Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

2890_mitigation
3
August 2011
Galloper Wind Farm Substation
2.0 Baseline
The existing site and the surrounding landscape provide the context into which the
substation will be placed. There is existing documented information describing and
assessing this landscape and identifying certain characteristics, principles and
guidelines which provide a framework for a design and mitigation strategy. These are:
� The Suffolk Landscape Character Assessment 2008, updated 2011
� Suffolk Coasts and Heaths Management Plan 2008 – 2013
� The Suffolk Coast & Heaths - Landscape Guidelines
� Sizewell Estate Integrated Land Management Plan, December 2006
� Sizewell Estate Landscape Management Plan, May 1996
The site of the proposed substation and cable connection corridors lie within the
southern part of Sizewell Estate which is currently owned by EDF Energy.
Drawing number 2890/02F (Figure 02: Landscape Character) shows the location of the
substation in relation to landscape character types presented in the Suffolk Landscape
Character Assessment.
In addition to the above studies EDF Energy has appointed consultants to prepare a
strategic landscape vision and masterplan for the Sizewell estate adjoining and
encompassing the proposed Sizewell C Power station facility. This is at its early stages
and no material is available at present.
2.1.1. The Site and its Context
The site of the substation works covers part of Sizewell Wents woodland west of the
existing Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm (GGOWF) substation, parts of three
fields and part of land recently landscaped as part of the planning approval for
GGOWF.
The north-western field (Broom Covert) is a gently undulating, scrubby pasture field
containing a closely grazed semi-natural grassland and some scattered small trees and
patches of gorse.
The south-western and southern fields are rectangular arable fields with sandy free
draining soils. Post and wire fences separate the fields and woodland, with a
discontinuous line of scrub running along the fence between the two fields.
Chapter 24 (Terrestrial Ecology) of the Galloper Wind Farm Project Preliminary
Environmental Report, 3 June 2011 (PER) states that ‘Sizewell Wents is a mixed
woodland comprising mature Scots pine Pinus sylvestris, sycamore Acer
pseudoplatanus, beech Fagus sylvatica, and pedunculate oak Quercus robur with