ASH coordinated the environmental impact assessment and ES for the planned Stronelairg Wind Farm

ASH was commissioned by SSE Renewables in 2011 to undertake and coordinate an Environmental Impact Assessment, including the production of an Environmental Statement for submission with a Section 36 application to the Scottish Government for Stronelairg Wind Farm.

Key Tasks

Site options appraisal

Screening and Scoping

EIA Coordination and Project Management

Landscape and visual impact assessment

Cumulative landscape and visual impact assessment

Photography

Photomontages

Stakeholder consultation

Public consultation

Expert Witness

 

What we did

The proposed site is located on a remote plateau in the Monadhliath Mountains approximately 11 km to the East of Fort Augustus, in the Highlands of Scotland. The site lies adjacent to the SSE owned, 100MW Glendoe Hydroelectric Scheme.

The final design layout has been informed by findings from a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment combined with discussions with statutory consultees and the public. The layout for the development consists of 83 wind turbines, with a maximum tip height of up to 135m. One of the main benefits of constructing and operating a wind farm in this location is the ability to make use of the extensive infrastructure already in place for the existing Glendoe Hydroelectric scheme.

Following submission of a scoping report in March 2011, and through subsequent consultation with both statutory and non-statutory consultees, a number of environmental topics were identified as requiring further survey and assessment as part of the ES. ASH carried out the landscape and visual assessment, and co-ordinated the inputs of specialist consultants under the topics of Ecology, Ornithology, Hydrology, Peat and Soils, Traffic, Planning, Socio-Economic, Tourism and Recreation.

The Environmental Statement and Section 36 application were submitted to Scottish Ministers in June 2012. In April 2013, The Highland Council voted in favour of raising no objection to the development, on the basis of a revised 67 turbine scheme.

The Scottish Ministers consented the scheme in June 2014 and it is now fully operational.

 

Find out more

We’re always happy to answer your questions. If you’d like to find out more about the services we can offer for your project, you can email us on info@ashglasgow.com or call 0141 227 3388.