Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

2842_LVIA
116
September 2011
GALLOPER WIND FARM SUBSTATION
11.2. Effects on Landscape Designations at Year 15
Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB
11.2.1. At Year 15 the only visible features of the onshore cable connection
will be the transmission pits which will comprise up to four
underground pits each with 2 x 5m wide hard surfacing flush with
ground level, enclosed by a post and rail fence. Effects of the onshore
cable connection on the landscape of the AONB at Year 15 will be
Negligible.
11.2.2. The main substation compound will have become enclosed by
woodland by Year 15. Sizewell Wents (comprising existing and new
trees) will appear as a larger woodland in the landscape, with a varied,
naturalistic edge appropriate to local landscape character and the
Sizewell Vision being developed by EDF. Woodland is a characteristic
feature in this part of the AONB. The substation and gantries will be
new elements in the landscape, albeit set within the context of
existing infrastructure at GGOWF and the adjacent pylons and
overhead wires, and Sizewell Power Station to the north-east.
Planting and landform associated with GWF and GGOWF will help to
integrate them into the landscape. At Year 15, the woodland will
cloak the proposed landform except for the outside edge which will
slope gradually to integrate with the existing ground profile, and have
the same landuse as the existing fields (grazing in Broom Covert,
arable to the east and south), further integrating the proposals into
the landscape.
11.2.3. Within the areas described in paragraph 11.1.5 (but not including the
substati0n itself) (including Sizewell Wents wood, part of Broom
Covert, the two arable fields to the south of Broom Covert and
Sizewell Wents (up to Sizewell Gap road), and the land within which
the gantries will be located (up to Sandy Lane)) the magnitude of
effect at Year 15 will be Medium. The sensitivity of the AONB is High.
The significance of effect at Year 15 within this localised area will be