North Lowther Energy Initiative EIA Scoping Report Prepared for North Lowther Energy Initiative Ltd by LUC January 2016 North Lowther Energy Initiative EIA Scoping Report Prepared for North Lowther Energy Initiative Ltd by LUC January 2016 Planning & EIA LUC GLASGOW Offices also in: Land Use Consultants Ltd Registered in England Design 37 Otago Street London Registered number: 2549296 Landscape Planning Glasgow Bristol Registered Office: Landscape Management G12 8JJ Edinburgh 43 Chalton Street Ecology T +44 (0)141 334 9595 London NW1 1JD Mapping & Visualisation [email protected] FS 566056 EMS 566057 LUC uses 100% recycled paper Project Title: North Lowther Energy Initiative Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report Client: North Lowther Energy Initiative Ltd Contents 1 Introduction 1 The Proposers 1 Project Background 2 Scoping Report Structure 2 2 Description of the Site and Development Proposals 3 Introduction 3 Site Description 3 Site Selection 3 Project Description 5 Construction Details 7 Operational Maintenance 7 Decommissioning 7 3 The Environmental Impact Assessment Process 8 The Nature and Purpose of EIA 8 4 Planning and Legislative Context 11 Policy Context 11 Legislative Context 11 National Planning Policy 11 Scottish Government Planning Advice 13 Local Planning Policy 13 Other Material Considerations 15 5 Landscape and Visual Amenity 18 Introduction 18 Existing Conditions 18 Proposed Surveys and Assessment Methodologies 19 Approach to Mitigation 22 Residential Visual Amenity Assessment 22 Proposals for Consultation 23 6 Geology, Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Peat 24 Introduction 24 Existing Conditions 24 Proposed Surveys and Assessment Methodologies 24 Potential Effects 25 Approach to Mitigation 26 Proposals for Consultation 26 7 Ecology 27 Introduction 27 Existing Conditions 28 Proposed Surveys and Assessment Methodologies 29 Potential Ecological Effects 29 Approach to Mitigation 30 Consultation Proposals 30 8 Ornithology 31 Introduction 31 Existing Conditions 31 Proposed Survey and Assessment Methodologies 32 Potential Ornithological Effects 33 Approach to Mitigation 33 Consultation Proposals 34 9 Noise 35 Introduction 35 Existing Conditions 35 Proposed Survey and Assessment Methodologies 35 Potential Noise Effects 36 Approach to Mitigation 36 Consultation Proposals 37 10 Traffic and Transport 38 Introduction 38 Existing Conditions 38 Proposed Survey and Assessment Methodologies 38 Potential Traffic and Transport Effects 39 Approach to Mitigation 39 Consultation Proposals 39 11 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 40 Introduction 40 Existing Conditions 40 Proposed Survey and Assessment Methodologies 40 Potential Effects on Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 42 Approach to Mitigation 42 Consultation Proposals 42 12 Other Issues 43 Introduction 43 Existing Conditions 43 Proposed Survey and Assessment Methodologies 43 Potential Effects 44 Approach to Mitigation 44 Consultation Proposals 44 13 Socio-Economic, Tourism and Recreation 45 Introduction 45 Existing Conditions 45 Proposed Survey and Assessment Methodologies 45 Potential Social and Economic Effects 47 Approach to Mitigation 47 Consultation Proposals 48 Appendix 1 : Draft Structure of the Environmental Statement 49 Appendix 2 : List of Proposed Consultees 51 Figures Figure 1.1: Site Location Figure 2.1: Preliminary Turbine Layout Figure 5.1: Landscape Character Types Figure 5.2: Landscape Designations Figure 5.3: Zone of Theoretical Visibility (150m to tip) and proposed viewpoints Figure 7.1: Ecology and Ornithology Designations Figure 10.1: Proposed Access Routes Figure 11.1: Cultural Heritage Designations 1 Introduction 1.1 This Scoping Report has been prepared by LUC1 on behalf of North Lowther Energy Initiative Ltd (NLEI Ltd), a joint venture between 2020 Renewables Ltd and Buccleuch Estates Ltd. It provides information in relation to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed North Lowther Energy Initiative (NLEI), hereafter referred to as ‘the Development’. The Development comprises a proposed windfarm located within the Queensberry Estate between Sanquhar and Wanlockhead, in Dumfries and Galloway (See Figure 1.1). 1.2 The Development will involve: the installation of up to 42 wind turbines, each with a maximum output of approximately 3.6 megawatts (MWs); construction of ancillary development comprising transformers for each wind turbine, access tracks, a substation and permanent wind monitoring mast(s); creation of a temporary construction compound(s) and borrow pits for the extraction of stone. 