11/00713/F - Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk

� The typical height of wind turbine developments has increased (the LUC report
considered turbines of approximately 114m to tip height).
Shiels Flynn comment that whilst the CBA report makes only passing reference to wind
farms it “should be used as a key part of the evidence base for assessing landscape and
visual impacts of wind turbine development…”.
Moving on to the assessment of landscape impact, Shiels Flynn has reviewed the sensitivity
of the landscape within an area up to 2.5km from the site. They conclude that its sensitivity
to the proposed development is ‘Moderate’, making it slightly more sensitive than the
applicant has predicted, i.e. ‘Medium-Low’. Based on this assessment and a review of the
proposed development, Shiels Flynn estimates that the landscape would experience an
impact of ‘Medium’ magnitude, which would be of ‘Major-moderate’ significance; again,
slightly higher than those estimated by the applicant. Overall, the consultant feels that the
applicant’s assessment ‘slightly’ underestimates the landscape and visual impact of the
proposed development.
Shiels Flynn concur with the applicant that the landscape and visual impacts at distances
further away are unlikely to be material, which includes the AONB.
Cumulative Visual Impact
As the Jack’s Lane application was submitted after the Chiplow application, the developer
was obliged to conduct an assessment of the visual impact of both developments. The
applicant concludes this assessment by stating that:
“The two wind farms are sufficiently close together that from viewpoints and landscapes
beyond about 5km from the sites, the effects of both wind farms will be much the same as
for just one of the two developments. The regional and local capacity and sensitivity studies
indicate that with respect to the national and local character areas there is capacity for wind
farms of up to 12 turbines, indicating that two wind farms of 5-6 turbines each are potentially
able to be accommodated even if they are relatively close together. The main cumulative
effects identified are highly localised, principally on landscape character and views in the
vicinity of Barmer and Syderstone, where the influence of the two wind farms on landscape
character will be significant and where the two wind farms will be seen in opposite directions,
with viewpoint 17 presenting the ‘worst case’ view in terms of a clear, close view to both
wind farms. However, in considering this, it should be noted that the influence of Jack’s Lane
on the settlements themselves is very limited, with views restricted to the northern edge of
Syderstone.
There would be no notable sequential effects on routes through the area and no significant
cumulative effects on designated landscapes”.
Shiels Flynn make the following comments on the cumulative landscape and visual impacts
of the two wind farms:-
“This review of the cumulative effects section of the Stanhoe LVIA suggests that there are
predicted to be significant local cumulative landscape and visual effects as a result of the
development of both windfarms”.
“This independent review highlights the fact that there would be increased landscape and
visual effects as a result of both groups of turbines, compared to one single windfarm. The
key issue to take into account is the overall change in landscape character as a result of
there being two windfarms within 2.5km of each other - there is a need to take account of the
10/01419/FM Development Control Board
25 July 2011
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