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

6.697 An iterative design approach was adopted for the arrangement of
structures on the site. Following baseline site work and the identification of
the most important landscape features, the turbines were arranged to
cause least disturbance to these features. Notably, the turbine locations
have as far as possible avoided any disruption to hedgerows, clusters of
trees and the alignment of watercourses.
6.698 Taking all other engineering and environmental constraints into account,
the proposed layout of the turbines on site was specifically designed to
achieve a well spaced arrangement when viewed from the nearest
villages. The resulting arrangement avoids unnecessary clustering of
turbines or any overlapping of turbine blades when viewed from the most
sensitive visual receptor locations.
6.699 The turbines themselves would be painted a non-reflective semi matt pale
grey colour (or similar as agreed with the local planning authority) thus
helping them to merge into the skyline. Unlike some other forms of
development, it is neither possible nor considered appropriate to screen
turbines.
6.700 During construction, topsoil from the construction compound would be
lifted and a mound created around the southern, eastern and western
sides to provide some screening of activities within the compound.
6.701 In the long term, when the wind farm is decommissioned, the turbines and
other associated structures would be removed. The landscape would be
restored to agricultural land. Thus the landscape and visual effects of the
proposal are largely reversible.
RESIDUAL EFFECTS
6.702 The proposed Penny Hill Wind Farm is the result of an iterative design
process whereby landscape and visual mitigation has fed into the
development of the scheme proposals. Landscape and visual mitigation
has been taken into account in the main assessment of effects section.
Therefore, in this section, there is not a separate assessment of residual
effects.
SUMMARY OF EFFECTS
Summary of Landscape Effects
6.703 The Penny Hill development is proposed within a landscape of gently
rolling farmland approximately 700m east of Ulley village in Rotherham,
South Yorkshire. The turbines, meteorological mast, substation and control
building are all proposed within open agricultural fields. Therefore, even
allowing for a 50m radius around each turbine for micro-siting, the new
structures would not interfere with any of the existing hedgerows or trees
on site.
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Penny Hill Wind Farm
Environmental Statement