RWE Npower Renewables Ltd - IEMA - Home · RWE Npower Renewables Ltd Kirkharle Windfarm Environmental Statement Four Turbine Scheme Supplementary Environmental Information _ _

RWE Npower Renewables Ltd ________________________

Kirkharle Wind Farm Four Turbine Scheme ________________________ Supplementary Environmental Information ________________________ Volume 1: Non Technical Summary

RWE Npower Renewables Ltd ________________________

Kirkharle Wind Farm Four Turbine Scheme ________________________ Supplementary Environmental Information ________________________ Volume 1: Non Technical Summary November 2010

Pegasus Planning Group Ltd 4215, Park Approach Avenue Thorpe Park, Leeds, LS15 8GB www.pegasuspg.co.uk

This Environmental Statement Supplementary Environmental Information Report (SEI) has been produced on behalf of RWE Npower Renewables Ltd by Pegasus Planning Group Ltd. The SEI is based on the 2008 ES documents as prepared by Ove Arup and Partners Ltd. © RWE Npower Renewables Ltd

RWE Npower Renewables Ltd Kirkharle Windfarm Environmental Statement Four Turbine Scheme Supplementary Environmental Information_________________________________________________________________________

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1. Introduction to the Non Technical Summary 1.1 This Non Technical Summary (NTS) accompanies the Environmental

Statement (ES) Supplementary Environmental Information Report (SEI) for the proposed Kirkharle wind farm.

1.2 The NTS provides a summary of the findings of an update to the Environmental

Impact Assessment (EIA) which was undertaken in relation to the revised proposal to only develop four turbines at the site. The SEI was prepared on behalf of RWE Npower Renewables Limited (RNRL).

2. Description of the Revised Four Turbine Development Proposal

2.1 A planning application was submitted to Tynedale District Council (now

Northumberland County Council) in November 2008 for the construction of a wind farm comprising two clusters, each of four wind turbines in the order of 125 metres to blade tip, and ancillary equipment and infrastructure. This application was submitted with an Environmental Statement dated October 2008 (ES) prepared in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999.

2.2 Since the application was submitted, an amendment to the development has

been proposed to reduce the number of turbines by removing the northern cluster known as land to the west of Northside Farm, and the connection between the two clusters. The revision to the scheme has been proposed in order to secure improvement in the visual relationship between the proposed turbines and residential properties in the vicinity and the amelioration of potential cumulative effects with the now consented Green Rig and Ray developments.

2.3 The revised scheme therefore consists of four wind turbines, associated access

tracks, grid connection buildings and an anemometer mast on land to the east of Bavington Hill Head Farm. A new site layout plan for the revised proposal is provided as Figure 1 of this SEI NTS.

2.4 This SEI provides additional and updated environmental information with

respect to the four turbine scheme. As such, the SEI should be read in conjunction with the ES which was submitted with the planning application. In relation to the assessment of significant environmental effects on noise, cultural heritage and landscape and visual issues, the environmental assessment has been substantially updated and amended, so in these cases the SEI chapters replace those set out in the existing ES in their entirety.


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3. Environmental Impact Assessment 3.1 There are no significant changes to the ES chapter on Environmental Impact

Assessment arising from the proposed change to the scheme.

4. Site Selection

4.1 There are no significant changes to the ES chapter on Site Selection arising from the proposed change to the scheme.

5. Planning Policy Guidance

5.1 There are no significant changes to the ES chapter on Planning Policy Guidance arising from the proposed change to the scheme.

6. Landscape and Visual Assessment

Summary of Landscape Effects

6.1 The Kirkharle site is located within a gently rolling landscape in mid Northumberland. There are no major settlements within the immediate vicinity of the site but the small settlement of Great Bavington lies just over 1km to the west of the nearest turbines, there are also a number of scattered farmsteads and individual properties distributed intermittently within the rolling landscape in various directions from the site.

6.2 The nearest major road is the A696 which runs in a north west to south east direction to the north of the site. The only public road which runs past the site is the B6342. This road runs between the A696 at Kirkharle and the A68 near to Colwell.

