17
Blackhillock Substation Expansion Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement April 2012
Blackhillock Substation
Expansion
NonshyTechnical Summary
of the Environmental Statement
April 2012
BLACKHILLOCK SUBSTATION EXPANSION
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
This document is the Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement (ES) for the expansion of Blackhillock Substation near Keith in Moray which is proposed by Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited (SHETL1) a subsidiary of SSE plc (Scottish and Southern Energy) This Non-Technical Summary presents an overview of the project proposals and their need the key findings of the ES including any predicted significant environmental effects of the project and where further information may be obtained about the project and the planning application
SHETL is upgrading the electricity transmission infrastructure in the north of Scotland and the proposal is for the expansion of Blackhillock Substation (see Figure 1) which is part of a group of projects known as the Caithness Moray Shetland High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) proposals (CMS) Construction activities by the chosen contractor would begin following discharge of the planning consent conditions with The Moray Council (TMC) and other relevant statutory authorities Works would be expected to take some four years to complete
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
SHETL is submitting three planning applications to TMC under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 to meet current transmission requirements The applications are for
bull the expansion and development works at Blackhillock Substation
bull a construction compound to the east of the substation site and
bull public road improvements on the access road to the substation
The environmental impacts of the substation expansion proposals have been considered under The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (the EIA Regulations) because of the scale of the proposals and the potential for significant environmental effects As part of the EIA process the potential impacts of the construction compound and the public road improvements have also been considered because they are important works required to facilitate the expansion proposals The ES reports the findings of the EIA of all three proposals including any combined effects
In 2010 SHETL obtained outline planning consent for a platform and converter station at Blackhillock The current application for expansion of Blackhillock Substation is needed because there are some changes to the proposals which were granted outline consent
1 Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited (SHETL) owns and maintains the 400kV 275kV and 132kV
electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland SHETL is owned by Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution which is a trading name of SSE Power Distribution Limited
I SHETL
DRAWN BY CHECKED BY DATE
Blackhillock Substation
macr
NTS Figure1 Site Location
0 05 1 15 025
Km
Environmental Statement
AG 03042012 AS
Key
Site Boundary
Construction Compound Boundary
Public Road Improvements (U43(H))
The findings of the EIA and details about the project including mitigation commitments (measures that would be implemented to avoid reduce or remedy adverse environmental impacts) are presented in an ES This Non-Technical Summary summarises the findings of the EIA and other key information contained in the ES
The EIA has been informed by consultations which have been used to help develop the design of the proposals by ensuring that wherever possible adverse effects on people and on the natural and cultural environment would be avoided and environmental benefits delivered
PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION (PAC)
The project is defined as a major project under the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 Therefore pre-application consultation (PAC) between the developer and the local community has been carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations The PAC procedures were agreed with TMC They included public exhibitions in Keith on 9th February 2012 as well as informing Keith and Strathisla Community Councils
NEED FOR THE PROPOSALS
SHETL has developed the Blackhillock Substation proposals as a response to its statutory obligations as the holder of a Transmission Licence under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1989 Development of the transmission infrastructure requires new connections to be made at Blackhillock for projects including
bull an HVDC connection to enable increasing renewable electricity generation from the Caithness and Shetland areas to be connected to the existing transmission network
bull the Beatrice 1 Giga Watt (GW) offshore wind generation development in the Moray Firth and
bull the East Coast 400kV transmission line project
The establishment of an HVDC export grid system is preferred by SHETL over further expansion of the onshore high-voltage alternating current system which uses overhead lines and lattice steel towers The use of an HVDC export grid system from Shetland and Caithness requires a converter station at Blackhillock Substation and other associated electrical infrastructure
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objectives which have been defined to underpin the development of the proposals are as follows
bull to safely construct and operate an expanded substation with a design life of at least 40 years
bull to integrate successfully with other land uses in the area taking account of landowner interests
ii SHETL
bull to safeguard the quality of surface and groundwater
bull to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of the area where practicable
bull to integrate the design with the landscape and reduce visual impacts as far as practicable considering other design and operational constraints
bull to be a well maintained and sustainable development contributing to the delivery of UK and Scottish renewable energy and carbon reduction targets2 and
bull to produce a robust cost effective design that is transferable to construction whilst taking account of environmental constraints3
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives have been considered in relation to
bull the design development strategy for grid connection generally between Shetland and the Scottish mainland and
bull the proposed site at Blackhillock Substation
The initial work involved a detailed search and appraisal of alternative routes and landfall points to connect a converter station on Shetland with grid network substations on the Scottish mainland The option which best satisfied SHETLrsquos licence obligations was a converter station in the Kergord Valley in Shetland with underground HVDC cable and a subsea HVDC cable to a landfall on the Moray coast at Portgordon West and from there by underground HVDC cables to a converter station site adjacent to the existing Blackhillock Substation
At Blackhillock the site layout has been revised based on use of the 2009 platform which formed the application for outline permission granted in 2010 but it was found that the platform and development boundary was not sufficiently sized to accommodate all current requirements
