Draft National Wind Farm Development Guidelines - July 2010
Draft National Wind Farm Development Guidelines - July 2010
Draft National Wind Farm Development Guidelines - July 2010
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the implementation of agreed changes. Should gaps be identified, consideration should<br />
be given to the following questions:<br />
• How significant are the remaining negative impacts (e.g. on values of local, state, or<br />
national importance)<br />
• To what extent might they be reversible at a future date<br />
C.5 Construction<br />
At the construction stage, all findings from the Preliminary and Full Landscape Assessment<br />
processes, visual impact assessment and responses should be implemented for<br />
construction. The management and mitigation measures resulting from these assessments<br />
should be adhered to, ensuring there is minimal impact at the construction stage. The<br />
Practice Note Siting and Design <strong>Guidelines</strong>, provide guidance at site level for minimising<br />
construction impacts.<br />
C.6 Decommissioning<br />
It is possible and is strongly encouraged, for decommissioning and reinstatement of the<br />
landscape to be required as a condition of approval. Many wind farm developers set up<br />
trust funds to provide for the decommissioning and/ or reconditioning of the facility.<br />
If reinstatement of the landscape is required as a condition of approval, consideration<br />
should be given to ensuring that:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The landscape and surrounding area is rehabilitated to its original condition prior to<br />
the development of the wind farm.<br />
Topography is restored to its pre-existing state to avoid soil erosion and changes to the<br />
surface water runoff.<br />
All formally constructed roads and tracks are fully rehabilitated with fill and<br />
revegetated to re-establish the natural land features that existed prior to the wind<br />
farm development.<br />
All remnant physical components of the wind farm are to be removed entirely.<br />
C.7 Practice notes<br />
C.7.1 Landscape character units<br />
What is a Landscape Character Unit<br />
Landscape character units refer to areas of homogenous (similar) patterns of visual,<br />
physical, environmental and cultural characteristics such as landform, vegetation, water<br />
form and land use as well as individual features.<br />
What is a Landscape Character Unit used for<br />
Landscape character is the interplay of geology, topography, vegetation, water bodies<br />
and other natural features, combined with the effects of land use and built development,<br />
which makes one landscape different from another. Establishing the various Landscape<br />
Character Units of an area provides the basis for understanding the different features,<br />
views, and combinations that are important, and how different types of development sit<br />
within various landscapes.<br />
How do I go about it<br />
Identifying Landscape Character Units<br />
<strong>Draft</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Wind</strong> <strong>Farm</strong> <strong>Development</strong> <strong>Guidelines</strong> – 2 <strong>July</strong> <strong>2010</strong> Page 89