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We recently carried out pre-application consultation for Orkney’s Community Wind Farm Project – Hoy.
As the development is classed as a 'major development' there is a requirement to submit a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to the planning authority and carry out a Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) – which usually would include a public event or exhibition.
A public event had been planned for Hoy to take place in March 2020, but this was cancelled due to the ongoing restrictions put in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead we moved our consultation online - providing a video of us presenting the consultation materials, holding an online discussion event and offering one to one calls with our project team.
Despite the fact we were unable to do a face to face event, we had a lot of people engaging with the consultation and we are very grateful for that. The comments gathered throughout the process will now go into a Pre-Application Consultation Report, which forms part of the planning application. When the planning application is submitted, we'll post a link up here.
In the meantime, we thought you might find it useful to see some of the questions that were submitted during the consultation - and the answers we provided.
Further information on the Orkney's Community Wind Farm Project - Hoy is available here www.orkney.gov.uk/HoyPAC.
How many turbines will there be and how big will they be?
The design of the project is subject to change as we consider the things we find out whilst we are carrying out studies into the project. The proposed Hoy wind farm started life as a 30 turbine scheme (125m to tip) but has since been reduced to six turbines (just under 150m to tip) in the latest design, which is what we’ve presented to you in the pre-application consultation period The design may change again before submit the planning application
Why such tall turbines?
Taller wind turbines with larger rotor blades dramatically increase the amount of power that can be generated. Subsidies have fallen away from the onshore wind market and so, in order to make a project financially viable, it is essential to have good economies of scale. Taller turbines help with that as they mean that fewer are required to generate the same amount of power.
Will there be a noise impact?
Wind turbines are a source of noise and we have tried to locate turbines as far away from residential properties as possible. There are clear guidelines on acceptable noise from wind turbines and, whilst we don’t expect any limits to be breached by this project, a detailed noise impact assessment will be carried out as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment and the scheme design will ensure that limits will be met. A commitment will be made to investigate and manage the operation of turbines if it is found that limits are breached.
How much energy will this project generate?
We are working on the basis of turbines that would each have an installed capacity (or rating) of around 4-5MW. Orkney’s Community Wind Farm Project – Hoy would therefore generate approximately 100,000 MWh of renewable electricity per year. That is equivalent to the electricity use of approximately 25,000 households.
How much CO2 will this project save?
We estimate that carbon savings as a result of this project would be approximately 40,000 tonnes per year. That compares to Orkney’s overall CO2 emissions estimate of around 137,000 tonnes per year (based on Office of National Statistics data for 2017, the most recent year available).
How will you get kit on site and how expensive will this be?
It is anticipated that turbines will be delivered to Lyness and then be transported to site along the B9048, transferring to the track leading to Wee Fea. Delivery to site is relatively straightforward as compared to other wind farm sites in Scotland. We will develop and implement a detailed Construction Traffic Management Plan and Pier Management Plan to minimise disturbance to other road/pier users and to safely control deliveries.
How will this windfarm connect to the grid?
This project is likely to be connected via a substation on Hoy and then to the Finstown Grid Supply Point. The route and method for this connection are yet to be determined and will depend on a number of factors, including which other projects are also seeking grid connection. It is too early in the design process to have any clarity on what options may be available. The grid connection element of this project will be subject to a separate planning application.
How will local people benefit?
The projects are being developed for the benefit of Orkney and we are keen to have feedback from people on possible mechanisms for maximising community benefit. The Council has already agreed to some guiding principles for delivery of community benefit from the project:
The key purpose of Orkney’s Community Wind Farm Project is to generate profit to be used for the benefit of the people of Orkney.
This will be done via a ‘Community Fund’ to be used in the interests of Orkney and its inhabitants.
The project will be financed in such a way that we can achieve profit which can be used for community benefit as soon as reasonably practicable.
It won't be possible for private individuals to take a shareholding in any project.
As the communities located closest to projects will be impacted most by developments these communities will get a ‘location-specific community benefit payment’. We’ll be consulting separately on this with local communities
Will there be a community benefit fund?
The Council has committed to providing a location specific community benefit fund as per Scottish Government best practice guidelines. This means that the Applicant will put £5,000 per MW per annum into a location specific community benefit fund. Further consultation will be carried out to determine how this funding should be dispersed. In addition all of the profit from the project is to be used for the benefit of the people of Orkney.
Will jobs will be created?
