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1 Warrington West 132kV Reinforcement New 132kV electricity switching substation - Marsh Lane, Cuerdley, Warrington Planning Report October 2011

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New 132kV electricity switching substation - Marsh Lane, Cuerdley, Warrington: Planning Report 1

Warrington West 132kV ReinforcementNew 132kV electricity switching substation - Marsh Lane, Cuerdley, Warrington

Planning Report

October 2011

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New 132kV electricity switching substation - Marsh Lane, Cuerdley, Warrington: Planning Report 3

Contents 1.0 Introduction

2.0 SSE Land Ownership Considerations

3.0 Development within Fiddlers Ferry Site

4.0 Very Special Circumstances

5.0 Summary

FIGURES

Figure 1: Land Use Planning Policy

Figure 2: Proposed Developement Area Fiddlers Ferry

Figure 3: Extract from Council response to Core Strategy

Figure 3: Switching Substation Layout

Figure 4: New Lymm 33/11kV electricity susbation Planning needs and Environmental Report Extracts

Figure 6: Substation Siting Area

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1.1. Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of Ordnance Survey® on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown copyright Licence No. EL273112

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FIGURE 1

LAND USE PLANNING POLICY

Figure x: Planning Context

Scale 1:10,000

Key

EMP9 Employment DevelopmentOpportunity Area

GRN17 Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation

GRN1 Greenbelt

REP4 Protection of Floodplain

GRN20 Major Wildlife Coridor

LUT15 Greenway Network

LUT24 Airport Operational Safety

SSE Owned Land

Golf Course

Residential Properties - Marsh End Farm

Figure x: Planning Context

Scale 1:10,000

Key

EMP9 Employment DevelopmentOpportunity Area

GRN17 Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation

GRN1 Greenbelt

REP4 Protection of Floodplain

GRN20 Major Wildlife Coridor

LUT15 Greenway Network

LUT24 Airport Operational Safety

SSE Owned Land

Golf Course

Residential Properties - Marsh End Farm

Figure x: Planning Context

Scale 1:10,000

Key

EMP9 Employment DevelopmentOpportunity Area

GRN17 Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation

GRN1 Greenbelt

REP4 Protection of Floodplain

GRN20 Major Wildlife Coridor

LUT15 Greenway Network

LUT24 Airport Operational Safety

SSE Owned Land

Golf Course

Residential Properties - Marsh End Farm

Figure x: Planning Context

Scale 1:10,000

Key

EMP9 Employment DevelopmentOpportunity Area

GRN17 Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation

GRN1 Greenbelt

REP4 Protection of Floodplain

GRN20 Major Wildlife Coridor

LUT15 Greenway Network

LUT24 Airport Operational Safety

Substation Siting Area

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New 132kV electricity switching substation - Marsh Lane, Cuerdley, Warrington: Planning Report 5

1.0 Introduction1.1. This report has been prepared by ScottishPower Energy Networks (SPEN), which manages

the electricity distribution network on behalf of SP Manweb in Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales at voltage levels of 132kV and below. It explains the justification for the proposed substation development on land to the east of the existing Fiddlers Ferry power station. Reference is made to the Warrington green belt policy

1.2. Reference is first made to how SPEN considered developing a site within the power station area but this presented operational concerns for Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) in the day to day running of the power station.

1.3. Land east of the power station is also owned by SSE and SPEN considered site options within this area. However, SSE’s land ownership presents other issues which have also become important considerations in these proposals.

1.4. Given that land to the east of the power station is green belt, reference is made to the relevant green belt policy and why the need is considered to amount to exceptional circumstances. There has been some previous discussion on the application of green belt policy in the area to the east of the power station and this planning history is also mentioned in respect of the exceptional circumstances.

2.0 SSE Land Ownership Considerations2.1. There are proposals by SSE for a Fiddlers Ferry Rail Siding and a scoping report was

submitted in July 2009. The rail siding proposal comprises extending the existing railway lines into the Rocktron plant area and the power station site to the north of the Rocktron plant and then an exit railway line back to the existing lines. This development includes storage areas and buildings. The proposed development area covers approximately 3 ha. The site would be used to export ash products from the Rocktron plant and improve capacity for fuel to enter the site and reduce road based transport. These proposals are shown in Figure 02.

