Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
Design Workshop
3.5.18 The 13 turbine layout developed during the initial assessment was used as the basis for a
design workshop held on 26 July 2012.
3.5.19 It was intended to reduce the number of turbines to create a more compact scheme and to
follow the pattern of reducing wind farm size from west to east, from Black Law eastwards, in
line with SNH and West Lothian Council consultations.
3.5.20 The first layout revision within the workshop considered “statutory” issues, which had not
been reflected in the developable area “screen”. These included potential environmental
effects which could not be avoided on a “presence/ absence” or “buffer” basis – but rather
considered a “sliding scale” of effect.
3.5.21 This considered effects caused by:
• Cultural Heritage – turbines were moved as far as practicable from Camilty Hill
Roman Fortlet SAM to ensure that if they were visible from the monument, they would
not be dominant. One turbine in the north of the site was removed as an initial
visualisation of the site showed that it would dominate the view from the Fortlet.
• Noise – Preliminary noise modelling indicated that potential noise levels at the nearest
noise sensitive receptor (Harburnhead (residence)) were approaching recommended
limits as a result of the 13 turbine layout, as discussed in Chapter 8: Noise.
Therefore, two further turbines in the north of the site were removed to ensure noise
levels at Harburnhead remained within acceptable limits.
• Peat – turbines to the west of the B7008 were located in deep peat as identified on
the site through peat probing (refer to Chapter 13: Hydrology, Hydrogeology and
Ground Conditions) (Figure 3.4). Therefore the two turbines in the north were
removed from this area to minimise the depth of peat required to be excavated as part
of development.
3.5.22 Following review of these site constraints and other issues identified above a layout of 8
turbines was identified as the Intermediate Design (Figure 3.5). This layout was progressed
through further assessments during the workshop, as outlined below, to provide the optimal
final design.
Final Design
3.5.23 The final design was determined following Landscape and Visual assessment within the
design workshop.
3.5.24 Interactive wirelines from key visual receptors were run during the workshop to assess and
then modify the turbine layout to reduce impacts in terms of overall visibility, as well as
turbine overlap. Four “design viewpoints” were selected - one from the Pentland Hills (West
Cairn Hill), 2 from the A70 (one south-west and one north-east of the site) and from Harburn
House. Each iteration was run from these viewpoints, as well as assessing “overall” visibility.
This process resulted in a number of iterations to the layout. Figure 3.3 shows comparative
wirelines from the design viewpoints used during the design process. Relevant visual issues
associated with cultural heritage (including the setting of Camilty Hill Fortlet Scheduled
Ancient Monument) and residential amenity were also considered as part of this assessment
(refer to Chapter 9: Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment and Chapter 10: Cultural
Heritage and Archaeology).
March 2013 3-12 ES Chapter 3
Design Evolution
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