6.3 Within the site there is an agricultural barn of modern construction, there is also an area of woodland plantation on the northern boundary of the site, known as Merry Shields plantation, alongside a smaller area of woodland within the centre of the site. The road and field network is bounded by a mixture of post and wire fencing and hedgerows with hedgerow trees. Although this landscape is unmistakably rural, there is evidence of previous industrial workings that have influenced the local landscape.


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6.4 Two sources of regional landscape character types and areas have been identified and the two studies overlap.

6.5 The first of these documents is the Government Office for the North East Landscape Appraisal for Onshore Wind Energy Development (GONE LCA) (July 2003) which at a broad scale covers the whole of the 30km study area.

6.6 The second of these documents, namely the Tynedale and Northumberland National Park Landscape Character Assessment (TNNP LCA) (2007) describes in greater detail landscape character within the former Tynedale District and the Northumbeland National Park but does not cover the full extent of the 30km study area. The Kirkharle site is identified as falling entirely within landscape Character Cype 11: Intermediate Rolling Farmland and specifically within Character Area 11b: Inghoe Moor Estates.

6.7 The Kirkharle site lies within Character Area 11b Ingoe Moor Estate and therefore according to the GONE LCA has a high sensitivity to wind energy development. However the Rolling Lowland Farmland Character Type identified in the GONE LCA extends over a very large area and as discussed previously, the Kirkharle site actually lies within a transitional zone between this character type and the Upland Fringe Farming Character Type (10b).

6.8 It has been assessed that there would be no effect on any existing landscape features within the site.

6.9 It is considered that there would be no more than a low magnitude of additional change during construction of the development and therefore there would be only a slight additional effect on landscape character over and above the permanent effects of the Operational Phase. The construction effects would be temporary in nature and are unlikely to occur all at the same time during the construction phase.

6.10 The development has been designed to lie at grade with the existing ground levels across the site. In this regard the Kirkharle turbines would not affect the landform of the surrounding landscape.

6.11 There are no notable hedgerows within the site and the small sections that remain would be unaffected by the development. Access tracks would be similar in width to typical farm access tracks which run across many of the fields in the surrounding landscape. The access tracks largely follow existing field boundaries and therefore these too would have minimal impact on landscape pattern. The substation/control building would not appear out of character with other similar structures in the agricultural landscape.


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6.12 The turbines would appear as tall structures in this gently rolling landscape which currently has a predominantly agricultural land cover. The height of the turbines would be greater than other vertical structures in the immediate area although there is notable precedent for manmade vertical features in the landscape including the Kirkheaton turbines just over 3km to the south of the Kirkharle site.

6.13 The turbines would evidently be manmade structures. Although the landscape is predominantly agricultural, there is considerable evidence of human activity and therefore the development would not be introducing manmade features into a wild or untouched landscape. The spacing of the turbines would be such that they would not be too closely clustered and the overall layout would be a well-balanced composition.

6.14 As the immediate landscape has been assessed as being of medium sensitivity overall it is considered that there would be a moderate effect on the character of the landscape immediately surrounding the site.

6.15 It is considered that there will be a moderate effect on character area 11b – Ingoe Moor Estate, and character area 11a - Font and Wansbeck Valley, There would be no more than a moderate/slight effect on character areas 8c - Simonside hills, 8d - Sweethope and Blackdown, and 15e - Acomb Ridge. There would be a slight effect on character areas 10a - Longwhitton Ridge, 10b - Buteland and Colt Crag, 13a - Erring Burn Tributary, and 37 - Upland Farming Fringe.

6.16 The site does not lie within any national, regional or local landscape designations and therefore there will be no direct impacts on any such landscapes. The Kirkharle turbines will be just visible in the distance from the Northumberland National Park, the North Pennines AONB and Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage site but there will be no indirect significant effects on the character of any of these designated sites.

Summary of Effects on Views and Visual Amenity

6.17 The ground level elements of the development would only be visible from a small number of locations in the immediate vicinity of the site. Therefore, the effects on visual amenity relate primarily to the four turbines and, to a lesser degree, the anemometer mast.

