Mynydd y Gwair Wind Farm - RWE.com

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Mynydd y Gwair Wind Farm
been achieved, with habitats and vegetation classified, mapped and evaluated and a wealth
of survey information amassed for birds (Chapter 10 Avian Ecology), badgers, bats, water
voles, otters and invertebrates in particular.
9.7.23 The proposed wind farm site sits within an extensive swathe of upland habitats much in
keeping with the surrounding area. Remnant and in some instances potentially recovering
examples of heath and mire communities are present, but in general these occur only as
degraded fragments or diffuse examples amongst acid grassland of restricted value and
diversity, itself reflective of high grazing intensity and an absence of blanket peat. This
featureless aspect and fairly monotypic habitat structure harbours not only an impoverished
breeding bird community dominated by a very few common species (see Chapter 10 Avian
Ecology), but also does not appear to be of particular value to the local populations of any
other species of fauna or flora.
9.7.24 The site has no statutory nature conservation designation, although it is contained within an
extensive „candidate‟ non-statutory Site of Importance for Nature Conservation identified by
the City and County of Swansea. The wind farm affects only a very small part of this
„proposed‟ designation, and does not impinge on any high quality examples of the key habitat
features of interest mentioned in the draft citation.
9.7.25 By far the greatest scope for the wind farm to give rise to impacts on non-avian ecological
resources is during construction. There will be temporary and (smaller-scale) permanent
losses of habitats during the construction of the 16 turbines, and the interlinking access tracks
and cable routes. Localised habitat losses will also occur along the road network used to
access the site, and the construction of a sub-station and grid connection will necessitate
minor additional land take. Compensation land has been identified that will be „exchanged‟ as
new open access common land, but in any event the losses of habitat occasioned by these
activities are restricted and affect resources of limited value that are well represented in the
locality. With the adoption of strict codes of working in respect of peat resources and site
drainage, direct habitat losses or indirect habitat damage during construction will be of minor
magnitude, and such effects are not predicted to be significant at any geographical scale
above the immediate confines of the development boundary.
9.7.26 Mitigation measures, including appropriately timed removal of vegetation in advance of
construction, are proposed to counter the potential for construction phase effects on reptiles
and nesting birds that could generate issues of legal compliance, even if not significant in
terms of these species‟ local or wider conservation status. Indirect disturbance of upland
fauna may also occur during construction, potentially resulting in temporary displacement of
certain species from affected areas, however the extent of habitat in the upland area is ample
to accommodate any temporary displacement without giving rise to significant effects and in
any event no highly sensitive species occur on the wind farm site.
9.7.27 The main scope for post-construction or operational effects relates to the possibility of longerterm
displacement and/or collision risk effects on aerial fauna, principally birds and bats. Birds
are addressed in Chapter 10 (Avian Ecology). In respect of bats, a number of common bat
species occur in the surrounding area, where habitats are better suited to them, but use of the
site by these populations is at a much reduced scale and in particular activity in the exposed
areas of airspace where turbine rotors will operate is evidently minimal, in keeping with the
exposed and featureless nature of the terrain. No significant risk to the conservation status of
either local or wider bat populations has therefore been identified.