'Far too many turbines for Teviotdale' - landscape expert

by EWAN LAMB

Proposals for a 62-turbine wind farm in rural Teviotdale, close to Hawick, should be radically scaled back by removing more than half of the huge structures if the scheme is to be approved, according to a landscape expert's assessment.

The appraisal warns of the visual impact the Teviot Wind Farm would have on Hawick Common Riding routes and the 'unacceptable' affect the massive project would have on numerous local viewpoints.

Muirhall Energy is promoting the highly controversial wind farm which, it is claimed, would bring millions of pounds in community benefits as well as turbines of up to 240 metres in height. 

The developers say the facility would produce sufficient 'green' energy to power 440,000 homes with community investment of £2.8 million each year or around £114 million for Teviotdale over the wind farm's lifetime.

But Siobhan McDermott, landscape architect at Scottish Borders Council, in her detailed critique of the plans, says while there are no landscape designations associated with the site or wider area within Scottish Borders, the juxtaposition of hills with steep sided valleys and scattered settlement makes the area have a strong sense of remoteness and tranquillity alongside a wild character and grandeur of scale tempered to a degree by commercial forestry. 

Despite the lack of core paths and promoted paths the area is popular with walkers, with panoramic views from the summits. The lesser scale of some of these hills, coupled with their distinctive topography contributes to their popularity as walking destinations.

The key issue for Ms McDermott was whether the proposed windfarm could be accommodated without unacceptable significant adverse landscape and visual effects.

"It is my professional opinion that the identified sensitivities [in the Southern Uplands] restrict both the potential for successfully accommodating larger groups of turbines of the proposed size. I don’t think the development takes cognisance of the findings of the capacity study with the proposal for 62 turbines with turbine heights of 180 metres to 240 metres".

She warns there is limited visual containment of the proposal, with much of the areas within 30 kilometres of the wind farm, especially to the south east, and areas north-east to north-west.

"It is of concern the number of viewpoints from which the whole windfarm array is visible and how much of the skyline is occupied by the turbines. Fourteen of the viewpoints have in excess of 50% of the turbines visible, the greater proportion of these with more than 50 turbines visible."

Ms McDermott's report adds: "Although there are no designated landscapes within the site, I suggest that the landscape of this area has a high local value arising from its perception of remoteness and relatively wild character, and an increased sensitivity due to the important routes in close proximity.

"The number and spread of turbines is threatening to turn this area into a wind farm landscape, with a consequence change of the landscape character from Uplands with Wind Turbines/No wind turbines to a Wind Turbine landscape. This increase in windfarms to the extent that it would become a windfarm landscape is, in my professional opinion a significant cumulative landscape effect.   The visualisations from many of the viewpoints (VPs) demonstrates how prominent and character changing a wind farm of this scale would be."

In her assessment of visual effects on specific locations, the council officer says while acknowledging
only blade tips of turbines 28,30,35,36 and 42, would be visible above the backdrop hills to Hermitage Castle, "the regular appearance of these blade tips in this view to the Castle, considered an important cultural and historical visitor destination in this part of the Borders, would be unfortunate. Any amended scheme to remove their visibility would be welcomed."

And in a reference to St. Leonard's Park (south of Hawick) Ms McDermott notes: "A viewpoint with panoramic views to hills in the SSW, where the windfarm is seen on the skyline above the racecourse, with stacking in several places towards the south east end of the array and at least some of the north westernmost turbines appearing to be stepping down off the upland hills.

"If stacking could be avoided and the spread of the array reduced by removing 11 turbines (T52-T62) in the north-western part of the site, the significant visual effects would be mitigated to an extent. The effects are mitigated to some extent already by virtue of the structures and racecourse in the foreground."

And she continues: "In summary, the visualisations demonstrate to me just how visible the windfarm will be in the area, both local and widespread and just how the spread of the turbines along the hill skyline contributes to those significant impacts, detracting from both the more intimate nature of the valley landscapes from which it is visible and from panoramic views from elevated and valued places around the site. 

"Despite the rural nature and perception of remoteness, the site is close to Hawick, one of the largest towns in Scottish Borders, and a town culturally rooted to its surrounding countryside, as demonstrated by its Common Riding routes which are an ever-popular part of the town’s premier summer festival."

Even the Eildon Hills National Scenic Area - in excess of 28 kilometres from the development - would be impacted. "It demonstrates very clearly the cumulative effect of a large windfarm introduced into this part of Scottish Borders, a portion of a dramatic panoramic view that is currently free of wind turbines, but with this proposed wind farm we would see the proposed turbines as a prominent feature on the skyline, despite the distance."

. From a landscape and visual perspective, Ms McDermott says her concerns centre around the visual impacts on the smaller scale and more enclosed valley landscapes and on the effects which arise for  viewpoints that are well visited including iconic viewpoints in this southern part of the Borders, such as Drinkstone Hill, Rubers Law and Larriston Fell. 

"To that end I’ve suggested that the turbines in northwest (T47 – T62) and northeast (T1 – T17) parts of the site be removed with the result we should get a much more compact windfarm, and should eliminate many of the instances of turbine stacking while still achieving a viable windfarm scheme."

She was also concerned at the number of individual properties and groups of properties that will experience a high magnitude of change to their views- 19 in total, with another 14 properties or groups experiencing a medium magnitude of change to views. 

"It denotes the level of significant effects, not just to the public enjoying the area, but to the locals who spend much of their time in and around their dwelling place. If a reduced scheme were to be developed, it is expected that many of the properties currently with potential to experience a high or medium change to their view, would end up with no potential visibility of the scheme."

The report also points out that with the increase in turbines greater than 150 metres in height, there will be more windfarms with aviation lighting and with an additional potential visual effect for receptors in the surrounding areas during hours of darkness.

"It is a consequence of increased pressure to achieve and utilise more sustainable sources of energy", comments Ms McDermott. "The number and layout of proposed turbines in this scheme requires lighting of 34 turbines – over half the total number and there will be significant effects although these effects will be mitigated by fewer receptors being out and about in areas where the turbine lighting might be visible, such as elevated hills." 

To mitigate the significant visual impacts of the current scheme layout, she says she is looking for a reduction of a significant number of turbines in order to make this a more compact and less visually intrusive scheme. Ms McDermott recommends that the council should object to the scheme in its current form.

Scottish Borders Council planning committee is expected to consider Muirhall Energy's application at their July meeting.