6.18 It is acknowledged that there are approximately 35 individual residential properties and isolated farmsteads within 2km of the turbines and that where these properties have unrestricted views towards the site, the proposed turbines would be highly prominent in the view. However it is also noted that most of the properties within 2km of the site are orientated away from the


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Kirkharle turbines or have vegetation and buildings around them which restricts the view in the direction of the site.

6.19 It has been assessed that there would be a substantial effect on the private visual amenity of 4 out of the 35 residential properties within 2km of the Kirkharle turbines, namely Ladywell, Steel Rigg, Steel Rigg Cottage, and Carr Cottage

6.20 There would also be moderate effects on the visual amenity of a further 2 properties, namely Great Bavington Farmhouse and The Mires

6.21 There would be a moderate/slight effect on a further 13 properties, a slight effect on 15 properties and no effect on 1 property.

6.22 Between 2km and 5km of the site there are a number of small villages, as well as additional individual or isolated properties but relatively few of these properties have direct and unrestricted views in the direction of the site. At this distance, and where there are unobstructed views of the turbines, there would be a moderate effect on visual amenity experienced by residential properties. The majority of properties within this distance of the site have at least some screening in the form of either topography, vegetation or built structures and would experience no greater than a moderate/slight effect on visual amenity.

6.23 Beyond 5km from the site, there would be a number of properties with distant glimpses views of the turbines. However beyond this distance, the turbines would not be prominent in the view and it is considered that the development would have no greater than a moderate/slight effect on visual amenity experienced by these residential receptors.

6.24 The St Oswald’s Way is the closest long distance footpath to the site, running approximately 1.1km to the west of the site. There would be a substantial effect on the visual amenity experienced by people walking along St Oswald’s between West Harle Farm and Little Bavington. There would be a moderate effect on the view between West Harle Farm and Kirkwhelpington and also between Little Bavington and Hallington. Beyond Kirkwhelpington in the north and Hallington in the south there would be no greater than a moderate/slight effect on visual amenity. In the context of the route as a whole (approximately 156km) the substantial effect would only be experienced along a very short section of the overall route.

6.25 There will be no greater than a moderate/slight effect on the visual amenity experienced by people walking along the Pennine Way or Hadrian’s Wall Path.

6.26 The Reivers Way, at its closest point, passes within 4.5km of the site near Sweethope Loughs. At its closest point to the site, there will be moderate effect


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on a very short section of the route. At locations along the route which are more than approximately 5km away from the turbines however there will be no greater than a moderate/slight effect on views.

6.27 The Reivers Way cycle route passes relatively closely to the site. At its nearest point in Little Bavington, the route passes within 1.9km of the nearest turbine. There would be a moderate effect on visual amenity from sections of the footpath closest to the site. From the rest of the cycleway beyond Ryal and the A68, views of the turbines are likely to be heavily filtered by vegetation and there would be no greater than a slight effect on views along these sections of the route.

6.28 There are a small number of other public rights of way (PROW) within 2km of the site (including footpaths, bridleways and minor roads) from which there would be largely unrestricted views of the Kirkharle turbines. Along each of these routes, the proposed wind farm would be prominent in the view. However, at no point would it obstruct or prevent an appreciation of the underlying and surrounding landscape. There would be a moderate effect on visual amenity experienced from them.

6.29 There would also be intermittent views of the turbines from many other public rights of way within the wider study area. With distance from the site, the effects on visual amenity would incrementally reduce. Beyond approximately 5km from the site, there would be no greater than a moderate/slight effect on visual amenity.

6.30 The B6342 runs past the site and forms the northern and western boundary of the site. Where the road runs directly past the site and within approximately 2km of the site there will be a moderate/slight effect on views from the minor road. In both directions along the road, beyond approximately 2km from the site, there would be no greater than a slight effect on the visual amenity of people using the route. There will be no greater than a slight effect on the visual amenity of people using the nearby B6309 and there would be no greater than a moderate/slight effect on views from the A68 or the A696 which also pass within 10km of the site.

