Ben Aketil Wind Farm. Non-Technical Summary. Volume 4. August 2002

Transcription

1 Ben Aketil Wind Farm Non-Technical Summary Volume 4 August 2002

2 WIND - CLEAN ENERGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WIND ENERGY IN EUROPE OVERALL CONCLUSION FURTHER INFORMATION There is now increasing evidence that global warming and Within Europe, virtually all member states are seeking to climate change are a reality and will have major adverse generate electricity from wind energy. Ger many leads effects on sea levels, water supplies and agriculture in the the way with over 8750MW of installed capacity, with coming decades. One of the major causes of global Spain at 3337MW installed capacity and Denmark at over warming is the emission of large volumes of carbon 2500MW of installed capacity. Denmark remains the most dioxide gas resulting from, amongst other things, the ambitious of all the European states with an aim to have burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) to generate 50% of all its power met from wind energy by the year electricity. There is therefore a need to obtain clean, diverse and sustainable supplies of energy from renewable sources such as the sun, wind and water. Renewable energy has a key role to play in the Government's wider Climate Change Programme. Renewable energy sources generally produce low or negligible levels of pollutants (i.e. greenhouse gases, which cause global warming). So by displacing conventional sources of energy they can help the UK to meet its climate change targets. The Scottish Parliament is aiming for a target of 18% of electricity to be generated by renewable sources by This commitment by the Scottish Parliament will aid in the attainment of the overall UK target of 10% of electricity to be generated by renewable sources by The attainment of the 10% target is expected to result in annual savings of around 2.5 million tonnes of carbon emission in 2010 (Energy - The Changing Climate, June Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution). WIND ENERGY IN THE UK - SUSTAINABLE POWER The Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Central Government are all committed to a strong drive to develop wind power and other renewable technologies. A market based support mechanism for renewable energy has been introduced, which places an obligation on electricity suppliers to buy an increasing proportion of electricity from renewable sources. In Scotland this is named the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) (ROS) and in England and Wales the Renewables Obligation (RO). Currently around 3% of the UK's electricity needs are met from renewable energy sources such as hydro power, landfill gas and onshore wind. Wind energy both onshore and offshore is set to take an increasing share in the market and is a growing business. By the start of 2002 a total capacity of 474 megawatts (MW) had already been installed in the UK, meeting the average electricity needs of over a quarter of a million homes from around 70 onshore wind farm sites. In Scotland there are currently only 12 wind farm sites, of which only one is located within the Highlands. This existing site is at Novar and has a total installed capacity of 17MW from 34 turbines. National and Regional energy policy provides for a presumption in favour of renewable energy projects un le ss a p ar ti cu la r p ro po sa l w ou ld ca us e demonstrable harm to interests of acknowledged importance. In this particular case, it is contended that the main issue to be considered is the desirability and benefits to be gained from exploiting a clean sustainable energy resource, weighed against any perceived impact on landscape character, local visual effects and residential amenity. Having regard to the above, the proposal must as a starting point be considered against the relevant policies of the Local Development Plan. It is the applicants view that the Ben Aketil wind farm proposal accords with the Local Development Plan. It is also clear from the individual assessments set out within the Environmental Statement and summarised within this document that there will be no significant effects of the development in relation to noise, ecology, archaeology, safety and physical (including highway) effects of construction. While there is inevitably some uncertainty with regard to effects on raptors ongoing data collection will clarify the provisional assessment that the Ben Aketil project is acceptable. Turning to the considerations of potential landscape and visual effects, the overall conclusion is that there will be some localised impact on visual amenity, but that this would be limited in extent and the wind farm would therefore be acceptable in this location. The proposal is clearly in accord with the principles of sustainability and will provide significant environmental, and economic benefits including specifically, opportunities for local employment, community partnership and rural diversification. If you would like to find out more about the Ben Aketil wind farm proposal and its effects, you can read the full Environmental Statement at The Highland Council, Divisional Planning office, Kings House, The Green, Portree, Isle of Skye. For further details about this project, please contact Mr Nick Yencken at RDC Scotland, Crown Business Centre, High Street, Hawick, Scotland TD9 9EH. Tel rdc_scotland@yahoo.co.uk.

