ERG and Burcote Wind had originally scoped a project up to 12 turbines however following constructive feedback are now happy to bring forward a proposed development of 10 wind turbines.
The proposed wind farm will have 10 turbines with each having a tip height of up to 149.9metres. Since the projects inception in 2013, we have observed continually high wind speeds within the area and have been working on a design which reduces the impact on sensitive environments and species. As such, have decreased the number of turbines to be included in the development from 33 to 10 to reduce the visual impact of the site on surrounding areas.
A Scoping Report was submitted in August 2019 and feedback received thereafter. A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) was submitted in November 2019. A formal planning application is expected to be submitted to North Ayrshire Council in the first quarter of 2020.
When designing the layout, we considered many aspects of the local environment to reduce the impact of the proposed development, such as:
» Bat Habitat & Roosting Sites
» Cultural Heritage
» Peat Depth
Access to the proposed development will be from Routenburn Road, to the west of the site and then onto farmland. The access route is comprised of a new track which will run north of the existing Dougliehill Road.
What will Rigghill Wind Farm look like?
Changing views are a key effect of an operating wind farm and a clear and objective assessment can be made using established guidance and procedures.
To consider the visual effect of the wind farm, a landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA) is being undertaken. This examines effects on both the landscape resource and the visual amenity of the people experiencing the views of the landscape. The cumulative effects of other consented and operational wind developments in the area will be considered alongside the proposed wind farm.
The below ZTV illustrates the theoretical visibility of the proposed Rigghill Wind Farm, based on bare ground landform.