Introduction Peel Wind Farms (UKC) Ltd (Peel) propose to construct a wind farm on an area of land that forms part of the former Asfordby mine and tip site and part of the existing Asfordby Business Park near Melton Mowbray (herein referred to as the site). An application for planning permission has been submitted to Melton Borough Council. RSK Environment Ltd (RSK) has been appointed by Peel to undertake an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the site, which has been recently restored. The need to undertake EIA is governed by European and UK legislation and is a process by which the likely environmental impacts of certain developments are assessed and presented, to inform the local council before a decision is made on whether or not to grant planning permission. The EIA has been undertaken in accordance with the legislation, but also in accordance with current best practice. This non-technical summary (NTS) reports the findings of the EIA and includes a description of the development and its application, the potential associated environmental impacts, and the measures proposed to mitigate these impacts. The Applicant Peel is part of the Peel Holdings Group and is at the forefront of delivering low carbon energy for the UK. The company s wind portfolio is in excess of 450MW and includes a range of schemes in operation, under construction or in development. The Need for Wind Energy The case for renewable energy electricity generation is made at the international, national and regional levels of government. The proposed Asfordby wind farm would make an important contribution to renewable energy objectives. Using renewable energy sources including wind power offsets greenhouse gas emissions and can help address the effects of climate change. The UK Government has put in place a number of policies (and legally binding targets) both to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and further increase the proportion of the UK s energy that comes from renewable sources. Increasing the use of indigenous sources of energy such as the wind will help the UK become more energy self-sufficient and so further improve the security of supply. The adopted Regional Spatial Strategy for the East Midlands sets a target for the development of onshore wind of 175MW by 2020 and 2026. Consultation The planning application was submitted following pre-application discussions with Senior Planning Officers at Melton Borough Council and including a range of key stakeholders and statutory consultees. Local residents have also been consulted. Drop in sessions for the local community and an exhibition of the finalised development proposals were held. Design workshops have taken place and the design evolution has been informed by advice from RSK Group, Parsons Brinkerhoff Ltd, Gifford Ltd, Waterman Boreham Ltd, Hayes McKenzie Partnership Ltd, and Peel. RSK Environment Ltd 1
The Asfordby Site Background The site is situated within the Borough of Melton in the County of Leicestershire. To the west of the site are the villages of Saxelbye and Grimston, Asfordby is located to the south, and Ab Kettleby to the north. The Proposed Development The proposed Asfordby wind farm design layout comprises two main clusters of wind turbines, including ancillary infrastructure for nine turbines, designed to have an operational life span of up to 25 years. The site covers approximately 83 ha with the centre of the site at national grid reference (NGR) SK 719 210. The site is owned by UK Coal, with whom Peel has a joint collaboration partnership. UK Coal also own the Asfordby Business Park that shares part of the site. Asfordby Mine was a large, modern underground Coal Mine operated during the 1990s. The shafts were backfilled and capped on closure of the mine in 1997. The wider landscape is dominated by arable fields but also includes villages, woodland, hedgerows and some pasture. Selection Process A range of technical, environmental and land use considerations influenced Peel s selection of the site for a wind farm and the final layout of the development. They also influenced the project scale in terms of height and number of turbines. The detailed design of the proposed wind farm has evolved over approximately 12 months. Such considerations include adequacy of wind resource, proximity to an electricity grid connection point, distance from residential dwellings and ecological resource within the site and nearby. Of particular note is the fact that the site is unallocated within the Melton Local Plan and does not form part of any landscape, ecological or cultural heritage designation. As outlined in detail below, EIA has been adopted in order to demonstrate the absence of significant impacts on the majority of environmental receptors. The adopted Regional Spatial Strategy identifies as a Core Objective the need to maximise the level of renewable energy generation in the region particularly within the area within which the application site is situated. In particular for the Asfordby site selection process, it highlights the potential suitability of former colliery sites for new forms of power generation. Turbine Output Generally wind turbines will operate in wind speeds of approximately 4-25 meters per second. The rated output of the turbines are calculated for a generating capacity of up to 2MW. Turbine Dimensions The tower of Turbine 1 will be 63 metres in height (max referred to as the hub height). Its total height will be 108 metres with the blade in a vertical position. The tower of Turbines 2-9 will be 80 metres (max). Their total height will be 125 metres (max). The diameter of the turbines towers will be 5m at base level (max). Turbine Design The wind turbines will be three bladed, horizontal axis turbines with steel tubular conical towers. The blades will be made from reinforced composite materials such as fibreglass. It is proposed that the nine turbines are to be of a pale grey finish. RSK Environment Ltd 2
The Proposed Wind Farm Layout and Associated Infrastructure RSK Environment Ltd 3