3 INTRODUCTION RDC Scotland has submitted a Planning Application to The Highland Council for the development of a wind farm to generate electricity on land to the east of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. The land is owned by the MacLeod and Coishletter Estates. Current land uses are crofting and forestry. Early discussions with The Highland Council indicated that the development should be subject to a formal Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and therefore, RDC Scotland has prepared an Environmental Statement (ES) to accompany the Planning Application. This document provides a comprehensive summary of the Environmental Statement. The scope of the ES was agreed in discussion with The Highland Council and other Statutory and Non-Statutory agencies. The ES provides environmental information to assist The Highland Council in the process of the determination of the wind farm proposal. 1 The following documents have been submitted to The Highland Council to support the application for the development of the wind farm Volume 1 - Planning Application Document Volume 2 - Environmental Statement ( Text and Appendices) Volume 3 - Environmental Statement ( Maps andfigures) Volume 4 - The Non-Technical Summary Copies of the Planning Application and full ES can be purchased from RDC Scotland for 100 plus post and packaging at the address listed below. Copies of the Non-Technical Summary are available freely on request from RDC Scotland. RDC Scotland Crown Business Centre High Street Hawick Scotland TD9 9EH Front Cover Photomontage by PD Marsh: Predicted View from Roag. Photographer: Kay Hawkins 1 Ben Aketil Application boundary Turbine location Control building location Met mast location 2km Laydown area 1(Temporary) Access control and co-ordination, visitor parking N 1km Laydown area 2(Temporary) Site Facilities and Storage Main site access Light site access Existing track 0km Scale 1:50,000 Site Layout Produced West Coast Energy Ltd Date 06/08/02 Drawing Number 84/sitelayout/2a

4 LOCAL BENEFIT Other aspects of ecology and hydrology have been RDC Scotland is of the opinion that the Ben Aketil wind assessed and with appropriate mitigation measures farm will offer significant benefit in helping to add to any detrimental impacts identified can be the security of the local crofting community at Upper adequately mitigated against, or minimised. Feorlig Noise levels would increase due to the combined effect of the two wind farms. However the increase Valuable economic activity will also be attracted to the will be marginal and the predicted levels would still local area during the construction and operation of the be below the nationally accepted limits for noise wind farm. during all times of the day and night CUMULATIVE EFFECTS Independent consultants have also considered the potential cumulative impact of the Ben Aketil development in conjunction with the nearby Edinbane Wind farm currently being proposed by another developer. Planning issues considered included, landscape and visual amenity, nature conservation and noise. The following conclusions can be drawn from the environmental assessments: - Concerning the potential to impact upon visual amenity and the wider landscape the Ben Aketil and Edinbane wind farms in combination will result in slightly greater effects than if only one of the schemes was developed. However, effects in the wider area have been minimised by siting the two wind farms in close proximity. In terms of ecology, it was not possible to assess the cumulative impact on bird species as data for the Edinbane Wind farm was not made available to the applicants. However, the Highland Council will be able to make a determination based on the information it will possess contained in both submissions. THE BEN AKETIL WIND FARM The proposed site for the Ben Aketil wind farm is The Ben Aketil wind farm site offers the following located some 7km to the east of Dunvegan and environmental and economic characteristics: approximately 5km to the south west of Edinbane. The wind turbines are to be located on a ridge that extends The site has a good wind resource. north-westwards from Ben Aketil. The site was It is located within an appropriate distance of the identified as being within the Primary Area of Search for local electricity distribution system. wind energy development, within The Highland Region: The site lies within the Primary Area of Search Wind Energy Policy Guidelines. identified in The Highland Region: Wind Energy Policy Guidelines. The site forms part of the MacLeod and Coishletter No part of the site is designated for ecological, Estates. The majority of the development is on the archaeological or landscape reasons. MacLeod Estate and this land is crofted by the Feorlig There will be a limited effect on the visual and Crofting Community. It is open moorland, used for the noise amenities of the properties in the grazing of both cattle and sheep. Land owned by the surrounding area. Coishletter Estate is to the north of the site; this portion No existing transmission or microwave signals will of land is used for commercial forestry and will be affected. accommodate an access track for the wind farm. The development is supported by the landowners To determine the suitability of the site for a wind farm and the Feorlig crofting community and offers an development, the following criteria were assessed:- Opportunity for farm diversification. the wind resource, the availability of an economically priced connection to the local electricity distribution RDC Scotland has ensured that the project design system, National and Local Planning Policy, nature reflects the finding and recommendations of the co ns er va ti on, ar ch ae ol og ic al an d la nd sc ap e extensive consultations and assessments undertaken as des ign ati ons, pro xim ity to dwe lli ngs, exi sti ng part of this project. In addition, due consideration has transmission and microwave signals crossing the site, been given to National and Local Planning Policies and highway access, landowner participation and safety the need to mitigate any significant environmental considerations. effects. Computer Generated Wireframe Showing the Predicted View of both the Ben Aketil and Edinbane Wind Farms from the A87( T ) South of Earlish Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty s Stationery Office. Crown Copyright reserved. Licence No AL52288A0001 (WCE) Site location plan