The proposed expanded substation development boundary is situated on agricultural and former forestry land which provides the scope and space required for the expansion beyond the 2009 application As part of the previous planning application other sites were considered briefly and rejected Alternatives outwith this location were not considered to be viable since the electricity infrastructure already exists at Blackhillock Substation and it was considered that the works required to connect the existing overhead transmission infrastructure to a new site in the vicinity would be likely to have more environmental impact
THE PROPOSALS
The proposed site is situated approximately 2km to the south of Keith set within agricultural land between the A96 trunk road to the east and the B9014 to the west (see Figure 1) The substation is located at the western end of the U43(H) road which meets the A96 approximately 1km to the east of the site The general area in the vicinity of the site includes a number of scattered residential properties and commercial operations including two quarries adjacent to the U43(H) road There is one small area of woodland Cairds Wood adjacent to the western edge of the site boundary and other areas of plantation forestry close by
The key elements of the proposed substation expansion development are
2 The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets a CO2 reduction target for the year 2050 an interim target for the
year 2020 and makes provisions for annual targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 3
Including potential impacts on people and the natural and cultural heritage
iii SHETL
bull construction of a development platform
bull an HVDC converter station located in a building
bull 400kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 132kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 275kV air insulated switchgear (AIS) on an open platform
bull two 400275kV and four 275132kV transformers
bull four 24m high lightning conductors
bull a control room
bull a storage building
bull ancillary electrical equipment and
bull other site works including drainage access landscaping fencing and lighting
The expanded substation would continue to provide electrical switching and transformers to supply alternating current (AC) power at appropriate voltages for the overhead transmission lines which currently connect with Blackhillock Substation The proposed HVDC converter station is part of an HVDC network and would be connected to other HVDC converters in Caithness and Shetland via a direct current (DC) cable system An indicative site layout plan is shown in Figure 2
In addition wider development proposals would include
bull establishment of the temporary construction compound and facilities for construction workers immediately to the east of the substation boundary
bull improvements to the public road access to the substation and
bull temporary diversion of an overhead transmission line around the north and east of the substation site during construction
The existing substation would be demolished
DELIVERING THE PROPOSALS
If at the conclusion of the statutory process it is found that the proposals should be taken forward SHETL would select a contractor to construct the expanded substation following a competitive tendering process The chosen contractor would be required to construct the works in accordance with the contract which would include the committed environmental mitigation measures described in the ES
Where details of the project have still to be finalised assumptions have been made in the ES to allow potential impacts to be considered and appropriate mitigation to be identified If as the detailed proposals are developed changes are made to the proposals that have the potential to cause any significant effects which are considered greater than those reported in the ES then further mitigation would be identified and agreed with the relevant statutory bodies or an addendum to the ES would be published for public consultation and comment and further consideration by TMC
CONSTRUCTION
The proposals would take some four years to build including site clearance and earthworks construction of the development platform installation and commissioning of the buildings and electrical equipment demolition of the existing substation and landscaping and reinstatement of the site Normal construction working hours would be agreed with TMC Planning Department before construction begins but are likely to be weekday hours of 0700 to 1900 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 or until it gets too dark to work in the winter At weekends the working hours will be approximately
iv SHETL
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
BLACKHILLOCK SUBSTATION EXPANSION
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
This document is the Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement (ES) for the expansion of Blackhillock Substation near Keith in Moray which is proposed by Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited (SHETL1) a subsidiary of SSE plc (Scottish and Southern Energy) This Non-Technical Summary presents an overview of the project proposals and their need the key findings of the ES including any predicted significant environmental effects of the project and where further information may be obtained about the project and the planning application
SHETL is upgrading the electricity transmission infrastructure in the north of Scotland and the proposal is for the expansion of Blackhillock Substation (see Figure 1) which is part of a group of projects known as the Caithness Moray Shetland High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) proposals (CMS) Construction activities by the chosen contractor would begin following discharge of the planning consent conditions with The Moray Council (TMC) and other relevant statutory authorities Works would be expected to take some four years to complete
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
SHETL is submitting three planning applications to TMC under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 to meet current transmission requirements The applications are for
bull the expansion and development works at Blackhillock Substation
bull a construction compound to the east of the substation site and
bull public road improvements on the access road to the substation
The environmental impacts of the substation expansion proposals have been considered under The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (the EIA Regulations) because of the scale of the proposals and the potential for significant environmental effects As part of the EIA process the potential impacts of the construction compound and the public road improvements have also been considered because they are important works required to facilitate the expansion proposals The ES reports the findings of the EIA of all three proposals including any combined effects
In 2010 SHETL obtained outline planning consent for a platform and converter station at Blackhillock The current application for expansion of Blackhillock Substation is needed because there are some changes to the proposals which were granted outline consent