6.31 Important vantage points of high or very high sensitivity to change in the surrounding landscape include the Simonside Hills to the north, Great Wanney Crag to the west and Shaftoe Crags to the east. The proposed development would result in no greater than a moderate/ slight effect on the visual amenity of the receptors experiencing the views from Great Wanney Crag and Simonside Hills. The proposed development would have no greater than a moderate effect on the visual amenity of the receptors experiencing the views from Shaftoe Crags.


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Summary of Cumulative Effects

6.32 At the time of preparing this SEI, there are 10 other wind farms either in operation, under construction, or in the planning system within 30km of the Kirkharle site. Of these it is considered that only Kirkheaton, Green Rigg and Ray Estate have the potential to result in notable cumulative effects with Kirkharle. It is accepted that where more than one windfarm is visible at any given location in the landscape, there will be a greater overall or cumulative effect on landscape character and views than if just one site is visible.

6.33 However, cumulatively and in combination (taking account of the indirect influence of Kirkheaton, Green Rigg and Ray Estate) there would be no greater than a moderate effect on the landscape character of the landscape immediately surrounding the Kirkharle site and this is no more significant than if the Kirkharle site was constructed in isolation.

6.34 There would be no significant additional effects on any of the landscape character areas considered in the assessment.

6.35 For the Kirkharle site, the greatest potential for cumulative effects arises from its location within 6.5km of the consented Green Rigg wind farm and the potential Ray Estate wind farm, which are located on higher ground above Kirkharle and are of much larger scale than the proposed 4 turbines at Kirkharle (18 turbines and 16 turbines respectively). The much closer, operational Kirkheaton wind farm is less visible within the landscape surrounding Kirkharle due to the smaller size of the turbines (68m to blade tip) and the generally small nature of the cluster, being just 3 turbines.

6.36 It has been assessed that there would be no greater than a slight additional cumulative effect either simultaneously, successively or sequentially on visual amenity over and above that which will occur in any case as a result of the construction of Green Rigg and Ray Estate.

Final Conclusions

6.37 It has been acknowledged that the Kirkharle wind farm development would result in some localised substantial effects on visual amenity and moderate localised effects on landscape character. However, it must be noted that localised landscape and/or visual effects are inevitable when developing a wind farm in the UK.

6.38 The Kirkharle turbines are proposed in a landscape which is not covered by any national or local landscape designations. There would be no effect on any existing landscape features within the site and the relatively large scale open


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character of the surrounding landscape has the capacity to accommodate the 4 Kirkharle turbines without a significantly detrimental effect on its character.

6.39 The localised substantial visual effects identified are principally a matter of private rather than public visual amenity. It has been assessed that 4 properties would experience a substantial effect on their visual amenity but even were the occupants of these properties to be negatively disposed towards wind turbines and find the proposed turbines adverse or objectionable, it has been assessed that the turbines would not have an overbearing visual effect on their living conditions.

6.40 The landscape and visual effects of the development are substantially reversible when the development is decommissioned.

7. Ecology

7.1 Chapter 7 of the Environmental Statement provides information on the terrestrial and aquatic ecology assessment conducted for the proposed wind farm including discussions on mitigation. A review of the predicted effects on ecological interests of the proposed reduction from an eight turbine to a four turbine scheme has been carried out. No significant changes to the effects predicted in the Environmental Statement are expected as a result of the modification to the scheme proposals.

8. Ornithology

8.1 Chapter 8 of the Environmental Statement details the ornithological assessment conducted at the site including a collision risk model based on a candidate turbine. A review of the predicted effects on ornithological interests of the proposed reduction from eight turbines to a four turbine scheme has been carried out. No significant changes to the effects predicted in the Environmental Statement have been identified.

9. Cultural Heritage and Archaeology

Cultural Heritage

9.1 An assessment of the four turbine proposal on cultural heritage and archaeology has been undertaken. The proposed wind farm will not affect the setting or significance of any built heritage assets, with the exception of views


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from the Church of St Aidan at Thockrington where a Minor/Moderate impact is predicted.

