Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

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3.1.7. Section 5.9 of EN-1 provides guidance on how landscape and visual effects
should be assessed. It refers to relevant guides, policies and procedures that
should be followed in an assessment and in the IPC’s decision making.
3.1.8. EN-1 gives guidance on mitigation of landscape and visual effects including
reducing the scale of a project:
‘Reducing the scale of a project can help to mitigate the visual and landscape effects
of a proposed project. However, reducing the scale or otherwise amending the
design of a proposed energy infrastructure project may result in a significant
operational constraint and reduction in function – for example, the electricity
generation output. There may, however, be exceptional circumstances, where
mitigation could have a very significant benefit and warrant a small reduction in
function. In these circumstances, the IPC may decide that the benefits of the
mitigation to reduce the landscape and/or visual effects outweigh the marginal loss
of function.’ (paragraph 5.9.21)
3.1.9. National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3) covers
the following types of nationally significant renewable energy infrastructure:
� Energy from biomass and/or waste (>50 megawatts (MW))
� Offshore wind (>100MW)
� Onshore wind (>50MW)
3.1.10. GWF falls into the category of an offshore wind farm >100MW. Section 2.5 of
EN-3 gives further guidance on how seascape and visual effects should be
assessed for an offshore wind farm >100MW in addition to the generic
landscape and visual impacts covered in Section 5.9 of EN-1.
3.1.11. As part of establishing the existing baseline environment the assessment
reviewed a range of relevant landscape and seascape policy designations at a
national, regional and local level.
3.1.12. The 45km study area includes the following local planning authorities:
Suffolk Coastal District Council; Waveney District Council, Barbergh District
Council and Tendring District Council. Given that all local planning
authorities beyond Suffolk Coastal District Council are located at a
considerable distance (30km or greater) from the proposed GWF, there will
be no effects upon designations within these local planning authorities. Any
landscape and seascape policies relating to these local planning authorities
have not, therefore, been included within the assessment.