Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Landscape Character Type: LOWLAND RIVER VALLEYS
Landscape Character Area: Carse of Forth
Extent within LCT extends from the centre of the study area to a 35km radius in a north west direction following
the study area the flow of the River Forth.
This Character Area constitutes part of a larger unit which extends westwards into Stirling District
and southwards across the Forth into Falkirk District.
The immensely broad, flat floodplain of the River Forth cuts a dramatic swathe from the Highland
Boundary Fault in the west towards its confluence with the sea in the east.
To the north, it merges with the related carselands of the Lower Devon, to the east lie the coastal
flats of Skinflats and Longannet.
Representative
viewpoints
Wind energy
developments
Visual Effects
Magnitude of
change
Cumulative
Effects
Nature of
impact
Significance of
Effect on LCT
as a whole
VP3 – Clackmannan Public Park, Vp4 – Alloa Tower, VP5 – Wallace Monument, VP6 – Stirling
Castle, VP7 Fallin Village, VP8 – the A905, VP9 – Dunmore Village, VP10 – Public Path close to the
Pineapple, VP11 – Airth Village and VP19 – South Alloa.
Scoping: Rosehill
Views locally dominated by vertical manmade structures: chimneys, stacks, flues, flares, buildings
and clutter of large scale industrial installations such as warehouses.
The location of four turbines within the LCU means that they will still be seen as large-scale, vertical
elements from a large proportion of the LCU. The proximity of the turbines to existing small scale
features will give rise to some uncomfortable comparisons of scale, which may in some instances
increase the perceived scale of the turbines. The towers will be readily visible and further increase
the prominence of the turbines in the landscape.
From close locations as illustrated in Viewpoints 3, 4 8 and 9 the visibility of the turbines would be
high and the introduction of large vertical elements would represent a major change in the landscape
character of the site and its immediate context. Within close proximity, the proposed turbines would
become a principal determining element of landscape character.
The small number of turbines means that they read easily as a group, and with their close spacing
and comparable height, sit comfortably together. They also occupy only a small extent of the wider
horizontal landscape, especially from the more distant parts of the LCU.
As the most prominent feature in the immediate surrounding landscape are currently pylons, the
turbines would not re-define its character and the turbines would not become the defining element of
landscape character in the vicinity.
Beyond the immediate vicinity, the turbines would give rise to a local characterising influence on
landscape character but would not be the key element that determines character. At distances up to
2, 3km from the site, the turbines would be viewed in the context of a medium to large-scale
landscape with a combination of open floodplain and the 380kV Forth Crossing pylons.
At distances of between 3km – 8km potential views of the proposed turbines would be predominantly
screened by a combination of topography and shelterbelts/hedgerows/woodland and would not be
considered significant.
While these factors will to some extent reduce the magnitude of change, especially from more distant
ranges, the proximity of the turbines to the close range context will lead to a high magnitude of
change. This will occur in an area of no greater than a 3km radius from the wind energy
development, defined to the north by the boundary of the LCU, to the south by the M876, to the east
by Clackmannan village, and to the west by Dunmore Woods. From the remaining, and more
distant, parts of the Carse of Forth the magnitude of change will be medium to low/negligible.
The cumulative effect would occur only at the top of the craigs (Stirling Craig and Abbey Craig) which
rise over the floodplain of the River Forth and on the higher banks of the river valley where the Carse
of Forth Lowland River Valley transforms into the Lowland Valley Fringes and Lowland Hills fringes.
Direct
Moderate and significant effect.
The presence of the turbines would not affect the character of this landscape substantially. This
effect is considered to be of medium magnitude. There would be a locally significant effect on the
Carse of Forth LCU at close range distance up to 2km area therefore the overall effect on this
landscape is considered to be moderate and significant.
November 2010 Chapter 9 Page 71
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