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Camilty Wind Farm
2.3.16 The use of the categories of ‘slight’ or ‘negligible’ is used in acknowledgement that there may
be a range of effects and it is also used to assess where, cumulatively, several effects of
moderate or less could be deemed to combine to be a substantial or greater effect. Further
guidance is contained within paragraph 94 of Circular 3, 2011, The Town and Country
Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment)(Scotland) Regulations 2011 which states:
“Whilst every ES should provide a full factual description of the development, the emphasis of
Schedule 4 is on the ‘main’ or ‘significant’ environmental effects to which a development is
likely to give rise. Other impacts may be of little or no significance for the particular
development in question and will need only very brief treatment to indicate that their possible
relevance has been considered.”
2.3.17 Although the approach to EIA followed in this ES establishes a ‘level’ for all effects identified,
from negligible through to very substantial, it should be emphasised that the 2011 EIA
Regulations (Schedule 4) only require the likely significant environmental effects to be
described. Individual assessment chapters therefore establish on a topic by topic basis which
‘levels of effect’ are deemed to be significant. The summary tables at the end of each
assessment chapter therefore clearly state for each effect identified, whether it has been
found to be ‘significant’ or ‘not significant’.
Type of Effect
2.3.18 The EIA Regulations require consideration of a variety of types of effect, namely
direct/indirect, secondary, cumulative, positive/negative, short/medium/long-term, and
permanent/temporary. In this ES, effects are considered in terms of how they arise, their
valency (i.e. whether they are positive or negative) and duration. Each will have a source
originating from the development, a pathway and a receptor.
2.3.19 Predicted effects will be adverse/negative or beneficial/positive; direct or indirect; secondary
or cumulative; temporary or permanent; and, short, medium or long term. The nature of each
of these effects is defined in Table 2.4, with further discussion relating to cumulative effects
provided in the section below. In some cases it is appropriate to identify that the
interpretation of a change is a matter of personal opinion, and such effects will be described
as ‘subjective’.
2.3.20 The temporal scope of environmental effects is stated where known. Effects are typically
described as:
• Temporary – these are likely to be related to a particular activity and will cease when
the activity finishes. The terms ‘short-term’ and ‘long-term’ may also be used to
provide a further indication of how long the effect will be experienced; and
• Permanent – this typically means an unrecoverable change.
Table 2.4 Types of Environmental Effects
Effect
Direct
Indirect
Description
Effects arising directly as a result of the construction, operations or
decommissioning of the proposed development e.g. removal of ground
vegetation to facilitate construction.
Effects not caused directly as result of the construction, operations or
decommissioning of the proposed development, but arising as a consequence
of it.
March 2013 2-22 ES Chapter 2
The EIA and Scoping Process
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