Landscape Capacity Study for Wind Farm ... - North Ayrshire Council

3.5 Visual sensitivity was calculated using a combination of digital modelling of
wind farm development from sample locations to appraise the extent of
visibility and population numbers. Visual effects beyond 5km were not
considered in the study. The study also considers cumulative landscape and
visual effects that might arise from multiple developments using a series of
sample development scenarios located where individual landscape and visual
sensitivity scores are low. The study does not make recommendations as to
what might be considered an acceptable level of wind farm development
within this broad study area.
Review of Landscape Character
Existing landscape character assessments
3.6 A review was undertaken of the Ayrshire Landscape Character Assessment
and the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Landscape Character Assessment (LUC
1998) published by SNH. Descriptions of landscape character areas outlined
in these studies were compared with the key characteristics identified as
being potentially sensitive to wind farm development and verified during field
survey.
3.7 A detailed landscape character assessment undertaken for the Clyde
Muirshiel Regional Park by Cobham Resource Consultants in 1994 was also
reviewed and informed our sub-division of character units within the core
upland area.
Revisions to Landscape Character Areas
3.8 In the context of this landscape capacity study a number of changes have
been made in the classification of landscape character defined in the Ayrshire
Landscape Character Assessment as follows:
� The reclassification of the hill fringes lying between Lochwinnoch and
Kilbirnie within the ‘Broad Valley Lowland’ character area because of their
distinct rolling landform, diverse landcover pattern of small woodlands
and hedgerows and intimate scale. This new character area has been
named the ‘Rolling Hill Fringes’.
� Sub-division of the ‘Rugged Moorland’ character type into five distinct
areas; the ‘Loch Thom area’, ‘Ducal Moor’, the ‘Upland Core’, ‘Blaeloch
and the Crosbie Hills’ and ‘Haupland Muir’, by virtue of distinct differences
in the character of landform, landcover and degree of development
between these areas. Further description of these distinguishing
characteristics is set out in the sensitivity assessment which follows.
3.9 Figure 3 shows the broad landscape character types set out in the published
landscape character assessments while Figure 4 shows the reclassified more
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