Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
7.7.2 This Chapter of the ES concludes that the environmental effect of the construction of the
proposed wind farm would be negligible and would be further minimised with appropriate
traffic management.
7.8 Cumulative Effects
7.8.1 Any major developments in the area or along the access route that may arise at the same
time as construction of the proposed wind farm could result in a cumulative increase in traffic
flows on the routes. In this regard, it is noted that the increases resulting from the
construction of the proposed wind farm are small relative to the baseline traffic flows which
results in negligible (not significant) effects.
7.8.2 In the event that the above total construction traffic flows were to increase nine-fold then the
increase would still remain within the thresholds identified by IEMA, which suggests that
imperceptible effects would still be predicted.
7.8.3 In terms of the movement of abnormal loads, such movements from any other development
are highly unlikely to occur at the exact same time and location as those for this application
since their movement would be co-ordinated with the police, who would also co-ordinate with
any other such movements. Therefore, there would be no cumulative assessment in relation
to these.
7.8.4 It is also noted that the above is based upon the single month which generates the largest
number of construction vehicles. During other months, the number of construction vehicle
movements generated will be far less.
7.8.5 On this basis, there is an opportunity for a number of other wind farm developments to
proceed and generate traffic similar to that for the proposed windfarm and the resultant
cumulative effect would be negligible. Larger wind farm proposals to this would not generate
significantly more construction vehicle movements to those set out above as the construction
period is spread over a longer number of months. Furthermore, given the temporary nature
of the construction effect it is unlikely that the peak construction traffic above would coincide
with another development and therefore no significant cumulative effect should be
forthcoming. Indeed, the above suggests that the above total construction traffic flows could
increase nine-fold and the traffic increases would still remain within the thresholds identified
by IEMA whereby imperceptible effects would still be predicted.
7.8.6 It should also be noted that the local access roads, once off the strategic road network, are
specific to each wind farm and not every site will generate construction traffic along the local
roads assessed for the proposed wind farm.
7.9 References
• The Institute of Environmental Assessment (IEA) (now IEMA), (1993) Guidance Note
No. 1. Guidelines for the Environmental Assessment of Road Traffic
March 2013 7-20 ES Chapter 7
Traffic and Transport
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