Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Scale
Diversity
Visual detractors
Designations
Key Landscape
Issues
LCA Sensitivity
petrochemical plant at Grangemouth.
Grangemouth petrochemical developments and the Ochil Hills form important backdrop to
many views.
MEDIUM
Views locally dominated by power stations and stacks, flues, flares, buildings and clutter
of large scale industrial installations.
Remnant derelict land, motorway and road corridors, power lines, industrial sites.
Antonine Wall and Rough Castle Roman remains. The ramparts of Rough Castle, are visually
diminished by the surrounding more recent development.
Fragmentation and lack of unity due to isolation of individual landscape features;
Further urban expansion, especially housing and industrial/commercial development in
countryside around towns and on remaining open space areas;
Loss of landscape context, traditional settlement patterns and identity of settlements;
Further new or improved roads/railways in transport corridors;
Increasing traffic, noise and movement;
Further masts and overhead lines;
Canal related development.
Low - Landscape has a high capacity to absorb landscape and visual change.
Sense of fragmentation and lack of unity.
Landscape Character Type: LOWLAND VALLEY FRINGES
Landscape Character Area: Devon/Forth
Extent within the
study area
LCT extends to a 2-10km radius in an east direction within the study area.
The valley of the Devon Water to the north is separated by this broad area of elevated,
strongly rolling ground from the Forth estuary and adjacent plains to the south.
Representative VP1 – the A977
viewpoints
Wind energy
None identified
developments
Key Characteristics/ Strongly rolling ground. Series of low, rounded hills and valleys associated with the burns.
Landform
Water
The Black Devon River, which meanders through a small, narrow valley.
Land Cover/Use The farmland of the area is varied, the undulating fields including rough grassland, lusher
pasture and crops.
Settlements/Roads Farmsteads and outbuildings are dotted throughout the area along several minor roads and
tracks, and along the B9140 and the A977 trunk road which run across the farmland to north
and south. Several small villages, lying on the north of the ridgeline edging the Devon Valley,
contain simple rows of 18 th and 19 th century miners' cottages such as at Devon Village,
Fishcross and Coalsnaughton.
Other Features Several large coniferous blocks, integrated within the undulating landform, merge with fringes
of mixed woodland, farm woodlands and tree clumps, and several areas of policy landscape.
Field boundaries include clipped, well-maintained hedgerows, scattered hedgerow trees,
post-and-wire fences and neat stone walls.
Experience
The notable variation between the estate landscapes, rough pasture and conifers, arable
farmland, and the broad expanse and fen vegetation of Gartmom Dam is emphasised by the
appearance of small mining villages and working mines towards the western and southern
periphery.
Internal/External
visibility
Scale
Diversity
Visual detractors
Designations
Key Landscape
Issues
LCA Sensitivity to
the wind energy
development
Frequent visual juxtapositions of high quality natural landscape settings within built features
of cultural heritage value, as at Clackmannan Tower, just outwith the LCU. Panoramic views
can be obtained of the sprawling floodplain of the Forth and dominant thrust of the Ochils to
the north.
MEDIUM: Distinctive narrow enclosed valley at Black Devon.
Rich diversity of features.
Visual features of extractive mining industries spoil heaps, brickwork chimneys.
Black Devon Valley AGLV.
Gartmom Dam Country Park forms a focus of informal recreational activity, and is also of
heritage and nature conservation value.
Cumulative impact of existing pressures may shortly threaten the integrity of existing
landscape character:
Pressure for further opencast mining development;
Pressure for infrastructure expansion;
Pressure for release of sites for waste disposal use;
Further loss of native woodland;
Degraded urban fringe character at gateway to Gartmom Dam Country Park.
Medium to Low
The extent of settlements and roads, as well as existing and former industrial sites, all
establish development as a key component of the baseline situation.
At a local level it does present a valuable rural character that counters the pervasive
character of the more developed parts, rich diversity of features contributes to a high
landscape value.
November 2010 Chapter 9 Page 28
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