Based on work undertaken for Orkney’s Community Wind farm – Quanterness (a development of similar scale to Orkney’s Community Wind Farm – Hoy), we estimate that the construction and development phase could support £2.6 million GVA and 39 jobs in Orkney and £10.4 million GVA and 161 jobs in Scotland. During operation the project could have an annual impact of £0.3 million GVA and four jobs in Orkney and £0.5 million GVA and nine jobs in Scotland. These figures will be investigated in more detail in the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project.
How long will construction last and what will the impacts be?
Construction is anticipated to take 18 months and could start in 2024. A temporary construction compound will be located on site which will be restored following operation. A Construction Environmental Management Plan will be written, approved by OIC, and implemented to minimise and control environmental impacts. A community liaison officer will be appointed and a mechanism set in place for listening and responding to any complaints/queries.
What impact will the project have on the local bird population?
Two years of bird surveys have been carried out at the site to monitor the local bird population. Part of this detailed assessment includes modelling breeding habits and flight paths to determine the potential impacts a project may have. Our technical team has been working with SNH guidance to determine the most appropriate wind farm design.
What are the potential impacts on the local historical buildings and monuments?
There are numerous heritage assets on and in the vicinity of the site. These include the listed underground fuel tanks, the formal naval headquarters and a wide range of non-designated wartime assets.
Impacts on the setting of other monuments outwith the site will be fully assessed in the Environmental Impact Assessment and photomontages provided from key views.
What are the potential impacts on the ecology of the site?
An initial peat probing survey has been undertaken on the whole site, and this information has been used in determining the initial layout of the turbines and other infrastructure, avoiding deeper areas of peat where possible. A more detailed assessment will be carried out over the coming months.
In line with best practice, a 50m buffer has been applied to all watercourses running through the site. There are two water courses in the vicinity of the turbines and we expect that only a single crossing will be required (over the Burn of Longigill which drains into the Burn of Ore).
What are photomontages?
Photomontages are a tool used as part of a suite of assessment methods to allow people to understand likely landscape and visual effects. The photomontages displayed in the presentation are based on current designs which may change as we work through the EIA.
If the project goes ahead will locals suffer from an over stretched ferry service during the construction period?
We are very aware of the importance of the lifeline ferry service to Hoy and of the issues experienced with construction work on Flotta in recent years. Our project team has been told to do whatever possible to avoid the need to use the ferry for the project. This will be reflected in the ‘Traffic and Transport’ chapter of the EIA to accompany the planning application for the project. If built the windfarm components are likely to be delivered by specialist vessel to Lyness.
Will the development decrease the value of properties in the community?
We’ve provided a link below to a 2016 report which investigated any link between house prices and wind farms. It found no evidence of a consistent negative effect on house prices. This perhaps makes sense given that support for onshore wind within the population sits at 77% - we’ve provided a link for this report too.
There are of course a number of other studies on this issue with varying methodologies and outcomes, however the general consensus is that there is no clear evidence of an identifiable impact on house prices.
What plans are there to manage haulage, cranes etc to the potential site our roads are not wide enough, the boats not big enough for the scale of cranes you would need to erect these size of wind turbines.
A detailed traffic and transport assessment will be undertaken as part of the site design, this will include a method statement for transporting equipment to and from site, to ensure minimal impacts on the surrounding environment and users. We are acutely aware of the importance of the ferry for the local community and a key consideration in the assessment will be in minimising the impact on the ferry. For example, we have been discussing how to access as much material as we can from Hoy, using specialist vessels to deliver bulk materials and turbine components, and use of separate shuttle busses in Houton and Lyness for construction workers to avoid booking vehicles on the boat.
The main roads that will be used during the transport of turbine components are capable of accommodating regular HGV traffic as a result of their road width and geometry. As the access track to Wee Fea is currently not suited to HGV traffic given its width, poor road surface condition this road will be upgraded.
Re. Affects on House Prices.
It seems of the many findings, from various investigations, that with so many variables to consider a definite conclusion is difficult to come by. What I think we can be sure of is that there are very few people who would wish to purchase a property because it over looks a wind farm as against those who would wish to purchase because it didn't.
Re. Grid Connection.
To get to Finstown you have two routes. (a)Sub Sea and Land via Flotta, picking up any other generators en route on the South Isles and Mainland. (b) Via the proposed Main Sub Sea link South of Stromness running through to Finstown. The latter route, though more direct,…