Slide 1: Annex 1 Pre-application Presentation and THC Response Pack
Annex 1 Pre-application Presentation and THC Response Pack
Slide 2: Phillips Mains BESS Pre-Application Consultation
Phillips Mains BESS Pre-Application Consultation Meeting with THC and Stakeholders Client: SAE 18th April 2023 CONFIDENTIAL | 1
Slide 3: Agenda
Agenda - Introductions - The Proposed Development and Site - Policy and Targets - Initial Feasibility Study - Preferred Locations - Landscape and Visual - Environmental Assessment - Proposed Approach and Timeline CONFIDENTIAL | 2
Slide 4: SAE - Introduction
SAE - Introduction ⎻ SAE has been at the forefront of developing new, sustainable energy projects for many years. ⎻ SAE’s sustainable energy projects contribute towards tackling climate change and protecting the planet. ⎻ SAE is the owner/operator of the 6MW tidal stream project currently operating
Slide 5: SAE – Uskmouth BESS site
SAE – Uskmouth BESS site • One of the UK’s largest BESS projects, located at Uskmouth Power Station in Newport • Screened as non EIA, planning permission (22/0823) acquired Dec 2022 • Application Type: Full (Major) Uskmouth Power Station, West Nash Road, Nash, Newport, South Wales, NP18 2BZ, • Enabl
Slide 6: Further Introductions
Further Introductions - Formed in 2013. Delivered, or are currently working on, EIAs and environmental planning support for a number of BESS sites in Scotland/the UK. Team have experience collectively of working on many more in previous employment. - Current BESS projects include: - Whitehill, c.200
Slide 7: Proposed Development
Proposed Development ⎻ Electricity generating station with a capacity greater than 50MW (requires consent from Scottish Ministers via the ECU). ⎻ Containerised battery units c. 2.6 m high, with a likely site area of 10 ha. ⎻ Building to house a 132 kV transformer (c. 6 m high) ⎻ Proposed to connect
Slide 8: The Site
The Site ⎻ Approx. 800 - 1,500 m southeast of the small village of Mey, Caithness, close to Phillips Mains Farm. ⎻ A mixture of arable land, grassland. ⎻ Mostly flat land, with slightly steeper terrain towards the south of the site. ⎻ Field drains north and centre of the site and along north-eastern
Slide 9: Policy & Targets
Policy & Targets - Contribution towards wider climate change and renewable energy targets. - Scotland’s greenhouse gas and energy production targets: • 100% reduction in GHG emissions to Net Zero by 2045. • Interim targets for GHG emission reductions: • 75% by 2030 • 90% by 2040 - Highland Council P
Slide 10: Initial Feasibility Study
Initial Feasibility Study ⎻ Review and analysis of ecological & heritage designations, watercourses, peatland, physical and technical constraints, residential receptors, as well as a suggestion of preferred locations within the Site for development. ⎻ Assessment of landscape character and designatio
Slide 11: Possible Locations
Possible Locations Key considerations in determining preferred location: - Topography / slope - Watercourses - Preliminary Ecological Appraisal - Closest residential properties - Confirmation of any areas of peat - Feedback from statutory, technical and community consultees. Onsite constraints and p
Slide 12: Landscape Character
Landscape Character Site located within Farmed Lowland Plains LCT, Sweeping Moorland and Flows LCT to the south. CONFIDENTIAL | 11
Slide 13: Landscape Character
Landscape Character ⎻ Farmed Lowland Plains LCT ⎻ Key characteristics (NatureScot 2019): • ‘A generally open, low-lying plain…agriculture the predominant land cover.’ • ‘Larger conifer woodlands located at the transition with the Sweeping Moorland and Flows.’ • ‘Farm buildings…clusters of croft hous
Slide 14: Landscape Designations
Landscape Designations No national or local landscape designations. Castle of Mey Garden and Designed Landscape (GDL) is located 1.2km to the north, also localised areas of Ancient Woodland. CONFIDENTIAL | 13
Slide 15: Landscape Context
Landscape Context ⎻ Local Context ⎻ The Site comprises pastoral farmland demarcated by drystone walls, open in character. ⎻ Terrain within the northern part of the Site is flat (ranging from 41m AOD to 50m AOD). The southern part of the Site is gently sloping, and rises to 77m AOD. ⎻ The surrounding
Slide 16: Cumulative Context
Cumulative Context ⎻ Existing Infrastructure: • Lochend Wind Farm (4no turbines) 2.4 km to the southwest; • Rattar Mains Turbine (1no turbine) 4.0 km to the northwest; • Masts at Brabstermire, 2.6 km to the southeast, and at Barrock, 3.8 km to the west. ⎻ Future Baseline Development • 132kV Switchin
Slide 17: Site Analysis
Site Analysis CONFIDENTIAL | 16
Slide 18: Visual Analysis
Visual Analysis Theoretical visibility based on building height of 6.0m at location shown. . ZTV coverage is focused to the north and west. Potential views would be subject to screening by intervening forestry around the Site. CONFIDENTIAL | 17