1.3 As the Development will have a generating capacity of greater than 50MW, NLEI Ltd will submit an application for consent to the Scottish Government’s Local Energy and Consents Unit (LECU) under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 (c29) (‘the Act’). In addition, a direction will be sought for deemed planning permission under section 57 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, as amended. It is acknowledged that the Development should be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (‘the EIA Regulations’), and the application for Section 36 consent will be accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES). 1.4 The EIA will help to ensure that likely significant environmental effects (both positive and negative) of the Development are assessed in a systematic way. In addition, it will enable the importance of these effects and the scope for reducing or enhancing them, to be clearly understood by the determining authority, its consultees and the public. The information compiled during the EIA will be presented in the ES to accompany the application for Section 36 consent. 1.5 A team of independent specialist consultants will be appointed to provide input into the Development’s design and where required mitigation of adverse environmental effects, as well as to inform the production of the ES to accompany the application for consent. 1.6 The EIA Regulations provide for obtaining a Scoping Opinion from Scottish Ministers as to the environmental effects to be considered in the EIA (Regulation 7(1)). This Scoping Report forms NLEI Ltd.’s written request to the Scottish Ministers for a ‘Scoping Opinion’ as to which environmental effects are to be considered in the EIA. It provides details of the Development and the proposed approach to assessing potential effects. The Proposers 1.7 2020 Renewables Ltd and Buccleuch Estates Ltd have formed a joint venture to progress the Development. 1.8 2020 Renewables is an established and experienced renewable energy developer based in Greenock. Established in 2010, its staff have been developing renewable energy projects since 1990. 1.9 Buccleuch Estates Ltd is the landowner for the Development and the enterprise represents the business interests of the Buccleuch family. 1 with specialist technical input from MvGLA (LVIA), MacArthur Green Ltd (ecology/ornithology) and TNEI (noise) North Lowther Energy Initiative 1 January 2016 Project Background 1.10 The Development is part of a wider renewable energy and land use strategy that can deliver social, economic and environmental benefits on a wider scale. The Development reflects the latest stage in a series of renewable energy developments between 2020 Renewables and Buccleuch Estates Ltd, which include: Coaling and restoration of coal mine; Glenmuckloch Energy Park: o Glenmuckloch Community Energy Park; o Glenmuckloch Windfarm; o Glenmuckloch Pumped Storage Hydro. 1.11 These projects aim to provide community owned renewables, renewable energy generation capacity and the ability to store renewable energy within the south of Scotland for use when it is most needed by the Grid operator. 1.12 Initial feasibility work for the Development was undertaken by NLEI Ltd in early 2014 in relation to the potential to develop a larger windfarm comprising 111 turbines with an approximate renewable energy output of 400MW. The findings of the initial feasibility work have informed revisions to this early layout along with the findings of ongoing environmental baseline surveys undertaken in 2014 and 2015, which will continue in 2016. This has narrowed the focus of the Development to the site boundary and layout shown in Figure 2.1. 1.13 Public consultation to date has included a public meeting in Wanlockhead in June 2015, followed by a public exhibition on 30th September at the village hall in Wanlockhead. The exhibition was attended by approximately 35 people and 16 questionnaires were taken by those willing to share their views. Additional, meetings have taken place with Wanlockhead Village Council and individuals within the local area to discuss the proposal. Consultation will continue during the EIA stage, and further public exhibition events will be held in 2016 as part of this. These events will present the findings of further environmental survey work and provide further information on layout iterations as the site progresses towards the application stage. Scoping Report Structure 1.14 This Report includes the following sections: Chapter 2: provides a description of the site and the development proposals; Chapter 3: provides a summary of the EIA process; Chapter 4: provides a summary of the planning policy relevant to the Development; Chapters 5 to 13: outline the topic areas proposed to be considered in the EIA; including an overview of the environmental baseline and a brief description of the potential effects of Development which could be significant