Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
Proposed Wind Farm and Forest Impacts Analysis
4.10.8 The current total productive forest found within the development boundary at Camilty is
approximately 173.3 hectares. An amended FDP will be proposed to restructure the forest to
reduce the impacts of felling as a result of the plantations being planted within a short time
frame. The current amendment to the FDP includes the recent clear felling and windblow.
4.10.9 Wind damage is increasing throughout the forest as the terminal height is reached (height at
which wind blow will have a high probability in severe storms). As the felling of sections of the
forest occur then sheltered forest edges will be subject to greater wind loading particularly
from the west. This will ensure that the majority of the remaining forest will be felled within the
next 20 years.
4.10.10 Baseline impacts from the development of the wind farm relate predominantly to the removal
of certain areas of land from productive forestry to facilitate wind farm infrastructure. Loss of
forestry as a direct result of the wind farm equates to approximately 16.56 ha (of the total
footprint of 20.95), of which approximately 13.25 ha will be taken out of production to
accommodate the keyhole area and will be maintained as mostly clear open spaces. This
land can, however, revert back to forest once the turbines are removed.
4.10.11 The majority of proposed turbine locations are within areas of restocking or current
windblown areas (five of the six turbines are located in restocking areas). This has been a
very deliberate exercise through the design evolution process in order to minimise any
unnecessary removal of non-mature forestry to facilitate wind farm infrastructure.
4.10.12 Roads will need to be widened and additional passing places constructed and this will result
in improved access for future forestry operations.
4.10.13 In line with the Scottish Government’s Policy on Control of Woodland Removal (Forestry
Commission Scotland, 2009), the net loss of forest cover (3.28 ha) will be compensated for
by replanting either within Camilty forest, or within the adjacent forest blocks. The temporary
loss of forest production in addition can be mitigated for by additional planting or as an
acceptable increase in open space within Camilty Forest and the habitat diversity these
would result in.
4.11 Securing Environmental Management – the Health, Safety and
Environmental Management System
4.11.1 The appointed contractor will have overall responsibility for environmental management on
the site. The services of specialist advisors will be retained as required and may include, for
example, an archaeologist and/or ecologist to advise on specific issues, such as any further
surveys required (pre-construction surveys), any liaison required with statutory bodies and
ensuring that any requirements of planning conditions are undertaken correctly. The Project
Manager will ensure construction and decommissioning activities are carried out in
accordance with the mitigation measures outlined in this document.
4.11.2 To ensure all mitigation measures outlined within this Environmental Statement (ES) are
carried out, contractors will be required to develop and adhere to a Health, Safety and
Environmental Management System (HSEMS) throughout the construction process. An
indicative outline structure of the HSEMS is included in Appendix 4.4, and the contractor will
be required to develop this to include site specific details in the form of a Pollution Prevention
and Emergency Response Plan, Traffic Management Plan, Noise Management Plan, Site
March 2013 4-22 ES Chapter 4
Description of the Proposed Development
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