Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
unlikely to have more than a small magnitude of effect. Therefore, the cumulative level of
effect is predicted to be slight, and not significant in terms of the EIA Regulations.
Pink-footed Goose
Habitat Loss
12.8.28 There was no evidence to suggest that pink-footed geese utilise the habitats within the
application site boundary or any other areas within 500 m of the site for feeding, roosting or
breeding. Therefore, the proposed development is not considered to materially contribute to
a significant cumulative habitat loss impact on the Westwater SPA, Ramsar Site and SSSI
population or on the species at the NHZ level.
Disturbance/Displacement
12.8.29 There was no evidence to suggest that pink-footed geese utilise the habitats within the site
boundary or any other areas within 500m of the site for feeding, roosting or breeding.
Therefore, the proposed development is not considered to materially contribute to a
significant cumulative disturbance/displacement impact on the Westwater SPA, Ramsar Site
and SSSI population or on the species at the NHZ level.
Cumulative Collision Mortality
12.8.30 The effect of collision risk to pink-footed geese due to the proposed wind farm alone was not
considered significant on the regional or national scale. However, when considered in
conjunction with other sources of potential mortality, especially from other wind farms, the
combined additional mortality may be sufficient to initiate a population decline that cannot be
reversed unless the adverse effect is removed.
12.8.31 When assessing cumulative mortality from multiple developments, SNH (2012b) notes that
simply summing collision mortality across all developments may overestimate cumulative
mortality, as once a bird has been removed from a population due to collision with one
development, it cannot collide again. This is particularly pertinent where population sizes are
small and mortality can represent a significant proportion of the population. As a qualifying
species of Westwater SPA, Ramsar Site and SSSI it is important to asses the cumulative
impact of collision mortality on pink-footed geese.
12.8.32 Within 20 km of Westwater SPA, there are four wind farms in proximity to Camilty that are
operational (Black Law, Bowbeat Hill, Muirhall and Pates Hill), four that have been approved
(Black Law Extension Phase 1, Tormywheel and Muirhall Extension), two in the application
process (Pearie Law and Lampits Farm) and two at appeal (Fauch Hill and Harburnhead).
12.8.33 Of these, no information could be found for Bowbeat Hill, Muirhall or Muirhall Extension and
there was no mention of pink-footed goose activity in the Ornithology Chapters of the
Tormywheel and Lampits Farm Wind Farm Environmental Statements. A summary of activity
at the remaining sites is provided below.
Black Law Wind Farm and Extension
12.8.34 The 23 turbine Black Law Extension is an approved extension to the operational 54 turbine
Black Law Wind Farm. The original site is approximately 22 km west of Camilty, and the
extension is approximately 20 km west.
12.8.35 The Black Law Extension ES provides a summary of pink-footed goose activity at both this
site and the original Black Law Wind Farm site.
March 2013 12-63 ES Chapter 12
Ornithology
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