Slide 19: Residential Receptors
Residential Receptors Settlement is limited to dispersed houses and small hamlets. Philip Mains represents the closest property to the Site (located to the east). CONFIDENTIAL | 18
Slide 20: Key Routes
Key Routes NCN1 ‘Inverness to John O’ Groats’ cycle route, extends along north edge of the Site. The ‘North Coast 500’ extends along the A836, to the north. Also parts of the local Core Path network. CONFIDENTIAL | 19
Slide 21: Visual Context Summary
Visual Context Summary ⎻ Key Views into the Site: • The Site is contained by surrounding tree cover and landform to the west, south and east. • Key views are likely to be experienced by receptors located to the north. • The ZTV illustrates potential longer distance views from more distant vantage po
Slide 22: Provisional Viewpoints
Provisional Viewpoints 1. Minor Road near Philip Mains 2. NCN 1 near East lodge 3. A836 (North Coast 500) at Mey 4. A836 (North Coast 500) at East Mey 5. Minor road on edge of Castle of Mey GDL . CONFIDENTIAL | 21
Slide 23: Landscape Mitigation
Landscape Mitigation CONFIDENTIAL | 22
Slide 24: Landscape Mitigation
Landscape Mitigation ⎻ Tree / Hedge Planting: Mixed native species in accordance with the surrounding context, with input from project ecologist to further increase biodiversity value. ⎻ Ground Cover Planting: Reinstatement to native ground cover in accordance with surrounding landscape context, wit
Slide 25: Wider Environmental Assessment
Wider Environmental Assessment To address: ⎻ EIA Screening ⎻ Assessment of potential significant effects, mitigation measures, residual effects. ⎻ Cumulative assessment Key Technical topics: - Landscape and Visual - Ecology and Nature Conservation - Archaeology and Cultural Heritage - Hydrology, Geo
Slide 26: Ecology
Ecology - Some ecological designations (SSSIs, SPAs, SACs, Ramsar and Ancient Woodland sites) within 5 km of the site, but none on-site and no significant effects on these receptors are anticipated. - Proposed mitigation and enhancement: • Biodiversity Net Gain; • Planting for biodiversity; • Exact
Slide 27: Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage No archaeology and cultural heritage sites directly on site. - Listed Buildings: • Closest are Category A c.1.5 km north and Category B c.1.4 km north. - Garden and Designed Landscape: • Castle of Mey (Barrogill Castle) Garden and Designed Landscape – c.1.1 km north
Slide 28: Hydrology, Geology, Hydrogeology and Peat
Hydrology, Geology, Hydrogeology and Peat - Hydrology: • Drains in north and central parts of site and along north-eastern boundary. • Small watercourses close to site(medium to high likelihood of flooding - SEPA Online Flood Map). • 50m buffer for all watercourses. - Peat: • No Class 2 peat in the
Slide 29: National Scale Land Capability for Agriculture (Online Map)
National Scale Land Capability for Agriculture (Online Map) CONFIDENTIAL | 28
Slide 30: Traffic, Transport and Access
Traffic, Transport and Access ⎻ Access from minor road to the north or Phillips Mains access road. ⎻ A836 – nearest A-road ⎻ Some minor increase to local traffic levels during construction, to be managed by a Construction Traffic Management Plan. ⎻ Negligible increase to traffic levels during operat
Slide 31: Noise
Noise ⎻ Construction phase: ⎻ Temporary in duration, to be managed by a Construction Environmental Management Plan. ⎻ Operational phase: ⎻ Potential for tonal humming from equipment, hence 300m buffer for all residential properties. ⎻ Residential properties: • Phillips Mains Farm adjacent. • Cumulat
Slide 32: Proposed Approach and Timeline
Proposed Approach and Timeline ⎻ Pre-application consultation meeting with THC and stakeholders: 18th April 2023. - Feedback from the pre-application meeting. - Prepare screening report. - Feedback from the screening report (EIA or non-EIA development). - Commence survey work and writing up of repor
Slide 33: Questions and Discussion
Questions and Discussion Thank you for your attention. CONFIDENTIAL | 32
Slide 34: Appendix: Ecological & Heritage Designations
Appendix: Ecological & Heritage Designations - Ecological designations within 5 km from the site: • Phillips Mains Mire SSSI, designated for its nationally important blanket bog - c. 460 m southeast from the site; • Loch of Mey SSSI, Caithness Lochs SPA and Ramsar (all overlapping), designated for v
Slide 35: Appendix: Ecological & Heritage Designations
Appendix: Ecological & Heritage Designations -Scheduled Monuments (SMs): • Mey Battery (nearest), remains of a coastal artillery battery constructed around 1866 - located c. 2 km northwest from the site; • St John’s Point Promontory Fort, located c. 2.8 km north from the site; • Scarfskerry, remains
Slide 36: Pre-Application Advice for Major Developments
PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE FOR MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS Date of Reference no: 23/00635/PREMAJ 16 May 2023 Issue: Battery Energy Storage Land 500M West Of Philips Mains Proposal: Address: System (BESS) Mey Email and Case officer: Mark Fitzpatrick Mark.Fitzpatrick@highland.gov.uk phone no: Confidentiality Yes R
Slide 37: Summary of Key Issues
Summary of Key Issues Note: Maps provided in the advice pack by the Council use the pre-application boundary provided by the developer with the pre-application submission. However, as mentioned at the pre-application meeting, it is noted that the boundary shown within the developer’s presentation at
Slide 38: Site Constraints Map, Built Heritage, Carbon and Peatland
Site Constraints Map Built Heritage Carbon and Peatland Page 3 of 31 PMAJRESPACK
Slide 39: Development Context, Wind Turbine Mapping, Flood Risk
Development Context Wind Turbine Mapping Flood Risk Page 4 of 31 PMAJRESPACK
Slide 40: Natural Heritage, Outdoor Access
Natural Heritage Outdoor Access Page 5 of 31 PMAJRESPACK
Slide 41: Woodland
Woodland Page 6 of 31 PMAJRESPACK
Slide 42: Supporting Information Requirements
Supporting Information Requirements Abnormal Load Assessment X Open Space Strategy Access Management Plan Operational Noise Assessment X Arboricultural Impact Assessment Peat Management Plan X Archaeological Site Investigations X Planning Statement Assessment of Impact on Historic Pre-Application Co
Slide 43: Planning history
Planning history Previous Reference Description Date of Decision Outcome Construct a new SCREENING 132kV/33kV substation 12/02137/SCRE 22 June 2012 APPLICATION EIA NOT and assiciated REQUIRED infrastructure. Erection of 132/33kV PENDING 14/00972/PAN Insulated Switchgear CONSIDERATION Substation Form
Slide 44: Planning Policy
associated infrastructure Construct and operate a 132 kilovolt (kV) PERMISSION 21/05536/FUL 26 July 2022 switching station and GRANTED associated infrastructure Planning Policy Highland-wide Local Development Plan (Adopted 2012) Policy 28 - Sustainable Design (there is Supplementary Guidance related
Slide 45: Policy Appraisal
Sustainable Design Guide (Jan 2013) Scottish Planning Policy and Guidance Developer Contributions (November 2018) Flood Risk & Drainage Impact Assessment (Jan 2013) Green Networks (Jan 2013) Highland Historic Environment Strategy (Jan 2013) Highland's Statutorily Protected Species (March 2013) Highl
Slide 46: National Planning Framework 4 policy context
proposals exceeding 50 MW capacity. Therefore, the pre-application proposal's envisaged total capacity (as indicated in presentation for the pre-application meeting on 18 April 2023) of greater than 50 MW means that it would be national development. The spatial strategy reflects existing legislation
Slide 47: NPF4 and HwLDP policies
avoidance as a first principle and reducing the vulnerability of existing and future development to flooding. Policy 23: Health and safety intends to protect people and places from environmental harm, mitigate risks arising from safety hazards and encourage, promote and facilitate development that i
Slide 48: Development plan review
Other key policies from HwLDP may also be relevant to this proposal, including those referred to specifically in the advice pack and those listed above. Note: The Council began a review of HwLDP, with the publication of the Main Issues Report in September 2015 and subsequent consideration of comment
Slide 49: Principle of Development
https://www.gov.scot/publications/draft-energy-strategy-transition-plan/ However, notwithstanding that and NPF4's strong position of 'in principle' support for energy storage in Policy 11, it appears that such developments should still be located, sited and designed appropriately and thus comply wit
Slide 50: Proposal and site description
• Laying out of a hard surfaced site access into the BESS substation and battery compound from the local road network. Car parking bays. Uncompacted gravel as a surface cover between the containerised units and equipment. Construction laydown area; • Landscaping (including Biodiversity Net Gain). Th
Slide 51: Energy, Design Life and Decommissioning
Energy The Council’s Sustainable Design Guide SG provides advice and guidance on a range of sustainability topics, including design, building materials and minimising environmental impacts of development. A Sustainable Design Statement is required. The Council encourage the inclusion of electric car
Slide 52: Peatland and carbon rich soils
guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/peatland-survey-guidance. Where proposals are on peatland or carbon rich soils the following should be submitted and we would welcome the opportunity to comment on the draft submission: a. layout plans showing all permanent and temporary infrastructure, wi
Slide 53: Peat re-use and protected species
