Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
management of this forest is defined within the FDP. Management operations include felling
and replanting of trees progressively within the site change the baseline situation. However,
the changes are considered to be on a relatively small scale and would not justify the
identification of an interim, future baseline situation, in 2016 when construction of the scheme
would commence, against which the proposal would be assessed. The baseline includes any
other commercial wind farms that are either operational, consented, or formally in the
planning system at the time of submission of the application. However, those for which a
planning application has been submitted and have since been withdrawn without any
assurances that a revised or modified application is known to be pending, are not included in
the assessment.
9.2.15 The cumulative effects of two or more wind farm schemes should include the effects of all
those wind farms within 60 km. The assessment concentrates on cumulative wind farms
within a 35 km radius of the site; and, more specifically, those developments which are likely
to influence the decision making process.
Nature and Scope of Effects
9.2.16 Landscape effects derive from changes in the physical landscape, which may give rise to
changes to its palette of key characteristics and thus its character and how this is
experienced. This may in turn affect the perceived value ascribed to the landscape.
9.2.17 Visual effects relate to the changes that arise in the composition of available views as a result
of changes to the landscape, to people’s responses to the changes and to the overall effects
with respect to visual amenity.
9.2.18 Standard practice treats landscape and visual effects separately and, as a matter of
convention, landscape effects have been dealt with first within this chapter.
Assessment Process
9.2.19 The assessment of landscape effects for the project has followed a recognised process set
out below:
• Identify the baseline landscape resource (e.g. individual landscape elements and
landscape character) and its value;
• Identify forces for change in the landscape of the surrounding area;
• Evaluate the sensitivity of the landscape resource to the type of development
proposed;
• Identify potential landscape effects of the project through review of initial plans;
• Develop measures to avoid, reduce and ameliorate adverse effects;
• Identify scale or magnitude of change proposed;
• Assess the significance of effects of the project on the landscape, taking into account
the mitigation measures proposed; and
• Report the findings of the assessment.
9.2.20 The assessment of visual effects followed a recognised process set out below:
• Identify potential visual receptors of the project (i.e. people who will have views of the
development);
March 2013 9-4 ES Chapter 9
Landscape and Visual
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