2.2. In the SSE Annual Report 2011, SSE also set out their longer term intentions to develop the Fiddlers Ferry site. SPEN is aware that SSE is currently pursuing a change to green belt policy although this is not site specific. SSE submitted comments to the Core Strategy Objectives and Options Consultations Paper (CSOOP) in 2010. The Council’s response (Figure 03) is that it is not necessary to exclude land from the green belt as if the need for additional operational development were to arise then this would

‘clearly be an exceptional circumstance that would justify development. The heightened national importance of securing the national’s future energy needs gives further support for that view.’

2.3. In addition, there are existing overhead lines across SSE land immediately to the east of the power station and to the north of the existing rail sidings. The proposal creates an option to reposition these existing lines which would be a benefit for the landowner. This has encouraged SSE to discuss the proposals with SPEN in a favourable sense.

2.4. Taking the above into account SPEN has focussed its area of search on land to the east of the power station excluding the rail sidings facility.

3.0 Development within Fiddlers Ferry power station site3.1 With reference to Figure 01, which refers to key land use planning issues, SPEN reviewed

in the first instance options within the power station site. This area is a designated employment development opportunity area outside of the green belt. The designated area mainly includes operational buildings, plant and equipment, coal storage and car parking. This area also includes open green space. In reviewing options within this area, SPEN was mindful of the need to locate new substation development close to existing overhead lines. This highlighted one option to the south-west (the coal storage option) and another to the north-east (the operational storage option). The coal storage option is considered unsuitable due to access requirements through the SSE site and the resulting dust and particles being deposited on electrical equipment. The operational storage option is considered unsuitable because it is an area required by SSE in the running of the power station. SPEN therefore subsequently looked to the east of the power station for suitable site options. This included the area within the perimetre access road.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN GREEN BELT POLICY3.2 The current planning policy framework is provided by the Warrington Unitary Development

Plan which was adopted in 2006 and covers the period up to 2016. The UDP includes a green belt policy referred to as Policy GRN1.

Policy GRN1 The Green belt3.3 The first part of this policy states:

The boundaries of the green belt in Warrington, which is contiguous with the green belt in Merseyside, Greater Manchester and North Cheshire, are shown on the Proposals Map (see figure 01) , and will be protected for as far as can be seen ahead.

3.4 The policy goes onto state:

Within the green belt, planning permission will not be granted for inappropriate development except in very special circumstances.

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1.1. Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of Ordnance Survey® on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown copyright Licence No. EL273112

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FIGURE 2

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREA FIDDLERS FERRY

Path

FACILITYDUST SALES

Pipes

El Pylon

ETL

Tank

Tank

Ret

Wal

l

WB

WB

Drain

Drain

Drain

Drain

Drain

Path

Track

Road 2BUILDING (CMB)

MAINTENANCE

CONTRACTOR'S

Road 3

Road 2

"IN" W

EIGHBRIDGES

Road 9

Drain

PURGEPUMP HOUSE

Roa

d 2

Pipe

s

El Pylon

El Pylon

El Pylon

ETL

ETL

ETL

ETL

ETL

TkTanks

R/W

Drain

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Tank

SL

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BOXSIGNAL

St Helens Canal

El Pylon

ETL

Pipes

Pipe

s

Pipes

SL

SL

SL

Pipes

Drain

Overhead C

onveyor

PLANT

TREATMENT

WATER

ST. HELENS CANAL (NEW CUT)

ST. HELENS CANAL (NEW CUT)

RAILWAY LINES

RAILWAY LINES

EXISTING

GYPSUM

STORAGEEXISTING

GYPSUM

STORAGE

ST. HELENS CANAL (NEW CUT)

ST. HELENS CANAL (NEW CUT)

ROCKTRONFACILITY

ROCKTRONFACILITY

BIOMASS

RECEPTION

BIOMASS

RECEPTION

FORMER LANDFILL(NOW REVEGETATED)

FORMER LANDFILL(NOW REVEGETATED)

EXISTINGLIMESTONE/GYPSUMUNLOADING FACILITY

EXISTINGLIMESTONE/GYPSUMUNLOADING FACILITY

PROPOSEDDEVELOPMENT

AREA

PROPOSEDDEVELOPMENT

AREA

WARRINGTON

WARRINGTON

LIVERPOOL

LIVERPOOL

FGD PLANT

FGD PLANT

FIDDLERS FERRY POWER STATION

FIDDLERS FERRYPOWER STATIONSITE BOUNDARY

PROPOSEDDEVELOPMENT

AREA

500m

Scale

0Based upon an Ordnance Survey map with the permission of the Controller of HerMajesty's Stationery Office. Crown copy right reserved. Licence No. AL 100017812