1 Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited (SHETL) owns and maintains the 400kV 275kV and 132kV
electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland SHETL is owned by Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution which is a trading name of SSE Power Distribution Limited
I SHETL
DRAWN BY CHECKED BY DATE
Blackhillock Substation
macr
NTS Figure1 Site Location
0 05 1 15 025
Km
Environmental Statement
AG 03042012 AS
Key
Site Boundary
Construction Compound Boundary
Public Road Improvements (U43(H))
The findings of the EIA and details about the project including mitigation commitments (measures that would be implemented to avoid reduce or remedy adverse environmental impacts) are presented in an ES This Non-Technical Summary summarises the findings of the EIA and other key information contained in the ES
The EIA has been informed by consultations which have been used to help develop the design of the proposals by ensuring that wherever possible adverse effects on people and on the natural and cultural environment would be avoided and environmental benefits delivered
PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION (PAC)
The project is defined as a major project under the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 Therefore pre-application consultation (PAC) between the developer and the local community has been carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations The PAC procedures were agreed with TMC They included public exhibitions in Keith on 9th February 2012 as well as informing Keith and Strathisla Community Councils
NEED FOR THE PROPOSALS
SHETL has developed the Blackhillock Substation proposals as a response to its statutory obligations as the holder of a Transmission Licence under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1989 Development of the transmission infrastructure requires new connections to be made at Blackhillock for projects including
bull an HVDC connection to enable increasing renewable electricity generation from the Caithness and Shetland areas to be connected to the existing transmission network
bull the Beatrice 1 Giga Watt (GW) offshore wind generation development in the Moray Firth and
bull the East Coast 400kV transmission line project
The establishment of an HVDC export grid system is preferred by SHETL over further expansion of the onshore high-voltage alternating current system which uses overhead lines and lattice steel towers The use of an HVDC export grid system from Shetland and Caithness requires a converter station at Blackhillock Substation and other associated electrical infrastructure
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objectives which have been defined to underpin the development of the proposals are as follows
bull to safely construct and operate an expanded substation with a design life of at least 40 years
bull to integrate successfully with other land uses in the area taking account of landowner interests
ii SHETL
bull to safeguard the quality of surface and groundwater
bull to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of the area where practicable
bull to integrate the design with the landscape and reduce visual impacts as far as practicable considering other design and operational constraints
bull to be a well maintained and sustainable development contributing to the delivery of UK and Scottish renewable energy and carbon reduction targets2 and
bull to produce a robust cost effective design that is transferable to construction whilst taking account of environmental constraints3
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives have been considered in relation to
bull the design development strategy for grid connection generally between Shetland and the Scottish mainland and
bull the proposed site at Blackhillock Substation
The initial work involved a detailed search and appraisal of alternative routes and landfall points to connect a converter station on Shetland with grid network substations on the Scottish mainland The option which best satisfied SHETLrsquos licence obligations was a converter station in the Kergord Valley in Shetland with underground HVDC cable and a subsea HVDC cable to a landfall on the Moray coast at Portgordon West and from there by underground HVDC cables to a converter station site adjacent to the existing Blackhillock Substation
At Blackhillock the site layout has been revised based on use of the 2009 platform which formed the application for outline permission granted in 2010 but it was found that the platform and development boundary was not sufficiently sized to accommodate all current requirements
The proposed expanded substation development boundary is situated on agricultural and former forestry land which provides the scope and space required for the expansion beyond the 2009 application As part of the previous planning application other sites were considered briefly and rejected Alternatives outwith this location were not considered to be viable since the electricity infrastructure already exists at Blackhillock Substation and it was considered that the works required to connect the existing overhead transmission infrastructure to a new site in the vicinity would be likely to have more environmental impact
THE PROPOSALS
The proposed site is situated approximately 2km to the south of Keith set within agricultural land between the A96 trunk road to the east and the B9014 to the west (see Figure 1) The substation is located at the western end of the U43(H) road which meets the A96 approximately 1km to the east of the site The general area in the vicinity of the site includes a number of scattered residential properties and commercial operations including two quarries adjacent to the U43(H) road There is one small area of woodland Cairds Wood adjacent to the western edge of the site boundary and other areas of plantation forestry close by
The key elements of the proposed substation expansion development are
2 The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets a CO2 reduction target for the year 2050 an interim target for the
year 2020 and makes provisions for annual targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 3
Including potential impacts on people and the natural and cultural heritage
iii SHETL
bull construction of a development platform
bull an HVDC converter station located in a building
bull 400kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 132kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 275kV air insulated switchgear (AIS) on an open platform
bull two 400275kV and four 275132kV transformers
bull four 24m high lightning conductors
bull a control room
bull a storage building
bull ancillary electrical equipment and
bull other site works including drainage access landscaping fencing and lighting
The expanded substation would continue to provide electrical switching and transformers to supply alternating current (AC) power at appropriate voltages for the overhead transmission lines which currently connect with Blackhillock Substation The proposed HVDC converter station is part of an HVDC network and would be connected to other HVDC converters in Caithness and Shetland via a direct current (DC) cable system An indicative site layout plan is shown in Figure 2
In addition wider development proposals would include
