The Isles Wind Farm Newsletter

Transcription

1 May 0 The Isles Wind Farm Newsletter Stag s Holt Wind Farm, Cambridgeshire for illustrative purposes only. Welcome to this newsletter which explains the progress we ve made on the proposed Isles Wind Farm development. The newsletter is being sent to people living in and around the vicinity of the development, defined as the Inner Rural Consultation Zone agreed with Durham County Council. It s also available to download from eon-uk.com/theisles We want to let you know:. how we ve used the feedback from Stage One consultation responses to make revisions to the proposed development. what these changes are, and. what happens next before we make an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) in summer 0. We re still in the pre-application stage of the project. The process of pre-application consultation is to allow us to balance the views of statutory bodies and the community ahead of submitting an application for a DCO. Once submitted, there will be a chance to have your say on the full application to the examining body. The need for renewable energy The UK has both international and domestic targets aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Current government policy means we re working towards a low carbon future, where a large amount of electricity generation will need to be from low carbon sources by 00. In addition, many of our older coal, oil-fired and nuclear power stations will come to the end of their life within the next decade. This means we need to diversify our sources of energy to provide energy security in the future. Onshore wind will continue to play a part, along with other low carbon technologies and energy efficiency initiatives. No single energy source holds the answer on its own. The need for wind farms is already established within the National Policy Statements, which provide policy guidance for deciding whether a DCO should be granted. The DCO is the consent required to build larger wind farms (above 0 megawatts in electrical capacity), and applications for consents are made to the Planning Inspectorate (formerly the Infrastructure Planning Commission) and are decided by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. The local authority, Durham County Council, also has a key input into the process. We know that people have strong views about wind farms, and some believe there are already too many wind farms within the local area. We re required to carry out a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment of our proposal. In this, we have to consider the cumulative effects of the proposed wind farm along with others in the area. Stag s Holt Wind Farm, Cambridgeshire for illustrative purposes only.

2 Summary of Stage One consultation responses We d like to thank those who took the time to take part in the consultation events and made their views known. Since the Stage One consultation ended in October 0, we ve analysed comments and feedback on the three initial design layouts put forward (see opposite) and have sought to balance the views of local communities with those of statutory bodies. Local communities expressed concern about the visual impact from, and proximity to, residential areas, the impact on wildlife and birds and the potential for noise impacts. There was no clear opinion from local communities about which design layout was preferred. However, of the people who completed the Stage One feedback questionnaire and expressed a preference for one of the designs, there was a slight preference for Layout C, which consisted of turbines grouped in distinct clusters in different parts of the site. We ve had discussions with strategic stakeholders, like Durham County Council s landscape adviser about the setting of the conservation areas at. As part of the consultation process, we also shared our initial results from our latest bird surveys with Natural England and the RSPB. The discussions we ve had with these organisations have shaped the new design and layout of the wind farm. Taking on board the consultation responses received from other statutory bodies, local communities and guidance from Durham County Council, we ve revised the proposal to a turbine wind farm. What has changed in the proposals? Overall, our proposed changes have led to a reduction in the number of turbines to, compared to the Stage One options which had between and turbines (see opposite). The maximum generating capacity has also been reduced from megawatts (MW) to around.mw. In a typical year, we estimate the scheme could generate enough electricity for the domestic needs of the equivalent of around,000* average UK households. The revised layout is based on Layout C and this has resulted in a cluster of turbines to the west of the A and in the southern half of the site. Some additional land has become available in the centre of the site which we ve now included within the site boundary. We have left a large part in the centre of the site without turbines, to reduce the visual impact on the surrounding villages and the possible adverse impact on some bird species like Golden Plover and Lapwing. Instead, we re considering using part of the centre of the site for a comprehensive habitat management scheme to enhance the area for bird life. Current proposed layout AM 0 0 * According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the average domestic household uses,00kwh of electricity annually.

3 Stage One previously proposed layouts Layout A This layout accommodated turbines, located throughout the site. Layout B This layout comprised 0 turbines, positioned as one group in the central part of the site AM 0 AM Layout A Layout B Layout C This layout comprised turbines, grouped in distinct clusters in different parts of the site. 0 0 AM Layout C Maps are not to scale and are for illustrative purposes only.

