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

5.9 The uplands which form the core of the study area provide an important
backdrop and focus in views from the broad settled slopes either side of the
Barr and Kilbirnie Lochs and the Garnock valley. Settlements such as Beith,
have open views to the uplands and they also feature in views from parts of
Dalry, Kilbirnie and Lochwinnoch, away from the visual shadow of steep hill
slopes. The full extent of the upland plateau of the CMRP can be appreciated
in views from the A737. Existing windfarm development at Ardrossan and
Wardlaw Wood is located to the south and is clearly seen on the skyline of
the uplands. The small knolly hills of Glenton and Gill Hills, forming part of the
Crosbie Hills are important in separating the existing Ardrossan and Wardlaw
Wood wind farms in these views. Transmission lines are visible on the skyline
at the northern and southern ends of the uplands. The central section of the
uplands to the north of the A760 is presently uncluttered by development and
appears higher with the more distinctive hills of Misty Law and the cluster of
peaks centred around Irish Law clearly discernable.
5.10 The consented Kelburn wind farm would appear as one contiguous
development with the existing Wardlaw Wood wind farm with turbines
occupying the full extent of the gently domed Braidland Hill. In a context
where the Kelburn and any possible small extension to the Wardlaw Wood
wind farm were constructed, the proposed Wings Law windfarm proposal
would substantially fill the remainder of the open skyline seen in these views.
The Wings Law windfarm would additionally extend development into the less
modified and higher central core of the uplands with its distinct hill summits
and would adversely affect the integrity of the backdrop and contrast this
upland core provides to the settled lowland landscapes. The cumulative
impacts of the Kelburn proposal and a possible small extension to the
Wardlaw Wood wind farm are reduced because of their association with the
existing Wardlaw Wood turbines and also because they continue the pattern
of wind farm development associated with the less pronounced and more
modified uplands seen to the south.
Views from the islands and Firth of Clyde to the west
5.11 Visualisations from The Lion Rock on Great Cumbrae and from Kilchattan
Bay on Bute have been reproduced from the Kelburn Supplementary
Environmental Information report in Figures 7 and 8 to illustrate cumulative
impacts from the west. Visualisations set out in the Inverkip (Leapmoor) wind
farm ES from Ascog, Bute (Viewpoint 18) were also reviewed.
5.12 The long gently undulating profile of the uplands of mainland North Ayrshire
are a consistent feature in views between Rothesay and Kerrycroy and also
from Kilchattan Bay on the east coast of Bute. The central section of these
uplands, lying between the A760 and Upper Skelmorlie, appear generally
higher with more distinct, although still subtly domed summits, and with steep
36