Environmental Planning
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Client: Wessex Water
Background: As the regional water and sewage treatment provider to 10,000 square km of South West England, Wessex Water is an energy intensive business which uses some 260 GWh (260 million kilowatt hours) of energy per year to power its statutory water supply and sewage treatment undertakings. In pursuance of its aim to be a genuinely sustainable company, Wessex Water sought to increase on-site generation of renewable energy by developing wind turbines at Bristol STW.
The Landmark Practice was commissioned by Wessex Water in 2006 to scope an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for installation of wind turbines at Bristol STW, to lead the ES technical team and provide environmental planning, ecology, ornithology and landscape input to the Environmental Statement (ES).
Description: Wind turbines are large, dynamic structures which can cause a specific range of environmental impacts. The EIA investigated potential impacts to ecology and ornithology, landscape, aviation, telecommunications, archaeology, the road network and potential noise impact.
The benefits of the development site are good wind generation potential and the existing, industrial character of the area. Key site constraints included the proximity of Filton Airfield, a substantial network of telecommunications links, and the proposed siting of two of the wind turbines in a Wildlife Trust nature reserve and designated Site of Nature Conservation Interest.
The application scheme was adjusted to address the findings of the EIA. One of the turbines that initially posed risk to bird and bat species was moved to a less sensitive position, and the energy generating potential of the site was enhanced by addition of a fourth turbine to the scheme.
The ES concluded that the proposed wind turbines could be accommodated without unacceptable environmental impact, as long as recommended mitigation measures were secured. Key measures were to monitor, and compensate if necessary, disturbance impacts on birds and bats, and to implement strategies agreed with the telecoms regulators and nearby airfield to remove risk of disruption to air safety or telecoms links.
Landmark managed the EIA technical team, edited and produced the ES and represented the applicant in consultation with stakeholders and the planning authority.
Client Benefits:The robust EIA process demonstrated the potential for energy to be generated close to the point of demand, even if the site initially appears to be environmentally sensitive. Planning approval for the wind turbines was granted in March 2009 by unanimous planning committee vote.