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

Route 5 - M1 Junction 33 to M1 Junction 31; and
Route 6 - M1 Junction 31 to M1 junction 33.
Routes 1 to 6 are illustrated on the Figures 11.1 and 11.2 below. Routes A
and B are not shown separately as they are approaches to junctions and
are represented by the other routes shown on the figures.
11.60 An on-site route by route observation of likely wind turbine visibility from
the nearby strategic and local highway network (as above) was
undertaken. Evidence suggests that in instances where wind turbines are
highly visible over a significant stretch of the network, drivers are able to
anticipate the upcoming structures and as such are less likely to be
distracted by them.
11.61 Route A: For traffic travelling eastbound on the M1, as the motorway
bends on a south-easterly direction there is a direct line of sight towards
the wind farm site. As the motorway continues around the bend, the wind
farm would remain indirectly visible until Junction 33.
11.62 Route B: For vehicles travelling northbound on the M1 approaching
Junction 31, the wind farm would be visible from a distance of 5km away.
The motorway enters a cutting 2.2km south of Junction 31 which would
reduce the number of turbines visible to two. These turbines would be
seen along the visibility splay of the carriageway, with 1km of this length of
motorway having the turbines directly visible to drivers‟ heading
northbound. All turbines would again be visible once the traffic emerges
from the cutting.
11.63 Route 1: Travelling northbound between Junction 31 of the M1 and the
M18 Junction 1, at least one or two turbines would remain directly visible
at all times. North of Junction 31 the motorway runs inside a cutting for
1km after which the land on either side of the motorway is entirely clear
which would allow for clear views of the turbines up to the diverge section
for the M18 southern slip road. The wind farm would disappear from view
as vehicles travel along the M18 slip road.
11.64 Route 2: Between the diverge of M1 Junction 32 and the merge at M18
Junction 1, the motorway is entirely straight. From the roundabout at
Junction 1, all the way along the motorway up to the diverge at least one
of the turbines would remain in direct view at all times with others being
within the drivers‟ indirect view. When traffic is travelling southbound
along the connector link from the M18 Junction 1 towards the M1 Junction
31, the wind turbines to the south west will remain in view except for
fleeting periods when they are temporarily obscured by vegetation and on
the western side of the carriageway, however at least one turbine would
remain visible at all times on this connector. On approach to the M1
merge, the southern half of the wind farm would emerge from indirect to
direct view and then to indirect view again as traffic turns the bend and
enters the merging section. The turbines would remain in indirect view for
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Penny Hill Wind Farm
Environmental Statement