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Application of tools
Name of the case study
North Hoyle Offshore wind farm
Name of tool
Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) Seascape Assessment
Description of tool - character
The Seascape Assessment developed by the Countryside Commission for Wales has been used for the North Hoyle wind farm. This tool is used to promote decision making and design that is related to the contextual situation. The tool was developed to assist policy formation, decision making and project inception along the coast and in the sea.
The method shows how particular areas of sea, coastline and land can be related visually and defined as a single unit on a plan, and then characterised as a single seascape. Characterisation can provide a rigorous and transparent baseline of information and analysis on which to develop spatial planning policies, scenic designations, design guidelines, impact assessments, and to inform decision makers in development control situations.
This tool has been used to investigate views that exist from different onshore locations using photo montages which were compiled to provide a general idea of what the wind farm would look like. Geographical Information System was used to map the results.
Description of tool - availability
A report detailing the Seascape Assessment: Guide to best practice in seascape assemsment can be located on the Countryside Council for Wales´s website at: http://www.ccw.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?Action=View&RID=22&lang=en and downloaded free of charge.
Description of tool - existing
Seascape Assessment is similar to landscape (character) assessment. The potential development of offshore wind farms encouraged a joint Irish-Welsh collaborative project to "develop a method by which to consider their effect on the setting of coastal landscapes, and to develop a way to define how one "seascape" can be distinguished from another. ..the project was intentionally wider ranging [than considering purely the visual impact consideration when looking from land, and issues of location, layout and design] so it has a variety of applications for various development types or changes in the coastal zone". (Briggs, J (Summer 2003) Seascape Assessment Work in Wales, CCN News Issue 11, page 4).
Description of tool - adaptation
The strategy has to be applied to the local context in order to function.
NWP also utilised internal procedures to evaluate the effects of the wind farm development. This process involves:
• investigating the existing situation,
• identifying what is going to be installed,
• preliminarily assessment of biological and physical modifications that may occur as a result of the development.
Investigations have been made on the potential human impact of a development including the effect on jobs and local travel patterns. Measurements of how people feel or of indirect effects such as a change in tourism patterns is very difficult due to other confounding factors such as weather conditions.
Name of tool
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA);
Description of tool - character
An EIA, a generic assessment tool, has been used for North Hoyle as required by Directive 85/337/EEC and amendment 97/11/EC, and under the Town and Country Planning Act in the UK. The use of an EIA ensures consultation with a number of other organisations, such as conservation bodies to minimise the impact of the infrastructure. This is undertaken before the development is carried out. The EIA was used to incorporate sustainable considerations such as lifetime costs and waste minimisation.
The key elements of an EIA are: Scoping (identifying key issues and concerns of interested parties); screening (decide whether an EIA is required based on information collected); Identifying and evaluating alternatives (list alternative sites and techniques and the impacts of each); Mitigating measures dealing with uncertainty (review proposed action to prevent or minimise the potential adverse effects of the project) and issuing environmental statements (report the findings of the EIA).
Description of tool - availability
This generic tool is a statutory process in Europe that is the result of Directive 85/337/EEC introduced in 1985, and amended by Directive 97/11/EC and as applied by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Directive 85/337/EEC can be obtained from the European Union website http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/eia/full-legal-text/85337.htm for free, but most EIAs are completed by consultants at a cost.
Description of tool - existing
This is an original tool.
Description of tool - adaptation
The EIA tool is not a rigid format, in each case it is adapted to the local context and to the particular focus of a project.
Name of tool
Public participation including visual assessment (photo montage)
Description of tool - character
A guideline, but also a monitoring tool, public participation in the development of North Hoyle Offshore Wind farm has been considered extremely important by National Wind Power, who were aware that public support can affect the level of progress of a project such as a wind farm.
Description of tool - availability
This is a paper based assessment based on UK ‘HM Treasury’s Green book’, which provides guidance on the assessment of major infrastructure projects, details of which can be found at http://greenbook.treasury.gov.uk/
Description of tool - existing
This is an original concept
Description of tool - adaptation
The concept is meant to be used in different situations.
Name of tool
Socio-economic Impact Assessment (SEIA);
Description of tool - character
In addition to an EIA, a number of technical reports have been produced for North Hoyle looking at socio-economic changes.
This assessment method tool uses indicators to identify the present socio-economic situation and potential impact of the project. The Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) for North Hoyle was undertaken by external consultants Arup Economics + Planning. The tool is used to assess population and population change, economic activity and wealth creation, employment characteristics and change, unemployment and deprivation and social exclusion.
The SEIA approach involved:
1. Information collection and analysis of
• the position of the north Wales economy and its future prospects,
• nature and performance of north Wales tourism sector,
• a review of potential for a tourism attraction focussing on environmental and sustainable energy in north east Wales,
• A review of wind farms established in the UK (majority onshore).
2. Consultation - views of policy makers, partners, agencies, business leaders and other wind farm operators. These involved face to face and semi-structured telephone based discussion.
3. Business surveys - collection of views and opinions of business communities. 150 businesses were interviewed by telephone of which 75 were related to the tourism sector, with 75 across the service and production sectors of varying sizes. These were conducted with the most senior manager available.
4. Review of Tourism and educational opportunities –a desk based review of opportunities to promote tourism in relation to the wind farm.
5. Formulation of potential impacts – the key economic impact that can be measured is the creation and support of employment. Other aspects measured are wider impacts including image, catalytic and knowledge benefits. There is also the potential for negative impacts to occur.
Description of tool - availability
This is a paper based assessment.
Description of tool - existing
The tool was based on ´HM Treasury´s Green book´, which provides guidance on the assessment of major infrastructure projects, details of which can be found at http://greenbook.treasury.gov.uk/.
Description of tool - adaptation
As this is a general concept rather than a strict assessment method, the tool is easily adaptable to the local context.
What tools were used to assess sustainability?
Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) Seascape Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA);
Public participation including visual assessment (photo montage)
Socio-economic Impact Assessment (SEIA);
More information