Galloper Wind Farm Project - National Infrastructure Planning

2842_SLVIA
assessments and capacity studies. Sensitivity of designated landscapes is
influenced by their value as indicated by their designation. Sensitivity of
both landscape character areas and designated landscapes is also influenced
by the degree to which a wind farm within the sea, within their settings, has
potential to cause unacceptable effects. This is affected by whether sea views
from them contribute to their character or reasons for designation. The
offshore components of an offshore wind farm will not occur within or
physically effect land based character areas or designated landscapes.
Sensitivity of visual receptors is primarily a function of the expectations and
occupation or activity of the receptor and the importance of the view.
The Guide to Best Practice in Seascape Assessment (GSA) indicates that the
sensitivity of regional seascape units to change is an important factor in
assessing the significance of effects upon a particular seascape. For example,
a seascape of a grand and generous scale with a limited array of constituent
elements may be deemed to have a greater capacity to accommodate change
and hence have a lower level of sensitivity to a particular type of
development, than a more intimate seascape that might become dwarfed by
large-scale development. On the other hand, the GSA also intimates, a more
fragmented seascape may have an increased capacity to accommodate
change (and hence a lower level of sensitivity) on account of the existence of
promontories and/or high landform that assists in intermittently concealing
and revealing views of a particular offshore development. There is thus a
clear need to consider both the scale of the seascape and its complexity, and
the degree to which views towards offshore development change or broadly
remain static.
Sensitivity of Regional Seascape Unit
� High - Important components or zones of particularly distinctive
character susceptible to relatively small change.
� Medium - A seascape of moderately valued characteristics reasonably
tolerant of change.
� Low - A relatively unimportant seascape, potentially tolerant of
substantial change.
The appraisal also identifies the degree of sensitivity to change in
representative views from key receptors and more generally within the
‘visual envelope’ of the proposed development.
Magnitude of effect is assessed for all seascape, landscape and visual receptors
and identifies the degree of change. It is rated on the following scale: