environmental statement - Rotherham's Online Application for ...

6.240 Where there are unobstructed glimpses of the turbines, the view would be
across a landscape which includes the urban centre of Sheffield and which
is punctuated by significant evidence of human activity such as industrial
development, motorways and overhead power lines. At this distance, the
turbines would be barely perceptible resulting in no change to landscape
character. Therefore there would be no effect on landscape character
within this character area.
JCA 38 - Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfield
6.241 The Penny Hill site lies within this JCA which also extends over 20km to
the north and south of the site and 15km to the west. The effects on
landscape character in the immediate vicinity of the site are discussed
above.
6.242 The ZTV suggests that the turbines would be visible from approximately
half of the character area although, in reality, much of the area covered by
the ZTV is within the built up area such as Sheffield and Rotherham from
where the turbines would be screened by intervening buildings.
6.243 Beyond approximately 2km from the nearest turbine, and where visible,
the turbines would be experienced as distant structures and would be
incidental to other much closer and more prominent built structures in the
landscape. The published description of this JCA states that there are
„ever-present urban influences from major cities, smaller industrial towns
and mining villages‟; there is „widespread evidence of industrial activity
including mine buildings, former spoil tips and iron and steel plants‟ and
that the ‟widespread influence of transport routes, including canal, road
(M1, M62) and rail, with ribbon developments emphasises the urban
influence in the landscape‟. As such, when experienced from distant
elevated positions within the character area, the turbines would be just one
of many built structures visible and therefore result in no greater than a low
magnitude of change to landscape character.
6.244 Therefore, although it has been determined that there would be a
moderate effect on the immediate landscape character surrounding the
site, when considered as a whole, there would be no greater than a slight
effect on landscape character on the Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and
Yorkshire Coalfield character area.
JCA 39 - Humberhead Levels
6.245 This character area is at least 12km from the site. The ZTV suggests that
the turbines would be visible from most of the character area although, in
reality, vegetation and built structures would obscure them from most of
the area highlighted on the ZTV. Where there are unobstructed glimpses
of the turbines, the view would be across a landscape which includes the
urban centres of Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield in the same angle of
view as the site and is punctuated by significant evidence of human
activity such as towns, motorways and overhead power lines. At this
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Penny Hill Wind Farm
Environmental Statement