bull establishment of the temporary construction compound and facilities for construction workers immediately to the east of the substation boundary
bull improvements to the public road access to the substation and
bull temporary diversion of an overhead transmission line around the north and east of the substation site during construction
The existing substation would be demolished
DELIVERING THE PROPOSALS
If at the conclusion of the statutory process it is found that the proposals should be taken forward SHETL would select a contractor to construct the expanded substation following a competitive tendering process The chosen contractor would be required to construct the works in accordance with the contract which would include the committed environmental mitigation measures described in the ES
Where details of the project have still to be finalised assumptions have been made in the ES to allow potential impacts to be considered and appropriate mitigation to be identified If as the detailed proposals are developed changes are made to the proposals that have the potential to cause any significant effects which are considered greater than those reported in the ES then further mitigation would be identified and agreed with the relevant statutory bodies or an addendum to the ES would be published for public consultation and comment and further consideration by TMC
CONSTRUCTION
The proposals would take some four years to build including site clearance and earthworks construction of the development platform installation and commissioning of the buildings and electrical equipment demolition of the existing substation and landscaping and reinstatement of the site Normal construction working hours would be agreed with TMC Planning Department before construction begins but are likely to be weekday hours of 0700 to 1900 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 or until it gets too dark to work in the winter At weekends the working hours will be approximately
iv SHETL
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
DRAWN BY CHECKED BY DATE
Blackhillock Substation
macr
NTS Figure1 Site Location
0 05 1 15 025
Km
Environmental Statement
AG 03042012 AS
Key
Site Boundary
Construction Compound Boundary
Public Road Improvements (U43(H))
The findings of the EIA and details about the project including mitigation commitments (measures that would be implemented to avoid reduce or remedy adverse environmental impacts) are presented in an ES This Non-Technical Summary summarises the findings of the EIA and other key information contained in the ES
The EIA has been informed by consultations which have been used to help develop the design of the proposals by ensuring that wherever possible adverse effects on people and on the natural and cultural environment would be avoided and environmental benefits delivered
PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION (PAC)
The project is defined as a major project under the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 Therefore pre-application consultation (PAC) between the developer and the local community has been carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations The PAC procedures were agreed with TMC They included public exhibitions in Keith on 9th February 2012 as well as informing Keith and Strathisla Community Councils
NEED FOR THE PROPOSALS
SHETL has developed the Blackhillock Substation proposals as a response to its statutory obligations as the holder of a Transmission Licence under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1989 Development of the transmission infrastructure requires new connections to be made at Blackhillock for projects including
bull an HVDC connection to enable increasing renewable electricity generation from the Caithness and Shetland areas to be connected to the existing transmission network
bull the Beatrice 1 Giga Watt (GW) offshore wind generation development in the Moray Firth and
bull the East Coast 400kV transmission line project
The establishment of an HVDC export grid system is preferred by SHETL over further expansion of the onshore high-voltage alternating current system which uses overhead lines and lattice steel towers The use of an HVDC export grid system from Shetland and Caithness requires a converter station at Blackhillock Substation and other associated electrical infrastructure
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objectives which have been defined to underpin the development of the proposals are as follows
bull to safely construct and operate an expanded substation with a design life of at least 40 years
bull to integrate successfully with other land uses in the area taking account of landowner interests
ii SHETL
bull to safeguard the quality of surface and groundwater
bull to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of the area where practicable
bull to integrate the design with the landscape and reduce visual impacts as far as practicable considering other design and operational constraints
bull to be a well maintained and sustainable development contributing to the delivery of UK and Scottish renewable energy and carbon reduction targets2 and
bull to produce a robust cost effective design that is transferable to construction whilst taking account of environmental constraints3
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives have been considered in relation to
bull the design development strategy for grid connection generally between Shetland and the Scottish mainland and
bull the proposed site at Blackhillock Substation
The initial work involved a detailed search and appraisal of alternative routes and landfall points to connect a converter station on Shetland with grid network substations on the Scottish mainland The option which best satisfied SHETLrsquos licence obligations was a converter station in the Kergord Valley in Shetland with underground HVDC cable and a subsea HVDC cable to a landfall on the Moray coast at Portgordon West and from there by underground HVDC cables to a converter station site adjacent to the existing Blackhillock Substation
At Blackhillock the site layout has been revised based on use of the 2009 platform which formed the application for outline permission granted in 2010 but it was found that the platform and development boundary was not sufficiently sized to accommodate all current requirements
The proposed expanded substation development boundary is situated on agricultural and former forestry land which provides the scope and space required for the expansion beyond the 2009 application As part of the previous planning application other sites were considered briefly and rejected Alternatives outwith this location were not considered to be viable since the electricity infrastructure already exists at Blackhillock Substation and it was considered that the works required to connect the existing overhead transmission infrastructure to a new site in the vicinity would be likely to have more environmental impact
THE PROPOSALS