Job No:

Ref:

Date:

Drg. Size:

Scale:

App’d:

A3

AS SHOWN

Drawn:

SITE PLAN SHOWINGPROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREA

Client

Title

Location

APPENDIX B

SCOTTISH & SOUTHERN ENERGY

FIDDLERS FERRY, WARRINGTON

JUNE 2009RH

JP/RH/MCH

JP

REV 1

49307964

Plan based on drawing supplied by Client.Entitled “Plan 2 Site Bounday” - PROJECT LGRX0173

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PROCESS LINES

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREA

BIOMASS DISCHARGE ANDASH LOADING FACILITY

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0 50 100m

SCALE

GREEN BELT

ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION LINE

1

BIOMASS STORAGE(SHORT TERM HANDLING)2

RAIL ENTRY LINE3

RAIL EXIT LINE4

ASH SALES CONVEYOR(LOADING ONLY)5

BIOMASS TRANSFER CONVEYOR6

2

4

1

5

6

3

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New 132kV electricity switching substation - Marsh Lane, Cuerdley, Warrington: Planning Report 7

3.5 The erection of new buildings within the green belt will be inappropriate development unless the building is for:

n Agriculture and forestry; orn Essential facilities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation, cemeteries, and

for other uses of land which preserve the openness of the green belt, and which do not conflict with the purposes of including land within it; or

n The limited extension or alteration of existing dwellings; orn Limited infilling of an appropriate scale and character in green belt villages; orn The replacement of existing dwellings provided that the new dwelling is not

materially larger than the dwelling it replaces, and does not harm the visual amenities of the green belt or the character of the countryside; or

n The re-use of existing buildings within the green belt.

3.6 SPEN notes that the proposed substation development is not listed in the above but considers there are very special circumstances. These are explained in the following section.

Officer CommentsGeneral CommentsName

Details

ID

and differ significantly in characterfrom the main area of the powerstation site with its massive cooling

6. The Council's draft ICA was published in April 2010. Fiddlers Ferry Power Station is referred to inSection 4 of the ICA where references are made primarily to the Power Station's contribution towardsrenewable energy provision, the aims of the Borough to support major infrastructure developmentand the fact that investment at Fiddlers Ferry will need to be brought forward through the Core Strategyas well as other Development Plan Documents.

towers, turbine houses and ancillarystructures. The objection sites formpart of an important area of open land

Comments on CSOOP which serves to separate the powerstation and adjoining industrial areas

7. Strategic Option 2 is about "Prioritising development on Inner Warrington brownfield sites withselective release of other sites". Our representations to date have emphasised the strategic importanceof Fiddler's Ferry, the fact that recent substantial investment has resulted in land being taken for

within Halton Borough from the urbanareas of Warrington to the east. Iconsider that there is ample land

development, notably for co-firing of biomass (built), flue gas desulphurisation (built), ash processing within the operational area of the(built) and NOx reduction (planned). The remaining land on the east side of the site is used as power station site to allow forconstruction lay down area and consequently there is very little land within the main site that is available appropriate development. Shouldfor development; consequently any further large scale projects would require the extension of the there be a need to develop the sidingsbuilt area of the site. Given the strategic importance of Fiddlers Ferry both now and in the future, it isconsidered that potential future development at the site should be recognised through the CoreStrategy.

area or the lagoons, for example inorder to reclaim the ash or to facilitatenew development related to theoperation of the power station, I

8. Paragraph 1.14 refers to " issues that need to be addressed in refining this option which have arisenfrom the consultation responses to date". DWD have submitted representations in respect of FiddlersFerry for each of the statutory and informal rounds of consultation on the emerging Core Strategy. Itis our view that reference should be made as part of the Strategic Option to supporting expansion ofFiddlers Ferry in the future.

believe that it should be possible todemonstrate very specialcircumstances in the national interestin support of such development.

The Council considers that there isno reason to depart from thisapproach.

Reference to the Green Belt remaining largely unaltered is made in the ‘Where is Warrington?' visionin 2026. Whilst it is agreed that local alterations to the Green Belt need to be justified, it is consideredthat in the case of Fiddlers Ferry, there is already significant justification for a local alteration to theGreen Belt at the Power Station. Policy provisions need to be in place as part of the emerging LocalDevelopment Framework (LDF) in order to guarantee that additional land is readily available toaccommodate expansion of the power station and in turn contribute toward the security of energysupply in the region.