Turbine Foundations Each turbine will be supported on a reinforced concrete foundation. The dimensions of the turbine foundations is proposed to be (circular) 20 m diameter (approx). The thickness of the foundation is typically 2.5m at the centre. At this stage it is assumed that piled foundations will be required. Wind Monitoring Mast The proposed Asfordby wind farm will include one permanent anemometer (met) mast (maximum 80m in height) within the site boundary to provide on-going monitoring of the wind conditions during operation of the wind farm. The met mast will be a free-standing galvanised steel lattice tower construction measuring the same height at the turbine hubs and requiring a concrete foundation. Access Tracks Access tracks to each turbine will be required for construction and maintenance purposes. Existing access tracks will be utilised wherever possible and upgraded to the required standard. Approximately 1.96 km of access tracks will be upgraded. Approximately 2.98 km of new tracks will be constructed. Both upgraded and newly constructed tracks shall be 5 metres in width (increasing to 11 metres at passing places). The renewable electricity from the wind turbines will feed into the local distribution network where it can provide local support to the power supplies in the area. The details of the grid connection have not yet been confirmed although two viable options have been identified. It is proposed to install a cable from a primary substation, potentially Melton Mowbray or Old Dalby, to an intake substation at the site. Business Park Compound During the construction period, a temporary site compound will be established in the Asfordby Business Park. The compound area shall be 3500m 2 in area, situated on an existing area of hard standing. It will contain areas for temporary portacabins and welfare facilities for staff, parking for construction staff and storage areas for construction materials and components. The compound will be fully decommissioned within 12 months of ceasing commercial operation. Construction Facts In terms of job creation, approximately 30 people will be employed to construct the proposed Asfordby wind farm. The local economy may be further supported by sourcing of construction materials (i.e. aggregates) from local companies. It is anticipated that construction will require approximately 12 18 months to complete. The anticipated sequence of events for the construction programme is as follows: Cabling and Grid Connection The power generated by the wind turbines will be carried through 33Kv underground electricity cables that will connect each turbine to a common substation. The cables will be laid in trenches approximately 1m wide and 1m deep and, as far as possible, be routed to follow the access tracks. Construction of temporary site compound; Construction and upgrade of site access tracks and crane pads; Installation of turbine foundations; Erection and commissioning of turbines; Re-instatement works, including removal of temporary construction works; On-site habitat creation and enhancement will be undertaken to compensate for the loss of habitats of low nature conservation value. RSK Environment Ltd 4
Environmental Impacts Land Use and Tourism Whilst land take associated with the turbines and infrastructure will result in the loss of agricultural land, once the wind farm is operational, normal farming practices will resume. Whilst research indicates that wind farms do not generally result in material negative impacts upon tourism, the turbine layout has been designed to minimise visual impact. Public Paths Where Public Rights of Way (ProW) coincide with access tracks to the proposed Asfordby wind farm, these will be upgraded and will benefit from the long-term maintenance associated with the operation of the wind farm. In addition, the upgraded tracks will be supplemented by hedge planting which will improve the setting of the routes. The alignment of access tracks has been selected to minimise severance with respect to agricultural operations. This has been achieved through the routeing of the majority of the tracks in alignment with field edges or making use of existing farm tracks. Telecommunications and Shadow Flicker Wind turbines can cause interference to television signals. Digital TV reception is known to be more resistant to the effects of reflection from turbines and, given that will not be fully operational before 2014; deterioration in BBC services will not be significant. Peel are committed to monitoring and overcoming where necessary any potential effects relating to interference. Peel is committed to ensuring that the occurrence of shadow flicker is completely avoided. This will be achieved by fitting, as standard, a photocell to the turbine tower, which monitors the intensity of sunlight. The Software within the Supervisory Control System of each individual turbine will be programmed with the times each day shadow flicker may in theory occur. During this period the turbine(s) will automatically shut down if there is sufficient light intensity, as measured by the photocell, to create a shadow flicker effect. Aviation It has been established the proposed Asfordby wind farm would have an impact on the primary surveillance radar at RAF Cottesmore and East Midlands Airport, which requires mitigation. Both the MOD and East Midlands Airport have agreed that any mitigation strategy which removes the wind turbine cluster from their respective radar screens would be considered acceptable. The MOD and East Midlands Airport have indicated that use of a mitigation strategy involving in-fill radar is the preferred solution. Discussions with NERL are ongoing. Whilst there is no need to install avoidance lighting on any of the turbines, the CAA will require the structures to be charted on civil aviation maps. RSK Environment Ltd 5