9.2 The land on which the turbines are proposed does not materially contribute to the setting of any of the assets. However, the presence of the turbines will change some views from certain listed buildings, as identified within the assessment tables. The significance of the effect of these changes in terms of the historical and architectural merit of the assets and their significance is considered to be neutral to moderate/slight. The assessment has found no significant effects in EIA terms on the surrounding built heritage assets.

Archaeology

9.3 In response to a request from the former Tynedale Council, a scheme of works was undertaken to assess the nature, extent and potential significance of any archaeological resource within the proposed development area. This comprised the evacuation and archaeological evaluation of 23 trenches within the site boundary, predominantly along access tracks and turbine locations. These works were undertaken in October and November 2010 in accordance with a method statement provided by Archaeological Services Durham University, which was also approved by the planning authority.

9.4 In summary, no archaeological deposits were recorded in the evaluation

trenches. Therefore there will be no significant direct effects on archaeology within the site boundary predicted as a result of the proposed development.

9.5 Notwithstanding this, a programme of archaeological monitoring during

groundworks associated with the development is recommended, in order to record any archaeological resource that is uncovered.

10. Hydrology, Geology and Hydrogeology

10.1 Chapter 10 of the Environmental Statement provides a discussion on the hydrological aspects of the proposed wind farm site including a commentary on effects on water supply and quality. A review of the predicted effects on the hydrology and hydrogeology interests of the proposed reduction from eight turbines to a four turbines scheme has been carried out. No significant changes to the effects predicted in the Environmental Statement have been identified.


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11. Transport and Access

11.1 A review has been carried out of the predicted effects on the transportation interests of a revised four turbine layout for the proposed Kirkharle wind farm. The results of this review show that fewer delivery trips to site by HGV and construction vehicles will be made and therefore there will be a reduction in the environmental effects which were predicted in relation to the larger scheme.

12. Telecommunications & Aviation

12.1 There are no significant changes to the ES chapter on Telecommunications and Aviation arising from the proposed change to the scheme.

13. Shadow Flicker

13.1 Chapter 13 of the Environmental Statement provides information on the potential shadow flicker issues associated with the proposed wind farm. A review of the predicted effects on shadow flicker at residential properties, arising from the proposed reduction from an eight turbine to a four turbine scheme has been carried out. There will be a reduction in the number of properties which lie within the shadow flicker assessment zone, with four receptor dwellings potentially exposed to weak shadow flicker of short duration. This results in a reduction in environmental effects and there are no changes to the proposed options for mitigation presented in the ES.

14. Social and Community

14.1 There are no significant changes to the ES chapter on Social and Community arising from the proposed change to the scheme.

15. Noise

15.1 The SEI presents an assessment of the potential construction and operational noise impact of the Proposed Development on the residents of nearby dwellings. This noise assessment has been carried out using the same background noise measurement data and methodology set out in the ES (October 2008), but re-modelled based upon the revised four turbine scheme.


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The original ES also contained inconsistencies and errors in the predicted noise levels which were introduced during final production of the assessment documents. This assessment therefore presents revised predictions in a consistent form to deal with these errors.

15.2 Potential noise and vibration impacts associated with the revised four turbine

wind farm have been assessed by Hoare Lea Acoustics. The potential noise impacts of construction, operation and decommissioning meet accepted standards, or can be mitigated where appropriate, with residual impacts not considered significant and therefore considered not significant in EIA terms.

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| T 0113 260 0731 | F 0113 260 8454 | www.pegasuspg.co.uk | © Copyright Pegasus Planning Group Ltd. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Copyright Licence number 100042093 I Promap Licence number 100020449. Pegasus Environmental is part of Pegasus Planning Group Ltd. Drawing prepared for planning. Any queries to be reported to Pegasus for clarification

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Number of turbines: 4Height to Blade Tip: 125m

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RWE Npower Renewables Ltd - IEMA - Home · RWE Npower Renewables Ltd Kirkharle Windfarm Environmental Statement Four Turbine Scheme Supplementary Environmental Information _____ _____

RWE Npower Renewables Ltd - IEMA - Home · RWE Npower Renewables Ltd Kirkharle Windfarm Environmental Statement Four Turbine Scheme Supplementary Environmental Information _ _