5 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The wind farm will comprise 14 wind turbines of Kyle of Lochalsh north west of Portree and in a north modern design, each will have three rotor blades westerly direction along the A850 to the new site 35.5m in length, supported on a tapered tubular steel entrance. It is proposed that the crane will be tower 65m high. The maximum height of the wind transported via the A87 to the A863 at Sligachan, then turbine from the base to the blade tip will therefore be westwards to the junction with the A850 to the new site 100.5m. Each wind turbine has a maximum power entrance. output of approximately 1500kW (1.5MW). The total combined generation capacity of the wind farm will be There will be 85 exceptional loads, 84 of which will 21MW. deliver the tower sections, blades and components of the turbines and the other of which is the mobile crane. The site design reflects topographical, technical, All bar the mobile crane will reduce in length for the enrironmental and planning considerations The layout of return journey. All traffic will be spread over the 6 month the site is shown on the final page of this document.. The construction period. There will be a maximum of 60 wind turbines are spaced so that energy loss from wind people working at the site and various deliveries in light turbulence is minimised and sensitive local areas are vehicles will occur. These vehicles will approach the site avoided. using available local roads, and are not expected to create a significant increase in local traffic. Two site accesses are proposed. One from the A850 through the forestry and one from the A863 at Upper To facilitate the construction of the site access road, it is Feorlig. The A850 access will be used for the proposed to extract stone from an on-site borrow pit. construction of the wind farm and the A863 access will The proposed location of the borrow pit is within the be used for light maintenance visits once the wind farm is Coishletter Estate Forest, in an area of relatively shallow operational. peat, close to the main access road, where stone of sufficient quantities is close to the surface. The borrow pit Each wind turbine will be connected via underground would be reinstated on completion of the construction cables to an on-site control building. The control work. The borrow pit would be the subject of a separate building will be a single storey building that houses all the application. It is proposed that the concrete for the monitoring and electrical equipment required to control, turbine and control building foundations will be monitor and connect the wind farm into the local prepared at an on site mobile batching plant to reduce electricity distribution system. To link the control building the amount of traffic entering the site. into the 33kV Scottish Hydro Distribution network, 1km of underground cable and 1.5km of electricity line on The total cost of the wind farm will be about 15 million wooden poles will be required. The short section of and this would require significant investment in and electricity line will be the subject of a separate around the Region. It is estimated that the total local application. direct investment over the 6 month period is likely to be in the order of 3 million together with indirect WIND FARM CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND BENEFITS expenditure in local shops, service stations, etc. In addition, upto 60 personnel will be directly employed at The wind farm will take approximately 6 months to the site, providing opportunities for local employment. construct. During the construction period all vehicles will use a new purpose built 6km access track off the A850, After completion of the wind farm, the operation and approximately 8 km northeast of Dunvegan. The existing maintenance works will provide employment for 2 access at Upper Feorlig Road is adequate for light maintenance personnel and utilise local services where maintenance and farming vehicles. An extension of 1.5km appropriate. The agricultural economy is crucial to The to this track will be created to serve the turbines. This Highlands area. With the current uncertainty in the farming track will be available for use by the local crofting industry and recent crises, there is a need for farm community after the construction of the wind farm is diversification. In order to maintain the local environment complete. Two temporary storage and marshalling areas and community structures, farming in general should be will be constructed within the Coishletter Estate Forest. supported. Wind energy developments secure a stable income for the landowners and crofters during the life of Over the construction period there will be three types of the wind turbines, which in this instance is anticipated to traffic accessing the site exceptional loads (turbine be for 25 years. Furthermore, normal agricultural components and crane), conventional HGVs and vans practices are unaffected by the presence of wind and cars used by construction staff. The preferred route turbines. for the delivery of the turbines is via the harbour quay and pier at Dunvegan, then onto the A850 to the new Once built the turbines would generate over 55,000 entrance; or an alternative would be via the A87 via The MWh of electricity on an annual basis, sufficient to power PUBLIC SAFETY There is no recorded incident of a member of the public being injured by a wind turbine. The Government has deemed wind energy as a 'safe' technology, requiring no special safety provisions. Experience has shown that livestock are undisturbed by the movement of the blades and will graze underneath them as well as using the towers for shelter in bad weather. Crofting practices on the MacLeod Estate will continue unhindered by the development. The wind turbines are designed and manufactured to withstand weather conditions at least as extreme as those which arise in the United Kingdom, in terms of wind speed, turbulence and temperature. The wind turbines are equipped with safety systems, which will automatically shut down the machine on the occurrence of such events as loss of electrical connection or excessive blade speed. Given that there are no residential properties within over 2.5km of the turbines, it is not anticipated that shadow flicker effect will occur. The turbines will not appear suddenly to any motorist travelling at speed on roads close to the site, and therefore driver distraction is not considered to be an issue. INTERFERANCE WITH TELEVISION, RADIO AND MICROWAVE PATHS Through consultation with communications agencies, it is predicted that there will be no disturbance to communication systems, including those used by the emergency services and mobile telephone services providers There are no marked or specific rights of public access via a public footpath on the site. The landowner does exercise a policy of open access to all its land. Appropriate steps will be taken to ensure the safety of members of the public during the construction process and operation and maintenance of the wind farm. TOURISM Evidence would suggest that tourism in the Ben Aketil area will not be affected. The wind farm project at Ben Aketil could in fact act as a draw to tourists. The presence of the wind farm could serve as an education tool, demonstrating a solution to the problem of global warming and thereby highlighting the threat that global warming represents to our coastlines, environment and way of life.