Noise An assessment of the predicted noise levels from the proposed turbines has been undertaken in accordance with the government s guidance on calculation and assessment of noise from wind farms (The assessment and rating of noise from wind farms, ETSU-R-97). Baseline noise levels were measured at 8 locations, agreed with the local council as being representative of the nearest residential locations to the proposed turbines. Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Desk-based assessment, walkover and geophysical surveys have identified that there is limited potential for archaeological remains within the majority of the site due to past site use. However, infrastructure could potentially impact on previously unrecorded archaeological remains in limited areas where geophysical survey has identified probable archaeological deposits. The proposed turbine locations have been assessed not to have a significant effect at these locations. The night-time assessment shows that the predicted turbine noise levels, at the nearest residential locations to the site, are below the night time noise limits under all wind conditions. The daytime assessment shows that the predicted turbine noise levels, at the nearest residential locations to the site, are below the lower daytime noise limits under all wind conditions. The assessment showed that even applying worst case scenario assumptions, the predicted level of noise during construction activity (access track formation, construction of turbine bases and erection of turbines) will be significantly below the permitted maximum and thus within acceptable limits. To mitigate any, currently uncertain, archaeological impacts a programme of archaeological trial trenching will be undertaken to inform final mitigation stages. Archaeological mitigation will include adequate provision for post excavation assessment, analysis and publication of results. It is proposed that an archaeological watching brief is undertaken during construction in order to safeguard against the potential for impacts to previously unrecorded archaeological remains. No significant indirect visual impacts on buried and upstanding archaeological and cultural heritage sites within the wider vicinity of the proposed Asfordby wind farm were identified. RSK Environment Ltd 6
Traffic and Transportation Alternative transport modes and routes have been considered for the transportation of turbine components, plant machinery and construction materials to the site. It was determined that road transport would be the most feasible for abnormal and normal vehicles, with the preferred route for both being the A46, A606 and St Bartholomew s Way in proximity to the site. Police escorts and delivery programme are timed to cause minimal disruption. The main phase of the development in transportation terms (the delivery of materials for construction by normal vehicles) will last only six months. The maximum amount of traffic associated with the construction would occur in Months 1 and 2. During Months 3, 4, 5 and 6 vehicle numbers significantly reduce. A peak of 72 HGV movements per day has been calculated. Transportation impacts could include mud/debris being deposited onto the highway. The impacts associated with traffic from the construction of the proposed Asfordby wind farm are short term and can be managed and monitored. RSK Environment Ltd 7
Geology, Soils & Contamination Site investigation works will be undertaken prior to construction to determine the type and nature of the soils within the site. This will provide information on how best to design the access roads and turbine foundations. Management of dust generation during construction will be carried out by damping down construction areas. Dust is unlikely to affect any nearby properties. All excavated soils will be assessed for their suitability for re-use and where necessary, they will be removed from site for safe disposal. Landscape and Visual Impact Mitigation of the potential landscape and visual effects of the proposed Asfordby wind farm is embedded within its proposed siting, layout and design following an iterative assessment and layout refinement process. The aim of this process is that the proposed wind farm will not, on the whole, have significant impacts on landscape character or visual amenity. Whilst it forms part of the general countryside, the proposed Asfordby wind farm will not be located within Green Belt. Furthermore, it is not located within or close to a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A detailed assessment of the potential impact of the development on landscape character and visual amenity both individually and cumulatively with other existing or proposed wind farm developments has been implemented at 23 consultee-agreed viewpoint locations. No significant impacts on landscape character are predicted. However, some significant visual effects are predicted to occur when the wind farm is viewed from 5 out of the 23 viewpoints and from some residential properties. This is entirely normal for a commercial scale wind farm development. These effects would be localised (within 2km). Hydrology and Flood Risk A Flood Risk Assessment has been completed and demonstrated the site to be in Flood Zone 1 and so at low risk of flooding. A Sustainable Urban Drainage Strategy forms part of the development comprising of swales and detention basins and this will minimise the risk of the development giving rise to flooding off-site. Careful management of construction works will ensure that the proposed development will not have significant impacts on watercourses or ground water. An Environmental Management Plan will be produced which will detail the practices that must be undertaken during construction to avoid environmental impacts. With regard to effects on residential properties mitigating factors, include intervening distance (the properties are all located at least 600 metres from the nearest turbine and in some instances up to 1km), the orientation of properties relative to the turbines, partial screening and perceived visual separation provided by prevailing topography, existing woodland belts and tree plantations and the limited quality and value of views into the site from the south. The assessment undertaken also concludes that the wind farm would, in the majority of views, have a reasonably balanced and cohesive appearance and would relate well to the subtle landforms of the topography. Watercourses will be bridged or culverted (by the installation of pipes) and ramped over where necessary to allow uninterrupted flow of water within the watercourse and a continuous running track for vehicles. RSK Environment Ltd 8
