Chapter 6 Landscape and Visual www.scottishpowerrenewables.com Clauchrie Windfarm December, 2019 Environmental Impact Assessment Report Table of contents 6.4.5.2 Visualisations 18 6.5 Baseline Conditions 18 6.5.1 Introduction 18 6.1 Introduction 6 6.5.2 Landscape Baseline - Overview 18 6.1.1 Background 6 6.5.2.1 Site Context 18 6.1.2 The proposed Development 6 6.5.2.2 Landscape Character 18 6.1.3 Study Area 6 6.5.2.3 Landscape Designations 19 6.5.2.4 Merrick Wild Land Area (WLA) 19 6.2 Legislation, Policy and Guidelines 7 6.5.3 Visual Baseline Overview 19 6.2.1 Legislation 7 6.5.3.1 Blade Tip ZTV 19 6.2.2 Policy 7 6.5.3.2 Blade Tip ZTV with Potential Forestry Screening 20 6.2.2.1 European Landscape Convention (ELC) 7 6.5.3.3 Hub Height ZTV 20 6.2.2.2 National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3) 7 6.5.3.4 Horizontal Angle ZTV 20 6.2.2.3 National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) 7 6.5.3.5 Overview of Principal Visual Receptors 20 6.2.2.4 Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 7 6.5.3.5.1 Settlement 20 6.2.2.5 SNH Spatial Planning for Onshore Wind Turbines 7 6.5.3.5.2 Roads 21 6.2.2.5.1 National Scenic Areas 7 6.5.3.5.3 Rail Routes 21 6.2.2.5.2 Gardens and Designed Landscapes 8 6.5.3.5.4 Ferry Routes 21 6.2.2.5.3 Wild Land 8 6.5.3.5.5 Recreational Routes 21 6.2.2.6 South Ayrshire Local Development Plan Policy 8 6.5.3.5.5.1 Southern Upland Way (SUW) 21 6.2.2.6.1 LDP Policy: Landscape Quality 8 6.5.3.5.5.2 Other Long-Distance Footpaths 21 6.2.2.6.2 LDP Policy: Protecting the Landscape 8 6.5.3.5.5.3 Local Paths Network 21 6.2.2.6.3 LDP Policy: Dark Skies 8 6.5.3.5.5.4 Long Distance Cycle Routes 21 6.2.2.7 LDP Policy: Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 8 6.5.3.5.5.5 Hill Walking 21 6.2.2.7.1 South Ayrshire Local Landscape Areas (LLAs) 9 6.5.3.5.6 Recreational Destinations and Visitor Attractions 22 6.2.2.8 Dumfries and Galloway Local Development Plan Policy 9 6.5.3.5.6.1 Galloway Forest Park 22 6.2.2.8.1 Dumfries & Galloway Local Development Plan 2 2019 (LDP2) 9 6.5.3.5.6.2 Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park 22 6.2.2.8.1.1 Policy ED11: Dark Skies 9 6.5.3.5.6.3 Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 22 6.2.2.8.1.2 Policy HE6 - Gardens and Designed Landscapes 9 6.5.3.6 Viewpoints 22 6.2.2.8.1.3 Policy NE1: National Scenic Areas 9 6.5.4 Wind Energy Development Baseline 24 6.2.2.8.1.4 Policy NE2: Regional Scenic Areas 9 6.5.4.1 Existing Wind Energy Developments 24 6.2.2.8.1.5 Policy NE3: Areas of Wild Land 9 6.2.3 Guidance 9 6.6 Potential Effects 25 6.2.3.1 South Ayrshire LDP Supplementary Guidance: Wind Energy (2015) 9 6.2.3.2 South Ayrshire Landscape Wind Capacity Study (2018) 10 6.7 Mitigation 25 6.2.3.3 Other LVIA Guidance 11 6.8 Physical Landscape Effects 26 6.3 Consultation 11 6.8.1 Assessment of Physical Landscape Effects 26 6.8.2 Coniferous Forestry 26 6.4 Assessment Methodology and Significance Criteria 15 6.8.2.1 Sensitivity 26 6.4.1 Desk Study 15 6.8.2.2 Magnitude of Change 26 6.4.2 Field Survey 15 6.8.2.3 Significance of the Effect 27 6.4.3 Assessment Methods 15 6.8.3 Moorland 27 6.4.3.1 Sensitivity of Receptor 16 6.8.3.1 Sensitivity 27 6.4.3.2 Magnitude of Change 16 6.8.3.2 Magnitude