6 Predicted view from: Entrance to Gearymore Farm,Ose Predicted view from: A850 Between Dunvegan and Edinbane

7 ARCHAEOLOGY An independent local Archaeologist was engaged to provide an assessment of the Ben Aketil wind farm site. A desk based study and walkover assessment were completed. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), (there is no need to supplement the hydrological and other ecological data collected). Whilst there are some recorded archaeological sites The following conclusions can be drawn as a result of this within the application area these are only located in the ecological assessment: vicinity of the southern access track from the A863 and can, with care be avoided. There are no archaeological The application site is not subject to any statutory sites recorded or observed along the northern access designations for ecological reasons. route from the A850 or near any of the turbine locations. Given the site's current status as managed crofted moorland, the potential for the development The report concludes that the proposed project will have toimpact on ecology overall is minimal; little impact on existing archaeological features. It Information gathered to date illustrates that the recommends measures to be taken during construction application site is not an important foraging area to ensure that any impacts are minimised. for key bird species and provisionally the level of collision risk posed by the wind farm has been NOISE assessed as being only low to moderate; Additional data for raptor activity will continue to An independent specialist assessment of the noise be collected in liaison with SNH and RSPB to assist impact of the proposed wind farm development has in removing uncertainties; been carried out in accordance with published The risk of significant impacts on species survival guidelines and recommendations. Baseline noise levels arising through displacement by the construction were measured at two of the nearest residential locations and existence of the development is also and predicted turbine noise levels were compared with considered minimal; the existing noise environment. No other ecological or hydrological impacts of any significance have been identified in The assessment shows that the predicted noise levels at connection with the proposals; the nearest residential properties to the wind farm fall To mitigate any perceived construction or below the range of noise levels recommended as residual direct and indirect ecological and acceptable under all conditions, whether at night or hy dr ol og ic al im pa ct s ar is in g fr om th e during the day. development a number of mitigation proposals are promoted. This is a positive indication that the wind farm will not give Rise to complaints relating to noise levels. NATURE CONSERVATION Independent specialist consultants have undertaken a review of the ecology and hydrology of the proposed development site and its surroundings. Species and habitats have been evaluated with a particular emphasis on the effect of the wind farm on birds forming part of the internationally and nationally important raptor (birds of prey) and breeding bird populations of the Isle of Skye. To enhance the baseline data already collected, work on gathering further information on key bird species is continuing. An ornithological report has therefore been produced and further data, particularly on raptors, will be presented in liaison with the Highland Council, Approximately 12,700 households within the Highlands area from a clean and sustainable energy source. This represents a ver y significant proportion of the electricity needs for the Isle of Skye. Furthermore the Ben Aketil wind farm would displace almost 48,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 560 tonnes of sulphur dioxide and 160 tonnes of nitrogen oxide during each year of its operational life compared with conventional fossil-fuelled power stations. The Ben Aketil wind far m will therefore make an important contribution to the Scottish Climate Change programme to further increase the use of electricity from renewable sources in Scotland by ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Early consultations with The Highland Council identified the key environmental and amenity issues to be considered in determining the planning application. These are fully addressed in the Environmental Statement, which includes reports on landscape and visual amenity, archaeology, noise, ecology, hydrology, public access and safety and the effects of the proposals on TV and other communication systems. Where appropriate these have been Commissioned from independent consultants who are recognised experts in their field. All of the environmentally valuable or sensitive features on the site and in the surrounding area have been mapped and the potential environmental effects of the wind farm have been assessed in detail. The main conclusions are summarised in this document. LANDSC APE AND VISUAL EFFECTS The independent Landscape Assessment identifies that the Ben Aketil wind farm is outside areas of National and Local landscape designations. As such any landscape and visual effects arising must only be considered to be of local significance. It is accepted that there will be a degree of local visual impact but the resulting change arising is considered to be acceptable with respect to landscape character. Indeed, it can be considered that the design and layout of the wind farm can be regarded positively as having an obvious and directly functional relationship with the nature of the local landscape. The size of the development respects the scale, composition and significance of the landscape. The assessment concludes that the proposed development would be acceptable in this location. In summary, it is therefore considered that the proposals would neither harm the landscape character of the area nor have adverse visual effects to the extent that such issues would outweigh the benefits of producing clean renewable energy from this location. Two predicted views of the wind farm are shown in the central pages of this document.