Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
provide clarity on the issues that will be taken into account when specific proposals
are assessed.”
2.4.5 The planning policy statement SPP (Renewable Energy Section) supports the approach that
wind turbines should be developed wherever commercially and environmentally acceptable,
i.e. the requirement is only to demonstrate that this is a suitable site rather than that it is the
highest ranked in any form of sequential testing.
2.4.6 The clear policy context is therefore that there is neither a requirement to justify the viability of
a wind energy proposal nor the need for it to be located in a particular location. Nevertheless,
the Scheme Development chapter of this ES does describe the site identification process and
design criteria. In EIA terms, the requirement is only to report on alternatives that have been
considered. The examination of alternatives in this ES is therefore restricted as appropriate to
alternative design solutions that were considered for the site in question in terms of factors
such as site layout/design/turbine height and turbine numbers, and the environmental effects of
the options considered.
2.5 Guidance
2.5.1 The preparation and production of this ES has been conducted in accordance with the EIA
Regulations, and in accordance with Good Practice Guidance including:
• Scottish Planning Series Planning Circular 8-2007: The Environmental Impact
Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999, Scottish Executive, 2007;
• Scottish Planning Policy (February 2010) - replacing (SPP) 6 Renewable Energy
(2007);
• Planning Advice Note (PAN) 58 – Environmental Impact Assessment, September
1999;
• PAN 45 – Renewable Energy Technologies (revised 2002, 2006 and 2008);
• A Handbook on Environmental Impact Assessment, (Scottish Natural Heritage
(SNH) 2005);
• Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment (Institute of Environmental
Management and Assessment 2004, updated 2005 and 2006);
• PAN 81 - Community Engagement Planning with People (2007); and
• PAN 68 – Design Statements (2003).
2.5.2 Other relevant guidance has been used to inform the various technical chapters and is
referenced within those chapters.
November 2010 Chapter 2 Page 9
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