Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
• Harburn (north west of site) In the vicinity of residential properties at the closest
settlement. The scheme has been designed to limit adverse effects on sensitive
receptors in this location;
• Harburn House (north west of the site). Harburn estate forms the closest receptor to
the proposed wind farm. The scheme has been designed to limit adverse effects on
residents of and visitors to the House and the character of the listed historic Park and
Garden;
• West Cairn Hill (south east of site). This is the highest peak in the vicinity of the site.
The elevated location allows unhindered views of the landscape context, including
Pates Hill, Muirhall and Blacklaw wind farms and has enabled the design to be
adapted to respond to the context and limit effects on the AGLV/Regional Park;
• Corston Hill (north east of site). A local high point in the Pentland Hills AGLV which
forms the edge of the ZTV;
• Harperrig Reservoir (north east of site), walkers accessing the Pentland Hills near a
local landmark. The scheme has been designed to limit adverse effects on sensitive
receptors in this location.
9.4.6 The viewpoint locations are in relatively close proximity to the site or in elevated locations
and allow open views of the turbine layout to be analysed. Viewpoints at West Cairn Hill,
Corston Hill and Harperrig Reservoir are located in the Pentland Hills AGLV and are
important locations to determine effects on visual receptors within this designated landscape.
The turbines have been located to be as discrete as possible in the landscape.
Final Design
9.4.7 A series of layouts using the eight intermediate design turbines were examined through an
iterative design process as part of a design workshop. The design criteria used to inform the
process were as follows:
• A simple and compact form which has a unified appearance. Turbines have been
designed to have a similar spacing within the wind farm, to avoid a random
appearance;
• Avoidance of outlier turbines and visual stacking. The organised composition of the
wind farm prevents single turbines appearing as separated from the main cluster.
Straight lines have been avoided to prevent views of several turbines on the same
axis, which is often discordant in the landscape;
• Relationship of the wind farm to the character, scale, pattern and composition of the
landscape. The scale of the wind farm and its shape have been designed to relate
well to the scale and shape of the forestry plantation;
• Potential conflicts with a sense of remoteness;
• Relationship with existing wind farm turbine size, scale and layout. Turbine size would
be consistent with nearby schemes at Pates Hill and Muirhall and the wind farm scale
would be similar to these schemes. The visual separation between the three schemes
would be maintained.
9.4.8 The two potential turbines to the south west of the B7008 were removed at this stage to avoid
a disjointed layout when viewed from the south east in the Pentland Hills and from the north
March 2013 9-49 ES Chapter 9
Landscape and Visual
Copyright Partnerships for Renewables Development Co. Ltd 2013 ©