The proposed site is situated approximately 2km to the south of Keith set within agricultural land between the A96 trunk road to the east and the B9014 to the west (see Figure 1) The substation is located at the western end of the U43(H) road which meets the A96 approximately 1km to the east of the site The general area in the vicinity of the site includes a number of scattered residential properties and commercial operations including two quarries adjacent to the U43(H) road There is one small area of woodland Cairds Wood adjacent to the western edge of the site boundary and other areas of plantation forestry close by
The key elements of the proposed substation expansion development are
2 The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets a CO2 reduction target for the year 2050 an interim target for the
year 2020 and makes provisions for annual targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 3
Including potential impacts on people and the natural and cultural heritage
iii SHETL
bull construction of a development platform
bull an HVDC converter station located in a building
bull 400kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 132kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 275kV air insulated switchgear (AIS) on an open platform
bull two 400275kV and four 275132kV transformers
bull four 24m high lightning conductors
bull a control room
bull a storage building
bull ancillary electrical equipment and
bull other site works including drainage access landscaping fencing and lighting
The expanded substation would continue to provide electrical switching and transformers to supply alternating current (AC) power at appropriate voltages for the overhead transmission lines which currently connect with Blackhillock Substation The proposed HVDC converter station is part of an HVDC network and would be connected to other HVDC converters in Caithness and Shetland via a direct current (DC) cable system An indicative site layout plan is shown in Figure 2
In addition wider development proposals would include
bull establishment of the temporary construction compound and facilities for construction workers immediately to the east of the substation boundary
bull improvements to the public road access to the substation and
bull temporary diversion of an overhead transmission line around the north and east of the substation site during construction
The existing substation would be demolished
DELIVERING THE PROPOSALS
If at the conclusion of the statutory process it is found that the proposals should be taken forward SHETL would select a contractor to construct the expanded substation following a competitive tendering process The chosen contractor would be required to construct the works in accordance with the contract which would include the committed environmental mitigation measures described in the ES
Where details of the project have still to be finalised assumptions have been made in the ES to allow potential impacts to be considered and appropriate mitigation to be identified If as the detailed proposals are developed changes are made to the proposals that have the potential to cause any significant effects which are considered greater than those reported in the ES then further mitigation would be identified and agreed with the relevant statutory bodies or an addendum to the ES would be published for public consultation and comment and further consideration by TMC
CONSTRUCTION
The proposals would take some four years to build including site clearance and earthworks construction of the development platform installation and commissioning of the buildings and electrical equipment demolition of the existing substation and landscaping and reinstatement of the site Normal construction working hours would be agreed with TMC Planning Department before construction begins but are likely to be weekday hours of 0700 to 1900 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 or until it gets too dark to work in the winter At weekends the working hours will be approximately
iv SHETL
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
The findings of the EIA and details about the project including mitigation commitments (measures that would be implemented to avoid reduce or remedy adverse environmental impacts) are presented in an ES This Non-Technical Summary summarises the findings of the EIA and other key information contained in the ES
The EIA has been informed by consultations which have been used to help develop the design of the proposals by ensuring that wherever possible adverse effects on people and on the natural and cultural environment would be avoided and environmental benefits delivered
PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION (PAC)
The project is defined as a major project under the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 Therefore pre-application consultation (PAC) between the developer and the local community has been carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations The PAC procedures were agreed with TMC They included public exhibitions in Keith on 9th February 2012 as well as informing Keith and Strathisla Community Councils
NEED FOR THE PROPOSALS
SHETL has developed the Blackhillock Substation proposals as a response to its statutory obligations as the holder of a Transmission Licence under the provisions of the Electricity Act 1989 Development of the transmission infrastructure requires new connections to be made at Blackhillock for projects including
bull an HVDC connection to enable increasing renewable electricity generation from the Caithness and Shetland areas to be connected to the existing transmission network
bull the Beatrice 1 Giga Watt (GW) offshore wind generation development in the Moray Firth and
bull the East Coast 400kV transmission line project
The establishment of an HVDC export grid system is preferred by SHETL over further expansion of the onshore high-voltage alternating current system which uses overhead lines and lattice steel towers The use of an HVDC export grid system from Shetland and Caithness requires a converter station at Blackhillock Substation and other associated electrical infrastructure
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objectives which have been defined to underpin the development of the proposals are as follows
bull to safely construct and operate an expanded substation with a design life of at least 40 years
bull to integrate successfully with other land uses in the area taking account of landowner interests
ii SHETL
bull to safeguard the quality of surface and groundwater
bull to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of the area where practicable
bull to integrate the design with the landscape and reduce visual impacts as far as practicable considering other design and operational constraints
bull to be a well maintained and sustainable development contributing to the delivery of UK and Scottish renewable energy and carbon reduction targets2 and
bull to produce a robust cost effective design that is transferable to construction whilst taking account of environmental constraints3
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives have been considered in relation to
bull the design development strategy for grid connection generally between Shetland and the Scottish mainland and
bull the proposed site at Blackhillock Substation
