Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
Valued Ecological
Receptor
General wildlife of
local conservation
importance
Cornflower
Covering Legislation and Guidance
This broad category includes species listed on the local Biodiversity Action
Plans and Scottish Biodiversity list, examples of which include brown hare and
roe deer.
Cornflower, examples of which were found within the application area, has a
specific action plan within the UK and Clackmannanshire BAPs. Cornflower is
a locally rare and nationally scarce species.
Conservation
Value 32
Local
Regional
Predicted Effects
Construction
11.4.4 The construction programme is detailed in Chapter 4: Project Description. From the
information provided in that Chapter, the key activities which are likely to result in ecological
effects include the following;
• permanent and temporary loss of habitat through the installation of turbines, the
on-site control building, access tracks and the construction compound;
• visual, auditory (noise) and vibration disturbance or accidental mortality of
wildlife within and immediately adjacent to the application area generated by
activities involved in the installation of turbines, buildings and associated
infrastructure; and,
• potential contamination of the River Forth, Black Devon and local waterbodies
through accidental spillage of chemicals or fuels.
Designated Sites
11.4.5 Consideration has been given to the potential effects of the proposed wind energy
development on all designated sites identified in the Baseline Conditions (Section 11.3).
Statutory Sites
11.4.6 Of the statutory designated sites, only the Firth of Forth SPA, Ramsar site and SSSI has the
potential to be affected by the proposed wind energy development, being located within 1km of
the application area. The potential impacts specifically related to the bird interests for which
these sites are designated is addressed in the Ornithology Chapter (Chapter 12). Therefore,
since the Firth of Forth SPA and Ramsar site are designated entirely for their bird interests
these sites will not be considered further in this assessment. Therefore, only the potential
impacts on the habitats notified on the Firth of Forth SSSI will be assessed here.
11.4.7 The construction of the proposed wind energy development will not result in the direct loss of
any habitat from the Firth of Forth SSSI. However, given the relatively short distance of
separation between the application area and the Firth of Forth SSSI (720m), the habitats,
particularly the sensitive intertidal mudflats, could be indirectly affected by pollution in the event
of a fuel or chemical spillage on site.
November 2010 Chapter 11 Page 27
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