Warrington

Borough

Council

Core

StrategyObjectives

andOptions

ReportofC

onsultation

ScheduleofR

esponses-Building

Blocks

108

3

Officer CommentsGeneral CommentsName

Details

ID

The positive response to the changesmade in response to previousconsultation is welcomed.

Background

1. These informal representations are submitted in relation to the Council's Core Strategy Objectivesand Options Consultation Paper (CSOOP) (July 2010) and draft Infrastructure Capacity Assessment(ICA) on behalf of Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) in respect of Fiddlers Ferry Power Stationand land within SSE's ownership.

Barry Murphy

Dalton WarnerDavies

CSOO/68

In establishing the current Green Beltboundary through the UDP process,the Council was mindful of the need2. Dalton Warner Davis (DWD), on behalf of SSE, submitted representations to Warrington BoroughCouncil in relation to the Core Strategy Issues and Options Paper (CSIOP) on 23 March 2009, followedby representations in relation to the Core Strategy Refined Vision Paper (CSRVP) on 25 March 2010.The issues raised in those letters remain relevant and copies of these representations are attached.3. DWD's representations of 25 March 2010 referred to DECC's Draft Overarching Energy NationalPolicy Statement (November 2009) (EN1) and the Energy Markets Outlook Report (December 2009)(EMOR) which confirmed the important role that fossil fuel power stations will continue to play in theprovision of flexible and reliable electricity supplies (EN-1 3.6.1 and EMOR 4.3.15).

to respect guidance in PPS2 andargued that the exclusion of a widerarea in order to accommodateoperational development was notnecessary, as if the need for additionaloperational development were to arisein future and require land in the GreenBelt, it would clearly be an exceptionalcircumstance that would justify4. On 15 July 2010 Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State for Energy, announced the Government'saspirations to strengthen the current draft EN1 stating that " for large energy projects we need to giveindustry maximum certainty, so that if sound proposals come forward, they will not fall victim tounnecessary hold-ups ". A revised consultation is due to take place in autumn 2010 1.

development. The heightened nationalimportance of securing the nation'sfuture energy needs gives furthersupport for that view. References inthe Core Strategy to the strategic5. The CSRVP Report of Consultation (May 2010) contains responses to representations on theCSRVP, including those submitted by DWD on behalf of SSE in March 2010. The officer commentsin relation to representation ID no. CSVIS/133, with regard to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, state that:

importance of the site, as welcomedabove, also provide a supportingcontext.

" It is acknowledged that the omission of references to major infrastructure in the Core Strategy shouldbe addressed. The next stage of consultation will see the issue of a further Background Paper settingout a position statement in relation to all aspects of major infrastructure in the borough, including

The UDP Inspector concurred with theCouncil's approach and concludedthat:electricity generation and distribution. This will include significant references to Fiddlers Ferry powerstation and will draw upon the information contained in the representations from Dalton Warner Davis. I do not consider that the definedpolicy area should be extended toinclude the lagoons and sidings andAs work progresses to improve our understanding of infrastructure issues, there is likely to be scopefor the inclusion of an overarching policy supporting major infrastructure development and investmentin the borough, particularly where this is of strategic significance as is the case with Fiddlers Ferry ".

the ‘10ha' site to the east of the mainpower station site. In my view, thoseareas are essentially open in nature

Core

Strategy

Objectives

andOptions

ReportofC

onsultationWarrington

Borough

Council

Schedule

ofResponses

-Building

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107

3

FIGURE 3EXTRACT FROM COUNCIL RESPONSES TO CORE STRATEGY

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1.1. Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of Ordnance Survey® on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown copyright Licence No. EL273112

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FIGURE 4

SWITCHING SUBSTATION LAYOUT

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New 132kV electricity switching substation - Marsh Lane, Cuerdley, Warrington: Planning Report 9

4.0 Very Special Circumstances

NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT4.1 In 2008, SPEN identified a potential risk to supply to 190,000 customers and 78,000

households in the event of an outage within the existing circuits within the Fiddlers Ferry/Carrington 132kV network. This has arisen due to an increase in new connections from large industrial users in the Warrington/Mid Cheshire area. The increased demand on the existing network results in power flow limitations and faults in supply otherwise termed outages. The potential level of outages on these circuits is below the industry standard for network operators and to operate outside this standard SPEN has been granted a ‘derogation’ from Ofgem, the industry regulator. The derogation was granted in October 2008 and has been extended until October 2014. In 2008, SPEN explained to Ofgem that it would develop a project to improve the network.