The initial work involved a detailed search and appraisal of alternative routes and landfall points to connect a converter station on Shetland with grid network substations on the Scottish mainland The option which best satisfied SHETLrsquos licence obligations was a converter station in the Kergord Valley in Shetland with underground HVDC cable and a subsea HVDC cable to a landfall on the Moray coast at Portgordon West and from there by underground HVDC cables to a converter station site adjacent to the existing Blackhillock Substation
At Blackhillock the site layout has been revised based on use of the 2009 platform which formed the application for outline permission granted in 2010 but it was found that the platform and development boundary was not sufficiently sized to accommodate all current requirements
The proposed expanded substation development boundary is situated on agricultural and former forestry land which provides the scope and space required for the expansion beyond the 2009 application As part of the previous planning application other sites were considered briefly and rejected Alternatives outwith this location were not considered to be viable since the electricity infrastructure already exists at Blackhillock Substation and it was considered that the works required to connect the existing overhead transmission infrastructure to a new site in the vicinity would be likely to have more environmental impact
THE PROPOSALS
The proposed site is situated approximately 2km to the south of Keith set within agricultural land between the A96 trunk road to the east and the B9014 to the west (see Figure 1) The substation is located at the western end of the U43(H) road which meets the A96 approximately 1km to the east of the site The general area in the vicinity of the site includes a number of scattered residential properties and commercial operations including two quarries adjacent to the U43(H) road There is one small area of woodland Cairds Wood adjacent to the western edge of the site boundary and other areas of plantation forestry close by
The key elements of the proposed substation expansion development are
2 The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets a CO2 reduction target for the year 2050 an interim target for the
year 2020 and makes provisions for annual targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 3
Including potential impacts on people and the natural and cultural heritage
iii SHETL
bull construction of a development platform
bull an HVDC converter station located in a building
bull 400kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 132kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 275kV air insulated switchgear (AIS) on an open platform
bull two 400275kV and four 275132kV transformers
bull four 24m high lightning conductors
bull a control room
bull a storage building
bull ancillary electrical equipment and
bull other site works including drainage access landscaping fencing and lighting
The expanded substation would continue to provide electrical switching and transformers to supply alternating current (AC) power at appropriate voltages for the overhead transmission lines which currently connect with Blackhillock Substation The proposed HVDC converter station is part of an HVDC network and would be connected to other HVDC converters in Caithness and Shetland via a direct current (DC) cable system An indicative site layout plan is shown in Figure 2
In addition wider development proposals would include
bull establishment of the temporary construction compound and facilities for construction workers immediately to the east of the substation boundary
bull improvements to the public road access to the substation and
bull temporary diversion of an overhead transmission line around the north and east of the substation site during construction
The existing substation would be demolished
DELIVERING THE PROPOSALS
If at the conclusion of the statutory process it is found that the proposals should be taken forward SHETL would select a contractor to construct the expanded substation following a competitive tendering process The chosen contractor would be required to construct the works in accordance with the contract which would include the committed environmental mitigation measures described in the ES
Where details of the project have still to be finalised assumptions have been made in the ES to allow potential impacts to be considered and appropriate mitigation to be identified If as the detailed proposals are developed changes are made to the proposals that have the potential to cause any significant effects which are considered greater than those reported in the ES then further mitigation would be identified and agreed with the relevant statutory bodies or an addendum to the ES would be published for public consultation and comment and further consideration by TMC
CONSTRUCTION
The proposals would take some four years to build including site clearance and earthworks construction of the development platform installation and commissioning of the buildings and electrical equipment demolition of the existing substation and landscaping and reinstatement of the site Normal construction working hours would be agreed with TMC Planning Department before construction begins but are likely to be weekday hours of 0700 to 1900 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 or until it gets too dark to work in the winter At weekends the working hours will be approximately
iv SHETL
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
bull to safeguard the quality of surface and groundwater
bull to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of the area where practicable
bull to integrate the design with the landscape and reduce visual impacts as far as practicable considering other design and operational constraints
bull to be a well maintained and sustainable development contributing to the delivery of UK and Scottish renewable energy and carbon reduction targets2 and
bull to produce a robust cost effective design that is transferable to construction whilst taking account of environmental constraints3
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives have been considered in relation to
bull the design development strategy for grid connection generally between Shetland and the Scottish mainland and
bull the proposed site at Blackhillock Substation
The initial work involved a detailed search and appraisal of alternative routes and landfall points to connect a converter station on Shetland with grid network substations on the Scottish mainland The option which best satisfied SHETLrsquos licence obligations was a converter station in the Kergord Valley in Shetland with underground HVDC cable and a subsea HVDC cable to a landfall on the Moray coast at Portgordon West and from there by underground HVDC cables to a converter station site adjacent to the existing Blackhillock Substation
At Blackhillock the site layout has been revised based on use of the 2009 platform which formed the application for outline permission granted in 2010 but it was found that the platform and development boundary was not sufficiently sized to accommodate all current requirements