4 Stage Two consultation Stage Two consultation provides another opportunity for local communities to give us their comments and feed back on the new layout of the turbines, and on various infrastructure like the substation location, grid connection and site access arrangements. This constitutes formal consultation under Section of the Planning Act 00. The Stage Two consultation period will start on July 0 and end on September 0. We recognise that the consultation will run throughout the school summer holidays, so we ve allowed additional time and have planned for consultation events to take place before the start of the holidays. Documents available for Stage Two consultation To accompany the consultation, we ll produce a technical document, available to view at local libraries from July, and at our events. A non-technical summary and a questionnaire will also be available to pick up at the same locations, and will be posted to those in the Inner Rural Consultation Zone. Also, the documentation can be requested by calling 000 0, ing us at theisles@eon-uk.com or writing to us at the Freepost address on the next page. All documentation will be available to download from our website from July 0. Public consultation dates Some people told us during the Stage One consultation that in the future, we should hold an exhibition in and use different venues in and Sedgefield nearer to the centres, where more people are likely to gather and which have better public transport access. Taking on board this feedback, we ll hold four public consultation events at the following locations: Leisure Centre Beveridge Arcade DL EH July 0, pm-pm Sedgefield Parish Hall Front Street Sedgefield TS AT July 0, 0am-pm Village Hall Lane TS EY July 0, pm-pm & Windlestone Working Men s Club Durham Road DL 0EY July 0, am-pm Butterwick Moor Wind Farm, County Durham for illustrative purposes only.

5 Approaching submission After the Stage Two consultation period ends, we ll review the consultation responses and consider whether further revisions need to be made to the proposed development before completing our Environmental Impact Assessment process and finalising our submission to the Planning Inspectorate. Early next year, we ll publish environmental information known as Preliminary Environmental Information (PEI). There will be an opportunity to provide feedback on the PEI documents. The PEI will include information about the environmental studies we ve been carrying out and an initial assessment of the likely effects on the environment of the proposed development and associated development. We ll issue a further newsletter with details ahead of the PEI consultation. A Consultation Report documenting the Stage One and Stage Two consultation process and feedback, will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in summer 0 as part of the suite of application documents accompanying the DCO application. Our timeline for the formal pre-application process is on the back of this newsletter. Community benefits It s really important to us that if the wind farm does get consented and built, that we re good neighbours within the community for years to come. That s why we re also proposing a community benefits fund in addition to other local benefits. Based on an installed capacity of.mw, the annual amount of a community benefits fund from The Isles Wind Farm would be 0,00, which is index-linked. This is calculated by multiplying.mw by,000 (the fixed sum per installed MW). We already have community benefit funds in place at our operational wind farms in County Durham ( Eppleton, Haswell Moor and Butterwick Moor) which provide a total of 0,000 per year to local communities. Here are some of the groups and organisations who have received grants from us: Wheatley Hill Heritage Society Shotton Partnership 000 Ltd Thornley Homing Society Shadforth Play Area Group Shotton Community Association East Durham Community Transport The Friends of Rectory Park. Let us know what you think The Stage Two consultation period is from July until September 0. Further details will be available from July. If you d like any further information or want to give us your feedback, you can contact us by: Post Freepost RRSE-KZCU-AZJL E.ON Westwood Way Westwood Business Park Coventry CV LG theisles@eon-uk.com Phone (Freephone) We re here from am to pm, Monday to Friday. Updates on the proposal are also available from our website at: eon-uk.com/theisles Stag s Holt Wind Farm, Cambridgeshire for illustrative purposes only.

6 Timeline for formal pre-application consultation How and when to have your say Have your say on the outline design Have your say on the detailed design Have your say on the environmental information Stage One consultation Consultation on basic site design and layout. Consultation under S (community) and S (including statutory bodies) Stage Two consultation Consultation on full wind farm proposal with other aspects of the scheme, including access arrangements, electrical connection and construction management. Consultation under S (community) and S (including statutory bodies) Publicise and consult on PEI Consultation on the findings of environmental studies. S publications proposed application Submit DCO to PINS SOCC published Notification of Stage One consultation events Notification of Stage Two consultation events Notify how to respond to PEI consultation Summer 0 Summer/autumn 0 SOCC preparation Consultation on SOCC with Durham County Council Early project definition A nalysis of Stage One consultation responses Begin Consultation Report E stablish preferred layout/site options E stablish remaining aspects of wind farm design Preparation for Stage Two consultation Analysis of Stage Two consultation responses Consultation Report updated Finalise design aspects Carry out EIA Begin drafting ES Prepare PEI Finalise and complete Consultation Report Prepare draft DCO and other documentation Finalise and complete ES Abbreviations SOCC Statement of Community Consultation S, S and S Refers to Sections, and of the Planning Act 00 EIA Environmental Impact Assessment DCO Development Consent Order PINS Planning Inspectorate PEI Preliminary Environmental Information ES Environmental Statement All dates are indicative. E.ON Climate & Renewables UK Ltd Registered Office: Westwood Way Westwood Business Park Coventry CV LG Registered in England and Wales No. 0 00% recycled paper