Ecology The site does not form part of any statutory or non-statutory ecological designations; and there will be no direct or indirect impacts on the identified Sites of Special Scientific Interest, or Sites of Nature Conservation Interest. through settlement lagoons prior to being released into any natural watercourses. Finally, fencing will be erected to exclude a small population of Great Crested Newts from the works area, and habitat will be subsequently reinstated. Habitat Most of the habitats to be lost within the site are of limited value and include improved grassland, arable, ruderals on disturbed ground, semi mature plantation woodland, young plantation woodland species, poor thorn hedgerows, recently planted tree whips on disturbed ground and rough grassland. The loss of plantation woodland and hedgerows will be compensated through habitat improvement and creation elsewhere on the site. The development will therefore have a positive impact overall on such habitats. Where 7 m sections of hedge are removed to make way for access tracks at least 14 m of that hedge will be either gapped up or improved with a species rich scrub mix. Fauna The impact of construction on breeding and wintering birds can be minimised through a range of mitigation measures such as ground clearance only taking place outside breeding bird season, the provision of compensatory planting such as hedgerows, and the deployment of construction management techniques to minimise dust emissions. There will be no significant impacts on birds. The wind farm has been designed such that all parts of the turbines are over 50 metres away from habitat features suitable for commuting and foraging bats by careful positioning or habitat manipulation, as per Natural England Guidance. The maximum height that Common Pipistrelle bats were observed during survey work was 12m and of tree top foraging. This is lower than the blade sweep height and therefore outside the collision risk zone. There will be no significant impacts on bats. Where an effect on badgers is expected during construction or decommissioning, setts will be closed. Further mitigation includes avoidance of night-time working and site traffic speed limits. In order to avoid sedimentation or pollution into stream courses, potentially affecting Water Vole habitat, surface water from the roads and tracks used during construction will be collected by a separate drainage system and the water will pass RSK Environment Ltd 9
Cumulative Impacts Cumulative impacts are those that may result from the combined or incremental effects of future activities (i.e. those developments currently in planning and not included as part of the baseline). While a single activity may itself result in an insignificant impact, it may, when combined with other impacts (significant or insignificant) in the same geographical area and occurring at the same time, result in a cumulative impact that is significant. The cumulative assessment has not identified any significant potential cumulative impacts with other commercial scale wind energy developments either consented or proposed in the wider area. The principal cumulative effect would be combined visibility of Asfordby and Queniborough Wind Farms in some views along the Wreake Valley from the southern fringes of the Wolds. This visual effect would not be significant. Were all currently consented and proposed developments to proceed, the introduction of the development at Asfordby would not alter the perception of the landscape as one with infrequent wind farms. Benefits The proposed Asfordby wind farm will provide enough energy to power approximately 8,500 homes, equivalent to approximately 33 % of the households in Melton Mowbray. As well as helping to make the UK more energy selfsufficient, this electricity would be generated without greenhouse gas emissions or other harmful waste products. This would offset the release of 20,340 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year when comparing it with fossil fuel generation. Peel has agreed to establish a community fund, which the local community can use in ways to benefit the community as a whole. A community benefit fund is an established mechanism that enables energy companies to provide direct benefits to local communities affected by developments such as wind farms throughout the life of a scheme. The community benefit fund is established outside the planning process and can only materialise if the scheme is granted planning permission, constructed and operated. The use of the fund will be established through consultation with the local community. Suggestions for the use of a potential fund could include purchasing and operating an electric school bus, a new community hall, youth recreational facilities or a new swimming pool. RSK Environment Ltd 10
Conclusions An application for a wind farm at the former Asfordby mine site has been proposed following identification of the site as an economically, environmentally, and logistically viable location. The iterative design process has involved consultation with statutory consultees, and workshops with local interest groups and the local community. Technical construction details have been refined to best suit the site. Considerations have thus been assessed according to benefits of wind energy production as compared with a range of identified environmental and non-policy effects. These are reported in the Environmental Statement along with a detailed description of the proposal. The EIA has demonstrated the absence of significant impacts on the overwhelming majority of environmental receptors and the important contribution, which the development would make to towards meeting national and regional targets for renewable energy generation. In addition, the detailed design and EIA assessment process will ensure that any adverse effects would be fully mitigated or minimised. It has been demonstrated that the proposed development will, drawing upon the experience of Peel as an experienced wind farm developer, deliver socio-economic benefits to the local area and wider region both directly and indirectly during both the construction and operation of the wind farm development. RSK Environment Ltd 11