The proposed expanded substation development boundary is situated on agricultural and former forestry land which provides the scope and space required for the expansion beyond the 2009 application As part of the previous planning application other sites were considered briefly and rejected Alternatives outwith this location were not considered to be viable since the electricity infrastructure already exists at Blackhillock Substation and it was considered that the works required to connect the existing overhead transmission infrastructure to a new site in the vicinity would be likely to have more environmental impact
THE PROPOSALS
The proposed site is situated approximately 2km to the south of Keith set within agricultural land between the A96 trunk road to the east and the B9014 to the west (see Figure 1) The substation is located at the western end of the U43(H) road which meets the A96 approximately 1km to the east of the site The general area in the vicinity of the site includes a number of scattered residential properties and commercial operations including two quarries adjacent to the U43(H) road There is one small area of woodland Cairds Wood adjacent to the western edge of the site boundary and other areas of plantation forestry close by
The key elements of the proposed substation expansion development are
2 The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets a CO2 reduction target for the year 2050 an interim target for the
year 2020 and makes provisions for annual targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 3
Including potential impacts on people and the natural and cultural heritage
iii SHETL
bull construction of a development platform
bull an HVDC converter station located in a building
bull 400kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 132kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 275kV air insulated switchgear (AIS) on an open platform
bull two 400275kV and four 275132kV transformers
bull four 24m high lightning conductors
bull a control room
bull a storage building
bull ancillary electrical equipment and
bull other site works including drainage access landscaping fencing and lighting
The expanded substation would continue to provide electrical switching and transformers to supply alternating current (AC) power at appropriate voltages for the overhead transmission lines which currently connect with Blackhillock Substation The proposed HVDC converter station is part of an HVDC network and would be connected to other HVDC converters in Caithness and Shetland via a direct current (DC) cable system An indicative site layout plan is shown in Figure 2
In addition wider development proposals would include
bull establishment of the temporary construction compound and facilities for construction workers immediately to the east of the substation boundary
bull improvements to the public road access to the substation and
bull temporary diversion of an overhead transmission line around the north and east of the substation site during construction
The existing substation would be demolished
DELIVERING THE PROPOSALS
If at the conclusion of the statutory process it is found that the proposals should be taken forward SHETL would select a contractor to construct the expanded substation following a competitive tendering process The chosen contractor would be required to construct the works in accordance with the contract which would include the committed environmental mitigation measures described in the ES
Where details of the project have still to be finalised assumptions have been made in the ES to allow potential impacts to be considered and appropriate mitigation to be identified If as the detailed proposals are developed changes are made to the proposals that have the potential to cause any significant effects which are considered greater than those reported in the ES then further mitigation would be identified and agreed with the relevant statutory bodies or an addendum to the ES would be published for public consultation and comment and further consideration by TMC
CONSTRUCTION
The proposals would take some four years to build including site clearance and earthworks construction of the development platform installation and commissioning of the buildings and electrical equipment demolition of the existing substation and landscaping and reinstatement of the site Normal construction working hours would be agreed with TMC Planning Department before construction begins but are likely to be weekday hours of 0700 to 1900 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 or until it gets too dark to work in the winter At weekends the working hours will be approximately
iv SHETL
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
bull construction of a development platform
bull an HVDC converter station located in a building
bull 400kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 132kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) in a building
bull 275kV air insulated switchgear (AIS) on an open platform
bull two 400275kV and four 275132kV transformers
bull four 24m high lightning conductors
bull a control room
bull a storage building
bull ancillary electrical equipment and
bull other site works including drainage access landscaping fencing and lighting
The expanded substation would continue to provide electrical switching and transformers to supply alternating current (AC) power at appropriate voltages for the overhead transmission lines which currently connect with Blackhillock Substation The proposed HVDC converter station is part of an HVDC network and would be connected to other HVDC converters in Caithness and Shetland via a direct current (DC) cable system An indicative site layout plan is shown in Figure 2
In addition wider development proposals would include
bull establishment of the temporary construction compound and facilities for construction workers immediately to the east of the substation boundary
bull improvements to the public road access to the substation and
bull temporary diversion of an overhead transmission line around the north and east of the substation site during construction
The existing substation would be demolished
DELIVERING THE PROPOSALS
If at the conclusion of the statutory process it is found that the proposals should be taken forward SHETL would select a contractor to construct the expanded substation following a competitive tendering process The chosen contractor would be required to construct the works in accordance with the contract which would include the committed environmental mitigation measures described in the ES
Where details of the project have still to be finalised assumptions have been made in the ES to allow potential impacts to be considered and appropriate mitigation to be identified If as the detailed proposals are developed changes are made to the proposals that have the potential to cause any significant effects which are considered greater than those reported in the ES then further mitigation would be identified and agreed with the relevant statutory bodies or an addendum to the ES would be published for public consultation and comment and further consideration by TMC
CONSTRUCTION
The proposals would take some four years to build including site clearance and earthworks construction of the development platform installation and commissioning of the buildings and electrical equipment demolition of the existing substation and landscaping and reinstatement of the site Normal construction working hours would be agreed with TMC Planning Department before construction begins but are likely to be weekday hours of 0700 to 1900 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 or until it gets too dark to work in the winter At weekends the working hours will be approximately