identified locations where the addition of excavated peat will enhance the wider site into a functional peatland system capable of achieving carbon sequestration. The following information is required: • Location plan of the proposed peatland re-use restoration area(s), clearly showing the size of i
Slide 54: Phillips Mains Mire SSSI
mitigated. However, this will need to be assessed as part of a Habitats Regulations Appraisal and any future planning application should provide sufficient detail to inform such an assessment. Phillips Mains Mire SSSI The SSSI is protected for its blanket bog habitat and lies approximately 450m from
Slide 55: Biodiversity Enhancement and Management
application and further advice can be sought from the Council's Ecology Officer and NatureScot. Guidance has also been prepared by NatureScot for achieving biodiversity enhancement in recently published NatureScot Developing with Nature Guidance (2023). Biodiversity Enhancement and Management In ord
Slide 56: Operational Noise
Operational Noise Any application would require to be accompanied by a noise impact assessment which should include but is not limited to the following: • A description of the proposed development in terms of noise sources A plan showing the location of noise sources, noise sensitive premises and su
Slide 57: Construction traffic and abnormal loads
undertaken. The review should include swept path assessment and consideration of any structures along the route. A trial run to demonstrate the suitability of the route may also be required. Early consultation with the Council's Structures Section is recommended with regard to any Council maintained
Slide 58: Transport Statement requirements
operation periods to provide accurate data resulting from the proposed development, including: • Nos. of light and heavy vehicles, including staff travel • Abnormal loads • Duration of works 4. Current traffic flows including use by public transport services, school buses, refuse vehicles, commercia
Slide 59: Water Environment and Flood Risk
Water Environment Flood Risk SEPA's online strategic flood mapping shows that the site lies outwith any indicated areas of fluvial or coastal flooding during a 1 in 200 year return period storm event. This suggests that the flood risk from these sources may be low. SEPA's online strategic flood mapp
Slide 60: Built and Cultural Heritage
Built and Cultural Heritage Impact on the Historic Environment, Historic Environment Scotland We understand that the proposal is to construct and operate a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The BESS would be located in the NE corner of the boundary and would be mainly composed of containerised b
Slide 61: Developer Contributions
Agreements). This assessment is made against NPF4 Policy 18 (Infrastructure First), HwLDP Policy 31: Developer Contributions, our Developer Contributions Supplementary Guidance and our most recently published Caithness and Sutherland Delivery Programme (2023). There may be additional obligations tha
Slide 62: Community engagement and SEPA advice
• Working with others • Improvement • Feedback • Monitoring and evaluation It is advisable to take into consideration all of the comments made by members of the public before a planning application is submitted to ensure that the public feel they have had an influence over the proposals. For public
Slide 63: Application Procedures and Processing Agreements
Telford House, Williamson Street, Wick, KW1 5ES Telephone: (01955) 609962. For general advice in relation to the removal of barriers and the promotion of equal access for all people affected by disability for your development contact the Scottish Disability Equality Forum, 12 Enterprise House, Sprin
Slide 64: Council and agency contacts
Transport Planning - Fred McIntosh fred.mcintosh@highland.gov.uk Ecology – Karen Couper Karen.couper@highland.gov.uk Development Plans – David Cowie david.cowie@highland.gov.uk Environmental Health Officer – Philip Dent Philip.dent@highland.gov.uk SEPA – Clare Pritchett Clare.Pritchett@sepa.org.uk S
Slide 65: Useful Weblinks
Useful Weblinks The Highland Council Development Plans https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/178/local_and_statutory_development_plans Highland Council Supplementary and Development Guidance Listed by Category: https://www.highland.gov.uk/directory/52/development_guidance Siting and Design Quality: THC S
Slide 66: SEPA and historic environment links
https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/water/small-scale-sewage-discharges/ You can view SEPA's flood risk map here: https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/flooding/flood-maps/ CAR Licensing - https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/34761/car_a_practical_guide.pdf Historic Environment The Highland Historic En