of Change 27 6.4.3.3 Categories of Effects 16 6.8.3.3 Significance of the Effect 27 6.4.3.4 Approach to Cumulative Effects 16 6.4.3.5 Potential Effects 16 6.9 Landscape Character Effects 27 6.4.3.6 Turbine Lighting 17 6.9.1 Introduction 27 6.4.3.7 Nature of Effects 17 6.9.2 Preliminary Assessment 27 6.4.3.8 Duration of Effects 17 6.9.2.1 Landscape Character Preliminary Assessment 27 6.4.3.9 Residual Effects 17 6.9.2.2 Landscape Designations Preliminary Assessment 29 6.4.4 Assessment of Significance 17 6.9.2.3 Wild Land Areas Preliminary Assessment 30 6.4.5 Assumptions, Limitations and Confidence 18 6.9.2.4 Summary of Preliminary Landscape Character Assessment 30 6.4.5.1 Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) Analysis 18 6.9.3 Detailed Assessment of Landscape Character Effects 30 6 Landscape and Visual Page 2 Clauchrie Windfarm December, 2019 Environmental Impact Assessment Report 6.9.3.1 Plateau Moorlands with Forestry and Windfarms (18c) 30 6.11.2.9 Summary of Consented Scenario Preliminary Visual Assessment 74 6.9.3.2 Rugged Uplands with Loch and Forest (South Ayrshire 21 and East Ayrshire 21) 32 6.11.2.9.1 Consented Scenario Technical Assessment - Viewpoints 74 6.9.3.3 Intimate Pastoral Valley (13) 35 6.11.2.9.2 Consented Scenario Technical Assessment – Visual Receptors 75 6.9.3.4 Plateau Moorland with Forest (17a) 36 6.11.3 Application wind energy scenario 76 6.9.3.5 Rugged Granite Upland (21) 38 6.11.3.1 Application Stage Scenario Preliminary Cumulative Assessment 76 6.9.3.6 South Ayrshire SA 39 6.11.3.2 Application Stage Scenario Preliminary Assessment – LCTs 77 6.9.3.7 Galloway Hills Regional Scenic Area 40 6.11.3.3 Application Stage Scenario Preliminary Assessment – Landscape Designations 79 6.11.3.4 Summary of Application Stage Scenario Preliminary Landscape Assessment 79 6.10 Visual Effects 41 6.11.3.5 Application Stage Scenario Technical Assessment - LCTs 79 6.10.1 Introduction 41 6.11.3.6 Application Stage Scenario Technical Assessment – Landscape Designations 80 6.10.2 Preliminary Assessment - Viewpoints 41 6.11.3.7 Application Stage Scenario Preliminary Assessment – Viewpoints 81 6.10.3 Preliminary Assessment - Principal Visual Receptors 42 6.11.3.8 Application Stage Scenario Preliminary Assessment – Visual Receptors 82 6.10.3.1 Settlements 42 6.11.3.9 Summary of Application Stage Scenario Preliminary Visual Assessment 83 6.10.3.2 Transport Routes 43 6.11.3.9.1 Application Stage Scenario Cumulative Assessment - Viewpoints 83 6.10.3.3 Recreational Routes 44 6.11.3.9.2 Application Stage Scenario Cumulative Assessment – Visual Receptors 85 6.10.3.4 Galloway Forest Park - Recreational Receptors 45 6.10.4 Summary of Preliminary Assessment on Views 45 6.12 Summary 86 6.10.5 Technical Assessment – Viewpoints 45 6.10.5.1 Viewpoint 1: Chirmorie Cairn 46 6.13 Conclusions 91 6.10.5.2 Viewpoint 2: Minor Road to south of Barrhill 47 6.13.1.1 Landscape Character Effects 91 6.10.5.3 Viewpoint 3: B7027 Knockycoid 48 6.13.1.2 Visual Effects 92 6.10.5.4 Viewpoint 5: Knockdolian 49 6.13.1.2.1 Cumulative Effects 92 6.10.5.5 Viewpoint 6: SUW, Hill of Ochiltree 50 6.13.1.3 Effects of Aviation Lighting 93 6.10.5.6 Viewpoint 7: Auchensoul Hill 51 6.13.1.4 Effects on Merrick Wild