Non Technical Summary - Partnerships for Renewables

Consultation
A vital aspect of the EIA process is consultation both to agree
which environmental topics need most attention (scope
of the EIA and methodologies to be adopted in assessing
likely effects) and to understand public perception of the
development in order to help inform the design process.
Consultation with statutory and non-statutory bodies was
undertaken through a formal scoping exercise with the Isle
of Wight Council in April 2011. In addition, there has been
continued dialogue with relevant statutory and non-statutory
consultees both before and after the Scoping Opinion (setting
out the environmental topics to be considered further)
was received from the Isle of Wight Council. The full list of
consultees is set out in Chapter 3 of the ES and includes:
Natural England; RSPB; Isle of Wight AONB Partnership; the
Isle of Wight Council Archaeologist; the Isle of Wight Council
Highways and Transport Department; and the Isle of Wight
Council Ecologist.
PfR has also undertaken public consultation involving public
exhibitions and community surgeries with local residents
dating back to 2010. PfR has held regular community
surgeries at various stages of the project where PfR staff
have been available to discuss the project in an informal
setting with members of the public. These took place in
February, May and September 2011. In February and March
2012 update presentations were given in public to both
Northwood and Newport parish councils. Public exhibitions
were held in October 2010 and March 2012. A number of
local groups such as the Footprint Trust have also been met
with and kept up to date throughout the project development
process. A separate Statement of Public Consultation has
been produced and forms part of the planning submission.
Environmental Effects
The scoping exercise identified a range of potential
environmental effects. These were subjected to detailed
assessments using methodologies specific to the relevant
environmental topic. Those considered in this ES are listed
as follows:
• Climate change mitigation and other atmospheric
emissions - Chapter 6;
• Transport – Chapter 7;
• Noise – Chapter 8;
• Landscape and visual effects – Chapter 9;
• Cultural heritage– Chapter 10;
• Ecology (including impact on trees)– Chapter 11;
• Ornithology – Chapter 12;
• Hydrology – Chapter 13; and
• Shadow Flicker – Chapter 14.
The following sections provide a brief, non-technical,
summary of the main findings of the EIA split by
environmental topic. These findings are described in detail
within the individual environmental topic chapters of the ES.
The Environmental Statement
The ES, which accompanies the planning application
to the Isle of Wight Council, provides an assessment of
identified significant environmental effects resulting from
the construction, operation and de-commissioning of the
proposed wind turbines at Camp Hill. The following sections
provide a brief, non-technical, summary of the main findings
of the EIA which are described in detail within the individual
chapters of the full ES.
Climate Change – Chapter 6
The assessment of the effects on climate change involved
a calculation of the expected renewable electricity that
would be produced by the wind energy development. As
set out above the assessment calculated that the proposed
wind turbines could annually generate between 8,760MWh
and 13,140MWh of renewable electricity per year. This is
equivalent to the amount of electricity used annually by
approximately 1,963 to 2,944 average households and
avoids between 3,767 and 5,650 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent
emissions per year. The ES concluded that maximising
the renewable energy potential of the development site
would result in a positive effect on climate change although
it was not considered appropriate to assign any level of
significance to this effect.
Traffic and Transport – Chapter 7
Estimates of traffic generation associated with the
construction phase of the proposed Camp Hill Wind Energy
Development have been derived from a first principles
approach based on calculations of vehicle loads of
imported materials.
The most significant impacts will occur during the
construction phase when there would be an increase in the
volume of construction traffic utilising the surrounding road
network to deliver the wind farm components, equipment
and resources necessary for the construction. No impacts
are expected during the operation of the site since the
turbines will be controlled remotely and only occasional
maintenance visits will be required which will most likely be
undertaken in a 4x4 vehicle.
The site will be accessed via two routes; one from the north
and one from the south of the site. The intended routes
broadly comprise:
• Northern Route: Medina Wharf – Arctic Road – A3020 –
Clissold Road - Site
• Southern Route: A3056 – A3020 – Clissold Road - Site
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