Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
Westwater SPA, Ramsar Site and SSSI it is necessary to asses the cumulative impact of
collision mortality on this designated site’s population.
12.8.7 With regard to goshawk, it is important to establish whether the slight adverse residual effects
of habitat loss, disturbance/displacement, collision mortality and barrier effect which are
predicted for this species could be exacerbated through the cumulative effects of other
developments in the wider area to a higher level of significance.
12.8.8 Consequently, the following cumulative impact assessment will consider impacts on pinkfooted
geese and goshawk.
Scope of Projects and Activities
12.8.9 For wind farms which do not have an effect on designated sites, SNH (2006) guidance
highlights the relevance of the NHZ as the basis for the geographical range selection of
cumulative effects. Such a scope of work however may be extensive in nature and so SNH
recognises that “it is unrealistic to insist on a cumulative assessment if the relevant
information is not reasonably available”. Given that the relevant population level in the
assessment of impacts on pink-footed geese is that of the Westwater SPA, Ramsar Site and
SSSI, despite this assessment concluding that there is little connectivity between Camilty and
Westwater Reservoir, the assessment of cumulative impacts on pink-footed geese will be
made in relation to the SPA.
12.8.10 As such, only the cumulative impact assessment for goshawk has been conducted in relation
to the NHZ population. In this case, the proposed wind farm lies within the West Central Belt
(NHZ 17) but is within 500 m of the Border Hills (NHZ 20) and 2 km of the Eastern Lowlands
(NHZ 16). The extent of these NHZs and the location of the proposed wind farm site
within/between them is presented in Figure 12.5. Given the site’s location at the foot of the
Pentland Hills, it is considered that the Border Hills NHZ more closely reflects the upland
moorland and plantation habitat within and around the development site, and so is used as
the primary reference population. Therefore, the cumulative impact assessment for this
species has taken into account the effects of all other wind farm developments (constructed,
consented or proposed, but excluding any at the scoping stage) within the Border Hills NHZ.
These are shown in Figure 12.13, which focuses on the Border Hills NHZ (and the wind
farms locations therein), and indicates the location of the proposed Camilty wind farm site in
relation to this.
12.8.11 With regard to the cumulative impact assessment on pink-footed geese, this has taken into
account the effects of all other wind farms within 20 km of the Westwater SPA (20 km being
the species recognised maximum foraging range (SNH, 2012a)).
12.8.12 After a desk-based research exercise, it was concluded that the only development types of
significant scale to potentially affect pink-footed geese and goshawk (collision risk) were
other wind farms. The latest available Wind Farm Footprint Map of Scotland 13 on the SNH
website (August 2012 version) as well as information from the West Lothian, Scottish Borders
and other nearby local council’s websites was used to identify all other wind farm projects
within this potential zone of influence. Results showed that there are 31 wind farm projects at
all stages of development (but exclusive of those at scoping) within the Border Hills NHZ and
50 within 20 km of Westwater SPA, Ramsar Site and SSSI. Fifty-six wind farm projects at all
13
SNH Wind Farm Footprint Map of Scotland (August 2010) (http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A763435.pdf)..
March 2013 12-59 ES Chapter 12
Ornithology
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