Landscape and visual assessment of Quixwood Wind Farm

Challenge

Banks Renewables commissioned SLR’s Place team in 2011 to undertake the landscape and visual aspects of the EIA for their Quixwood Wind Farm near Grantshouse in the Scottish Borders.

Solution

SLR took part in scoping discussions with Scottish Borders Council (SBC) and SNH, input materials for public exhibitions and presented information to the Community Council.

The layout of the wind farm was also a key part of SLR's work, which was informed by other technical and environmental factors.

Mitigation of the cumulative effects of the scheme and the views from locally sensitive receptors such as settlements, the Southern Upland Way, the Area of Great Landscape Value and Edin's Hall Fort and Broch were key considerations.

The assessment included a large number of viewpoints and photomontages, many of which were also used to inform the cumulative assessment.

SBC had a specific requirement for a residential amenity survey out to a distance of 5km radius from the turbines, which SLR also undertook.

Impact

The scheme submitted in late 2011 consisted of 14 turbines of up to 126.5m high.

Following extensive liaison with SBC and submission of Supplementary Environmental Information a wind farm of 13 turbines with a maximum height of 115m was consented in April 2013.This was the first commercial scale wind farm to be consented bySBC for many years.

It is now operated by NTR and has an electricity generation capacity of up to c24MW.