Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

2842_SLVIA
� A desk study of nationally and locally designated landscapes within the
agreed study area.
� A desk study of existing landscape and seascape character assessments
for the site and surrounding areas, both at national, regional and local
level.
� Draft Zone of Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) studies to assist in
identifying potential viewpoints and to indicate the potential visibility
of the proposed offshore wind farm, and therefore the scope of receptors
likely to be affected. The methodology used by LDA Design in the
preparation of ZTV studies is described separately within an Appendix 3.
� The identification of and agreement upon, through consultation, the
scope of assessment for cumulative effects.
� The identification of and agreement upon, through consultation, the
number and location of representative viewpoints within the study area.
� Identification of the range of other visual receptors within the study area.
� Site visits to become familiar with the site and surrounding seascape /
landscape and to identify viewpoints and receptors.
During this stage, the scheme design may not yet have been finalised and
there may be a degree of iteration between this stage (particularly in respect
of preparing ZTV studies and consequent changes to likely effects on
receptors) whilst the design is finalised.
5) Design
The degree of 'design fix' for offshore schemes coming forward for assessment
can vary. Often there is the need to consider a number of alternative schemes
and, through consultation, to reach agreement as to which of the scheme
options constitutes the worst case scenario scheme in accordance with the
'Rochdale Envelope' principals. For some sites, the WTG layout may already
be fixed, in which case input to the design may be limited to advising on
mitigation or an indication that adjustments to particular WTG
arrangements would be desirable. In other cases, it may be that no decisions
have yet been made, and therefore a range of options by way of WTG
numbers, sizes and layouts could be considered, and reviewed with the client
and EIA team in order to arrive at an optimum proposal that best addresses
the balance between potentially conflicting issues, which will include both
beneficial and adverse effects. However, it will be appreciated that proposals
located within the more challenging offshore environments cannot always
afford a significant degree of fine tuning to WTG layout.