, consented and proposed wind farms.............................................11 2.5 Baseline landscape character.............................................................................11 2.6 Development typologies......................................................................................12 2.6.1 Smaller typologies........................................................................................12 2.6.2 Larger typologies .........................................................................................12 2.7 Summary of development typologies to be considered......................................12 2.8 The sensitivity assessment .................................................................................13 2.8.1 Landscape and visual sensitivity criteria .....................................................13 2.8.2 Site assessment...........................................................................................16 2.9 Sensitivity levels..................................................................................................17 2.10 Cumulative issues and overall capacity assessment .........................................17 2.10.1 Cumulative effects .......................................................................................17 2.10.2 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................18 2.11 Guidance for siting smaller turbines....................................................................18 3 BASELINE LANDSCAPE CHARACTER...................................................................19 3.1.1 Additional landscape character types..........................................................19 3.1.2 Changes to LCT boundaries........................................................................19 4 SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT OF LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPES..................21 5 CHARACTER TYPE 1: DISSECTED PLATEAU MOORLAND.................................23 5.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................23 5.1.1 Operational/consented wind farms ..............................................................23 5.2 Summary of sensitivity ........................................................................................25 5.2.1 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................25 5.2.2 Constraints...................................................................................................26 5.2.3 Opportunities................................................................................................26 5.3 Guidance for development..................................................................................26 6 CHARACTER TYPE 8: ROLLING FARMLAND (WESTRUTHER PLATFORM)......29 6.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................29 6.1.1 Operational/consented wind farms ..............................................................29 6.2 Summary of sensitivity ........................................................................................31 6.2.1 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................31 6.2.2 Constraints...................................................................................................31 6.2.3 Opportunities................................................................................................32 6.3 Guidance for development..................................................................................32 7 CHARACTER TYPE 9: PLATFORM FARMLAND ....................................................34 7.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................34 7.1.1 Operational/consented wind farm development..........................................34 7.2 Summary of sensitivity ........................................................................................36 7.2.1 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................37 1 Berwickshire landscape and visual guidance on wind turbines Main Report – December 2014 7.2.2 Constraints...................................................................................................38 7.2.3 Opportunities................................................................................................38 7.3 Guidance for development..................................................................................39 CHARACTER TYPE 11: GRASSLAND WITH HILLS .....................................................41 7.4 Introduction..........................................................................................................41 7.4.1 Operational/consented wind farm development..........................................41 7.5 Summary of sensitivity ........................................................................................43 7.5.1 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................44 7.5.2 Constraints...................................................................................................44 7.5.3 Opportunities................................................................................................45 7.6 Guidance for development..................................................................................45 8 CHARACTER TYPE 14: MOORLAND.......................................................................47 8.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................47 8.1.1 Operational/consented wind farms ..............................................................47 8.2 Summary of sensitivity ........................................................................................49 8.2.1 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................49 8.2.2 Constraints...................................................................................................49 8.2.3 Opportunities................................................................................................50 8.3 Guidance for development..................................................................................50 9 CHARACTER TYPE 15: LOWLAND WITH DRUMLINS...........................................52 9.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................52 9.1.1 Operational/consented wind farm development..........................................52 9.2 Summary of sensitivity ........................................................................................54 9.2.1 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................54 9.2.2 Constraints...................................................................................................55 9.2.3 Opportunities................................................................................................55 9.3 Guidance for development..................................................................................55 10 CHARACTER TYPE 16: ROLLING LOWLAND MARGIN ........................................58 10.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................58 10.1.1 Operational/consented wind farm development..........................................58 10.2 Summary of sensitivity ........................................................................................60 10.2.1 Potential cumulative issues .........................................................................60 10.2.2 Constraints...................................................................................................61 10.2.3 Opportunities................................................................................................61 10.3 Guidance for development..................................................................................62