Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
12.4.23 The size and location of the turbine array in relation to local topography can also influence
collision rate greatly. However, the proposed wind energy development site at Forthbank
contains no topographical factors that are likely to increase the risk of bird collision.
12.4.24 It should be noted that operational disturbance and collision risk effects are mutually exclusive
in a spatial sense (i.e. a bird that avoids the wind energy development area cannot be at risk of
collision with the turbine rotors at the same time). However, they are not mutually exclusive in
a temporal sense; a bird may initially avoid the wind energy development, but habituate to it,
and would then be at risk of collision. The estimated collision risk figures presented in the
discussion of potential impacts below were calculated under the assumption that flight activity
during the operational phase will be similar to pre-development levels.
12.4.25 Full details of the methodology used in the collision risk calculations are given in Appendix
12.1.
De-commissioning Effects
12.4.26 Potential disturbance effects associated with de-commissioning are assumed to be the same
as those identified for construction. This assumes that there is no permanent displacement of
birds from the proposed wind energy development due to disturbance effects.
12.4.27 Given the similarities between the impacts of construction and de-commissioning the effects at
de-commissioning are not considered separately for each species.
Factoring In Future Land Use Change over the Lifetime of the Proposed Wind Energy
Development
12.4.28 The proposed wind energy development site is located to the south east of Alloa and is
situated on the north shore of the Inner Forth Estuary (upstream of the Kincardine and
Clackmannanshire Bridges) (see Figure 1.1).
12.4.29 Given its lowland location within the wide, open floodplain of the lower reaches of the River
Forth the predominant land use in the wider area surrounding the application site is arable
farming. This area has historically been dominated by farming and therefore the use of this
land is not expected to change over the lifetime of the proposed wind energy development.
12.4.30 The application site itself is situated on a former landfill site as discussed in Chapter 4: Project
Description. Since being closed the land has had no use and has become colonised by neutral
grassland which is of low ecological value. Other than the installation of the proposed wind
energy development, assuming it is consented, there is expected to be no change in the use of
this site.
12.4.31 Given the above it is expected that there will be not other changes in the land use over the
lifetime of the proposed wind energy development that would influence this ornithological
impact assessment.
November 2010 Chapter 12 Page 41
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