Global climate change is widely recognised as being one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today. How we source our energy plays a big part in tackling climate change. As a net off-setter of carbon, wind energy therefore helps to reduce carbon emissions, and can also play a big part in ensuring security of energy supply, as other sources of energy are depleted or become less accessible due to geo-political change.
LUC was commissioned to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of two wind farm schemes in Carmarthenshire, Brechfa Forest East and Brechfa Forest West. If approved, the two wind farms would together be capable of generating enough power to meet the average energy needs of around 55,400 UK households*.
LUC coordinated all aspects of the EIA, which involved extensive survey and assessment work and numerous specialists. In particular we managed a wide suite of ecological surveys, including assessing the site for its potential to support protected species such as polecat, pine marten, bats, dormice and birds such as nightjar. LUC Ecologists prepared a draft Habitat Management Plan as part of the ES, and our LVIA team undertook a detailed assessment of landscape and visual impacts, including in relation to residential properties in the vicinity of the site. We also carried out high-level assessments of the proposed offsite access route and an indicative grid connection route, and managed specialists in identifying potential borrow pit locations within the site.
The project culminated in the preparation of two Environmental Statements, following best practice guidance and meeting the requirements of the relevant EIA Regulations — Town and Country Planning and the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), for Brechfa Forest East and West respectively. Brechfa Forest West will be one of the first projects to go through the newly created IPC process, which provided an additional yet exciting challenge to an already multifaceted project.
The sites were complex in nature — both are on land managed by Forestry Commission Wales on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government, and there is also considerable wildlife interest. This complexity made it a challenging yet really rewarding project, and feedback from the client was extremely positive.
* Equivalent homes supplied is based on an annual electricity consumption per home of 4700 kWh. This figure is supported by recent domestic electricity consumption data available from The Digest of UK Energy Statistics and household estimates and projections from the UK Statistics Authority.
