Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
Initial Design
3.5.3 At this stage in the project the proposed site boundary encompassed forest blocks to the
south east of the A70 and to the west of the B7008 as well as the main body of Camilty
Plantation.
3.5.4 Within this boundary, the bulk site screening work carried out by PfR identified an initial
design layout for the site. A feasibility study was then carried out to consider the potential of
the site in more detail. The initial design layout and feasibility study identified that the site
could accommodate up to 21 turbines of up to 3 MW. However, subsequent to the feasibility
study, it was decided that land within the boundary to the south east of the A70 should be
excluded from development due to landscape and policy sensitivities. This led to 7 turbines
that were located to the south east of the A70 being removed, leaving up to 14 turbines on
the remainder of the site.
3.5.5 In order to inform the layout of these potential 14 turbines information was gathered through a
combination of desk-based study, including information from FCS records, and consultation.
The exercise included:
• Collection of wind speed data information from the NOABL UK Wind Speed Database;
• Desk Based review of site constraints including ecology, ornithology and cultural
heritage and associated consultation with the Forestry Commission Scotland;
• Consideration Of likely grid connection options and arrangements;
• Preliminary turbine delivery route assessment;
• Provision of an indicative track and infrastructure layout;
• Consideration of relevant planning policy;
• Preliminary consultation with fixed link providers to identify fixed and microwave links;
• Initial consultation with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),
NATS En-Route Limited (NERL) mapping tool and Edinburgh and Kincardine Airport;
• Preliminary noise modelling and an initial ETSU-R-97 assessment;
• Preliminary consultation with the following infrastructure operators: Scottish Power,
Scotland Gas Networks and the Health and Safety Executive;
• Preliminary consultation with SNH to determine proposed methodology for bat and
protected species surveying;
• A preliminary peat probing survey of the site; and
• A preliminary Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) to 35 km radius and landscape
capacity study.
3.5.6 This facilitated the creation of a constraints plan within which a potential developable area
could be identified. This is discussed further below.
Constraints Plan and Developable Area
3.5.7 A constraints plan was prepared showing the location and extent of known/recorded
environmental constraints present on the site and its environs. Appropriate clearance buffers
were applied to constraints where necessary in order to mitigate for potential direct impacts
during the design process. The constraints were identified and refined throughout the EIA
March 2013 3-8 ES Chapter 3
Design Evolution
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