Energy / Warning that sites of special scientific interest could be affected by wind farm development
Wind2 said ‘every effort will be made to mitigate any possible impact’ of the development
TWO sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) could be “adversely affected” from the potential construction of three new wind turbines in Shetland’s Central Mainland, according to NatureScot.
A representative of the national organisation said the proposed Girlsta wind farm could also present a collision risk to bird species including the protected red-throated divers.
The organisation’s north operations officer was responding through the planning process after proposals emerged recently for a wind farm featuring three turbines each up to 150 metres in height on land between Sand Water and the Loch of Girlsta.
The applicant is Wind2, a renewable energy developer with bases in Scotland and Wales.
The plans are at a very early stage, however, with the developer only seeking a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening opinion from the local authority.
Wind2 said “every effort will be made to mitigate any possible impact” of the development.
In an initial response to the screening opinion request, NatureScot said the decision on whether an EIA is required lies with Shetland Islands Council.
But north operations officer Adam Rose said potential impacts from the wind farm on protected areas and peatland should be a “key consideration” regardless.
The NatureScot response said the proposed development, at its closest, would be around 400 metres from the Sandwater SSSI, which is protected for its “mesotrophic loch and open water transition fen”.
“There is hydrological connection to this SSSI and both features could be adversely affected by the proposal though declines in water quality from direct and indirect pollution both during and after construction,” it said.
This loch is also near to where construction work took place for elements of SSE’s 103-turbine Viking wind farm.
Similarly NatureScot said there could be impacts on the Loch of Girlsta, another SSSI which at its closest would be around 1.1km away. This is protected for its mesotrophic loch and Arctic charr.
It adds that the development lies around 2.1km from the East Mainland Coast Shetland special protection area (SPA), which is protected for its breeding red throated divers and its non-breeding great northern diver and Slavonian grebe.
NatureScot said the proposal is within “connectivity distance” of all species of the SPA and could present a collision risk.
It advises that a habitat regulations appraisal for the SPA will be required.
Local natural heritage officer Martin Schofield also responded to the planning submission, concluding that an EIA should be required.
He said there is potential for the wind farm to have “significant environmental impacts in relation to our areas of interest namely, ecology and ornithology, peat and landscape and visual impacts”.
Schofield added that the service disagreed with the applicant’s view that “with a commitment to mitigation and further assessment, the potential for significant environmental impact is low” and that the proposed wind farm does not constitute an EIA development.
The officer also highlighted how the site in question is deemed to be ‘class one’ peatland.
Class one peatland is identified as “nationally important carbon-rich soils, deep peat and priority peatland habitat that are likely to be of high conservation value”.
Schofield also said there are “potentially significant landscape and visual impacts” given the size of the proposed turbines and the possible cumulative effects of the nearby Viking wind farm.
In a statement released this week, a spokesperson for Wind2 said: “Wind2 welcome the feedback from NatureScot and the Shetland Isles Council Natural Heritage Officer and Environmental Health Officer.
“We currently await the formal screening opinion which will allow us to firm up the proposed survey effort across the site.
“Through the development and design of the project, every effort will be made to mitigate any possible impact as indicated by consultees or discovered through the survey effort itself.”
The applicant said in an earlier submission that it proposes to submit a detailed planning application which would include “suitable environmental mitigation, pre-emptive and ongoing environmental management proposals and any relevant technical and environmental appraisals”.
It said the site layout has been developed to “ensure known constraints such as watercourses, gradient, nationally significant areas of peat and buffers from residential properties have been respected”.
At the time the report was written, Wind2 said it was consulting with NatureScot on the scope of surveys required to ensure compliance with guidance.
It added: “Potential water users and existing water dependent habitats at or near to the site would be confirmed as the site design is developed in order that potential adverse effects are avoided or mitigated by the emerging site design.
“Good practice construction, pollution prevention and water quality control measures would avoid compromising the qualifying interests of the water environment.”
The applicant added that the “potential cumulative effects of the proposed development with the Viking Wind Farm will be an important consideration for the project”.
They also said that the “most significant potential risks to flag at this stage relate to the indicated Class 1 peat deposits at the site, which require further assessment to determine their extents and condition”.
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