4.2 The need to reinforce the network in this area has also been brought to the Council’s attention and there is an acknowledgement in the draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which forms part of the Council’s current Core Strategy.

4.3 Following the derogation in 2008, SPEN started to assess options which included a do nothing option which is not an option and development alternatives as follows:

n Reconductor existing circuits with bigger conductors; orn Develop a new National Grid in feed into Mid Cheshire; orn Develop a new 132kV switching substation which could switch power flows

between existing circuits

4.4 Of the three options considered, the preferred option based on being most technically efficient and economical was the development of a switching substation close to the existing National Grid in feed which is to the west of the Fiddlers Ferry power station.

4.5 After reviewing the network options, SPEN then approved investment of about £15m for reinforcement works for the preferred option with a programme for completion in 2013.

4.6 The need case is considered to justify very special circumstances.

DEVELOPMENT DESIGN RELATED4.7 The configuration of the existing networks in the area include a double circuit overhead

line running between the National Grid Fiddlers Ferry substation and Sankey Bridges and a double circuit overhead line which tees into the Fiddlers Ferry/Sankey Bridges line just east of the power station very close to the SSE Rocktron plant. The current arrangement does not allow power to be transferred from one circuit to another.

4.8 The proposed 132kV switching substation design is based around being able to break into these circuits with switching gear and switch power from one circuit to the others. The proposed arrangement involves constructing gantries at the end of each existing circuit where the circuits would terminate into the new substation and linking these circuits into the switching gear. There would be a small substation building which houses the technical apparatus used to control and switch over the power flows.

4.9 The basic design layout is shown in Figure 4: Switching Substation Layout and as shown, the equipment requires a rectangular site area layout arrangement.

4.10 The design and scale of the development is not considered to be a significantly large scale built form of development and as such the type of development proposed is seen as a reason for justifying very special circumstances. In the event of siting the substation close to the power station, the openness of the green belt is retained as far as possible. Appropriate landscaping would also maintain the open appearance of the area. Siting the substation further east would also require landscaping to maintain the openness of the green belt and looking to site the substation within an existing hollow would also help the open character

SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEN BELT4.11 The site characteristics of the area of green belt being considered are relevant due to the

nature of existing development nearby and current development proposals.

4.12 The Fiddlers Ferry power station is a very significant landmark development in scale and appearance and dominates the surrounding area. The power plant is a large scale energy related development.

4.13 There is also an area to the east of the power station, the Rocktron area, which has been developed as a plant for processing (recycling) ash into ash based products for exporting from the site.

4.14 The substation development is considered to relate to the existing site characteristics of the area and current development proposals, and this balanced relationship is seen as a very special circumstance.

SUBSTATION DEVELOPMENT IN WARRINGTON GREEN BELT4.15 SPEN submitted proposals to build a 33kV primary substation in Higher Lane, Lymm in

2008. SPEN considered in this case that the type of development proposed, the need and design, landscaping and siting, amounted to very special circumstances. Planning permission was subsequently granted for the proposed scheme.

4.16 SPEN considers these are very similar reasons for again justifying the proposed substation in the green belt near Fiddlers Ferry power station and that the Lymm case demonstrates how such issues have previously been accepted as very special circumstances.

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NO EIA REQUIREMENT4.17 SPEN submitted a screening opinion request concerning the need for Environmental

Impact Assessment for the overhead lines which included reference to the substation to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) in October 2011. In November 2011, the IPC confirmed that the proposed development is not likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of the characteristics of development, the location of the development and the characteristics of the potential impact, taking into account that the proposals are within an area of green belt.

5.0 Summary5.1 Having assessed technical options for improving the current network in East Cheshire,

SPEN has determined that the most efficient and economical option would be to develop a switching substation as close as possible to the Fiddlers Ferry National Grid substation which feeds the SP Manweb network. Having then assessed the local area, the preferred area is land to the east of the power station which is within the Warrington green belt.

5.2 SPEN has considered the terms of policy GRN 1 and its development proposals in the context of this policy and noted that it would need to demonstrate very special circumstances for building a substation on land to the east of the power station.