Land Area 94 6.10.5.7 Viewpoint 8: Merrick 52 6.10.5.8 Viewpoint 9: Barr (Glenginnet Road) 53 6.14 References 95 6.10.5.9 Viewpoint 10: A714 Creeside 54 6.10.5.10 Viewpoint 12: NCR7 near Doughty Hill 55 6.10.5.11 Viewpoint 13: Shalloch on Minnoch 56 6.10.5.12 Viewpoint 14: Corserine 57 6.10.5.13 Viewpoint 15: Colmonell 58 6.10.5.14 Viewpoint 16: Byne Hill 59 6.10.5.15 Viewpoint 17: Kirriereoch Picnic Site 60 6.10.5.16 Viewpoint 18: B734 Stinchar Valley 61 6.10.5.17 Viewpoint 19: B734 Approach to Barr 62 6.10.5.18 Viewpoint 20: New Barr Trail (near Whiteknowes) 63 6.10.5.19 Viewpoint 21: Barr Trail (Barr to Loch Doon Cycle Route) 64 6.10.6 Technical Assessment – Visual Receptors 65 6.10.6.1 Transport Routes 65 6.10.6.1.1 A714 65 6.10.6.1.2 B734 65 6.10.6.2 Recreational Routes 66 6.10.6.2.1 Southern Upland Way Section 3 (The Moors, New Luce to Bargrennan) 66 6.10.6.2.2 NCR7 67 6.11 Cumulative Assessment 67 6.11.1 Overview of Approach 67 6.11.2 Consented Wind Energy Scenario 67 6.11.2.1 Consented Scenario Preliminary Assessment 67 6.11.2.2 Consented Scenario Preliminary Assessment – LCTs 68 6.11.2.3 Consented Scenario Preliminary Assessment – Landscape Designations 70 6.11.2.4 Summary of Consented Scenario Preliminary Landscape Assessment 70 6.11.2.5 Consented Scenario Technical Assessment - LCTs 70 6.11.2.6 Consented Scenario Technical Assessment – Landscape Designations 71 6.11.2.7 Consented Scenario Preliminary Assessment – Viewpoints 71 6.11.2.8 Consented Scenario Preliminary Assessment – Visual Receptors 73 6 Landscape and Visual Page 3 Clauchrie Windfarm December, 2019 Environmental Impact Assessment Report Figure 6.25f Group 3 Operational Cumulative ZTV (Arecleoch) List of Figures (Volume 3a-b Figure 6.25g Group 4 Operational Cumulative ZTV (Kilgallioch) Figure 6.25h Group 5 Operational Cumulative ZTV (Dersalloch) Baseline Figures Figure 6.25i Group 6 Operational Cumulative ZTV (Airies, Artfield Fell, Balmurrie Fell, Glenchamber, Figure 6.1 Site Location and LVIA Study Area Carscreugh) Figure 6.2 Site Context Figure 6.25j Group 7 Operational Cumulative ZTV (Glen App) Figure 6.3 Landform Figure 6.25k Group 8 Operational Cumulative ZTV (Windy Standard, Windy Standard II, Afton, Hare Hill, Figure 6.4 Baseline Windfarm Search Plan (Existing and Under Construction) Hare Hill Extension, Sanquhar, Whiteside Hill) Figure 6.5a Landscape Character (Windfarm Capacity Studies) Figure 6.25l Group 9 Operational Cumulative ZTV (Wether Hill, Blackcraig) Figure 6.5b Landscape Character (SNH) Figure 6.25m Group 10 Consented Cumulative ZTV (Chirmorie, Stranoch 1) Figure 6.6 Landscape Designations Figure 6.25n Group 11 Consented Cumulative ZTV (Kirk Hill, Chapleton Farm) Figure 6.7 Wild Land Figure 6.25o Group 12 Consented Cumulative ZTV (Gass) Figure 6.8 Dark Skies Park Figure 6.25p Group 13 Consented Cumulative ZTV (Benbrack, South Kyle, Enoch Hill, Windy Rig, Figure 6.9a Visual Receptors – Settlements/Transport Pencloe Forest, Sanquhar Six) Figure 6.25q Group 14 Consented Cumulative ZTV (Overhill) Figure 6.9b Visual Receptors – Recreation Figure 6.25r Group 15 Application Stage Cumulative ZTV (Millenderdale) Figure 6.10 Viewpoints Figure 6.25s Group 16 Application Stage Cumulative ZTV (Windy Standard III,