1 Photomontage2 Extract from design workshop, used in evidence at the public inquiry to demonstrate mitigation approach

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1

LDA Design provided design advice, LVIA and expert witness support for the now consented Section 36 wind farm proposed at South Kyle for Vattenfall.

The application followed an earlier rejected scheme on the site and landscape and visual issues were a key factor in a new approach to the site with mitigation by design as a prime consideration. Our design input involved the establishment and application of a number of focussed design principles relating to the composition of the turbines as a group, and the testing of suitable turbine sizes, numbers and positions to reach the final wind farm design.

The final design was for 50 turbines of up to 149.5m in height on this expansive forested upland site, which was all of a single character but straddled the boundary between East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.

The project did not receive objections from either SNH or Dumfries and Galloway, but did from East Ayrshire and some local community groups and landowners. A Public Inquiry was held in late 2015 to consider the matters raised, including landscape and visual effects.

Photomontage view

This photomontage is based upon Ordnance Survey data with spot heights at 50m intervals and does not precisely model small scale changes in landform or sharp breaks in slope. The model of turbine shown is similar to that proposed for the development.

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Location Plan - 1:50,000 scale

Digital SLR, 50mm

450mm

1.6m

149.5 \ 93m

Nearest turbine:

Photo date / time:

Camera & Lens:

Angle (width):

Viewing Distance:

Viewer Height:

Elevation (AOD):

Grid Reference:

Visible hubs:

Blade Tip\Nacelle Height:

SOUTH KYLEWIND FARM

Viewpoint Information

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital map data © Crown Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

© Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd 2013

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FIGURE 9.9.34

Figure9.9.34

6.37km, T4

27/09/2012 08:30

90°, turbines occupy - 28°

229.41m

259695, 612147

Viewpoint 12: B741 at Bankglen

W 280 290 300 310 NW 320 330 340 350 N 10 20 30 40 NE 50 60 70 80 ES 190 200 210 220 SW 230 240 250 260 100 110 120 130 SE 140 150 160 170 S W190 200 210 220 SW 230 240 250 260E 100 110 120 130 SE 140 150 160 170

South Kyle Wind Farm:Landscape-led design strategy in action

Photomontage view

This photomontage is based upon Ordnance Survey data with spot heights at 50m intervals and does not precisely model small scale changes in landform or sharp breaks in slope. The model of turbine shown is similar to that proposed for the development.

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Location Plan - 1:50,000 scale

Digital SLR, 50mm

450mm

1.6m

149.5 \ 93m

Nearest turbine:

Photo date / time:

Camera & Lens:

Angle (width):

Viewing Distance:

Viewer Height:

Elevation (AOD):

Grid Reference:

Visible hubs:

Blade Tip\Nacelle Height:

SOUTH KYLEWIND FARM

Viewpoint Information

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital map data © Crown Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

© Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd 2013

Drg NoRevBy SR

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50

FIGURE 9.7.29

Figure9.7.29

4.22km, T37

21/09/2012 11:00

90°, turbines occupy - 36°

790.02m

259348, 598165

Viewpoint 16: Cairnsmore of Carsphairn

W 280 290 300 310 NW 320 330 340 350 N 10 20 30 40 NE 50 60 70 80 ES 190 200 210 220 SW 230 240 250 260 100 110 120 130 SE 140 150 160 170 S W190 200 210 220 SW 230 240 250 260E 100 110 120 130 SE 140 150 160 170

1 Photomontage2 Detailed ZTV study illustrating visibility from Dalmellington

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0 300m

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SOUTH KYLE WIND FARM

Appendix 2 Detailed ZTV - Dalmellington and Burnton

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LEGEND

PROJECT TITLE

DRAWING TITLE

ISSUED BYDATESCALE @A3STATUS

DRAWNCHECKEDAPPROVED

T:

No dimensions are to be scaled from this drawing.All dimensions are to be checked on site.Area measurements for indicative purposes only.

© LDA Design Consulting Ltd. Quality Assured to BS EN ISO 9001 : 2008

Sources:

0100031673. This drawing may contain: Ordnance Survey material by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright, All rights reserved. 2015 Reference number OS Open data / © Natural England / © DEFRA / © DECC / © English Heritage. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2015 | Aerial Photography - World Imagery: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community

This drawing is based upon computer generated Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV)studies produced using the viewshed routine in the ESRI ArcGIS Suite. The areasshown are the maximum theoretical visibility, taking into account topography,woodlands, major hedgerows and buildings which have been included in the modelwith the heights obtained from an aerial photography derived digital surface model.

Due to its resolution, the surface model does not take into account every localisedfeature such as walls, small hedgerows or small trees and therefore only gives animpression of the extent of visibility.

The ZTV includes an adjustment that allows for Earth’s curvature and lightrefraction. It is based on Surface Model Terrain with a 2m2 resolution.

Theoretical Hub Visibility (93m)

Theoretical Blade Tip Visibility (149.5m)

Dallmellington

Burnton

2

Our evidence at the Public Inquiry provided a clear description of the design process, to demonstrate the mitigation of impacts.

All of the landscape and visual matters raised by objectors were also addressed in detail, including effects on the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park and observatory; visibility from nearby settlements and impacts on views from Loch Doon - a local beauty spot valued for wild camping and walking.

The Scottish Government consented the wind farm in late 2017, fully adopting the Reporters’ conclusions that “the effects on settlements are minimised, the qualities of the Doon Valley and Southern Uplands SLCAs are left intact, unacceptable physical change to the landscape is not caused, and there would not be an unacceptably adverse effect on the amenity of local communities or the character or interest of the landscape.”