5.3 In reviewing various matters relating to the need and type of the development, the characteristics of this particular area of green belt, the recent and current discussions about what might amount to very special circumstances, other similar development being permitted elsewhere in Warrington green belt, SPEN considers there are a number of reasons which amount to there being very special circumstances to allow what might otherwise be considered inappropriate development in the green belt area to the east of the power station.

5.4 In conclusion, SPEN’s case for developing a site within the green belt and within SSE land ownership therefore relates to an area to the east of the power station as shown in Figure 6: Substation Siting Area.

New Lymm Electricity 33kV/11kV Substation Planning Need and Environmental Report March 2008

FIGURE 5 - NEW LYMM ELECTRICITY 33KV/11KV SUBSTATION - PLANNING NEEDS AND ENVIRONMENT REPORT EXTRACTS

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New 132kV electricity switching substation and diversion of 3 existing 132kV overhead lines - Marsh Lane, Penketh, Warrington - Initial Planning Statement

1.1. Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of Ordnance Survey® on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown copyright Licence No. EL273112

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11

Arecleoch Windfarm Gr id Connect ion

r o u t e s e l e c t i o n

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3.7 Design Strategy 1 This chapter has considered many of the attributes of the route and its individual

elements. This section however seeks to draw the different elements of this together to provide an understanding of the design processes that have been adopted to ensure that this proposal provides an appropriate technical solution to the requirement of providing the grid connection whilst also minimising any disturbance to people and the environment.

2 The location of the substations and the scale and nature of the intervening landscape indicates that the use of woodpoles to carry the overhead lines is more in keeping with the local landscape and the scale of features and forestry within it. Woodpoles are also more easily assimilated within the landscape with only shorter lengths visible. The use of such structures has been adopted, with the woodpole structures used being only approximately 16m tall compared to the 26m which might more typically be associated with the steel lattice towers traditionally used to carry 132kV lines of this capacity. Photograph 3.1 shows the comparative heights of the different structures.

Photograph 3.2 - “Within the forest the overhead line corridor should seem to pass through a series of irregular spaces”

Photograph 3.1 - Photographs showing the comparative heights of the 132kV wood pole line and the more widely used Lattice Tower

3 The selection of woodpoles will further reduce any environmental effects by removing the need for concrete foundations and reducing the materials to be delivered to each pole site such that the access requirements are also reduced.

4 Following the decision to adopt woodpoles for this route, extensive routeing studies have been undertaken as described to identify the optimum route between the substations to minimise the length of the route and therefore the cost and environmental footprint, whilst also respecting the constraints identified through the EIA process. This routeing study has been described in detail in the previous sections. Technical considerations have given rise to the need for the central section of the route to be underground due to the complex nature of the alignment required to cross the areas of Non-Inventory Designed Landscape located in the Duisk Valley.

5 Having identified the route and structures/undergrounding required to achieve this, detailed engineering studies have been undertaken to identify woodpole locations which avoid constraints such as watercourses and other sensitive locations and which provide the required clearances and spans between poles. Also achieveable through the use of a woodpole line is a less intrusive construction method.

6 The provision of this grid connection will, despite its routeing, require changes to the local land use. These have been minimised by adopting alignments that run alongside areas of woodland, or crossing these through existing wayleaves where possible. The result of this is that only very limited woodland within the valley will need to be felled. Within the forestry area to the north, the routeing has been selected to occupy an area which is already to be felled for the Mark Hill Windfarm and therefore there will be no change to the forestry in this location arising from the grid connection.

7 Within Arecleoch Forest, to the south, the line passes through an extensive area of commercial forestry. In consultation with Forestry Commission, the routeing has however been undertaken to avoid sensitive areas of this. The felling proposed for this section is greater than that which would purely be required to provide the required safety clearances and this has been extended to reduce the potential for windthrow on the retained edges of the standing timber and to provide a wayleave through the forest which complies with forest design principles in not being a parallel corridor, but appearing as a series of open spaces meeting across the line of the grid connection. Photograph 3.2 provides an illustration of how this felling strategy can work on the ground.

8 This series of design measures serves to measurably reduce the potential effects of the grid connection and thus allow SPT to comply with their dual obligations under the Electricity Act.

PHOTOGRAPH 01: L4 TOWER

FIGURE 6

SUBSTATION SITING AREA

National Grid 400kVOverhead Line

SPEN Existing 132kVOverhead Lines

Substation Siting Area

SPEN Existing 11kVOverhead Lines