iv SHETL
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
0700 to 1700 in the summer and 0730 to 1700 (or as daylight allows) in the winter Work outside these hours would be subject to prior agreement with TMC The contractor with SHETL would be required to establish and maintain effective liaison with the local community throughout construction This would include information about ongoing activities and provision of contact telephone numbers at SHETL to contact for information during construction hours
The initial site operations would comprise the setting up of a construction compound on land to the east of the existing substation site and undertaking improvements to the U43(H) public road to improve access for construction traffic and for improved longer term use of the road Following these preliminary works there would be five main stages of construction
bull Phase 1 Civil engineering works and construction of buildings including
o site clearance and earthworks o drainage services and access o construction of development platforms and building foundations o construction of buildings
bull Phase 2 AIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 3 GIS electrical installation and commissioning
bull Phase 4 HVDC electrical installation and commissioning and
bull Phase 5 Demolition of existing substation
At the end of construction the site and the construction compound would be left tidy or restored and landscaped The landscape design would include features which would integrate the development into the surrounding landscape and enhance local biodiversity Plant species used in the landscape works would be chosen to reflect those already established within the local landscape and would be composed largely of native and semi-native species
The expanded substation would have a life span of approximately 40 years Due to the ongoing need for the substation in the future it is not expected that the substation would be decommissioned Equipment would be replaced as it neared the end of its design life
EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSALS
The environmental effects of the proposals are summarised in the following sections Effects which are moderate or major (adverse or beneficial) are considered to be significant
Policy and Planning
Scottish Government policy on planning and renewable energy developments has been reviewed and informed the design of the proposals The development would also contribute towards meeting the Scottish CO2 reduction target for the year 2020 and 2050 and renewable electricity targets by supporting the connection of renewable energy developments in Shetland and Caithness
The detailed policy aims of the Moray Structure Plan and the Moray Local Plan have been reviewed and used in development of mitigation measures as part of the EIA process The proposed development site already has an outline planning consent from TMC for converter station works and the revised proposals set out in the ES are consistent with (and upgrade) the previous application
v SHETL
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
Land Use Property and Agriculture
No residential or commercial properties would be directly affected by the proposals for the expanded substation construction compound and public road improvements and no property demolitions would be required apart from the existing substation The proposals would result in a permanent change in land use of approximately 22
hectares (ha) from non-prime agricultural land and forestry to land used for infrastructure for electricity transmission No significant adverse effects on agriculture forestry or land use are predicted Approximately 55ha of forestry land has already been felled as part of ongoing rotation and a further 05ha would require to be felled for the works
Residents and local businesses would be informed of the sequence of construction activities and the contractor would be required to keep disruption to a minimum There could be some short term minor (not significant) disruption to traffic on the A96 and the U43(H) roads due to their use for access to the site by construction vehicles Access would be maintained for all properties during construction and when the substation becomes operational Public road improvements are predicted to have positive effects in terms of improved access for commercial properties along the U43(H) road a parking area for Blackhillock Cottages and a tidier appearance of the road
An existing public path is located within the Cairds Wood access track network on the western edge of the proposed development site This path would be affected by the substation expansion as part of the path would be within the new substation planning boundary and re-routing would be undertaken to ensure access is retained
Geology Soils and Contaminated Land
No sites designated for their geological interest would be affected by the substation expansion construction compound or public road improvement proposals No geological resources of particular significance have been identified which would be affected by the works and no significant adverse effects are predicted on solid or drift geology
Implementation of best management practices for soils and the balanced earthworks design for the expanded substation would reduce the potential for long term damage to soils and no significant residual effects on soils are predicted The construction compound would be carefully restored to agriculture following the completion of construction activities No significant areas of contaminated land have been identified which could be affected by the works
vi SHETL
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
Water and Drainage
There would be no significant effects on hydrology water quality and drainage provided all mitigation measures were successfully implemented Surface and groundwater quality would be protected by design of the works in accordance with best practice and in consultation with key consultees such as SEPA Where private water supplies would be affected by the proposals (at Gibston Steading Greens of Auchorties and Blackhillock Croft) a permanent mains water supply would be provided in advance of the works
Best management practices would be implemented during construction and maintenance activities during operation to ensure there was no significant impact on water quality There would be minor adverse effects during construction and the contractor would be required to monitor the effectiveness of all protection measures during construction The contractor would be required to develop and implement a Water Protection Plan as part of the Construction Environmental Management Document (CEMD) to ensure proactive protection of watercourses groundwater and potable water supplies
Flood risk would be appropriately mitigated through site drainage design and would not be significant The protection measures would be agreed with SEPA in advance of construction
Landscape and Visual
Landscape Effects The proposed substation expansion would directly affect the landscape character of the area It would be located within a landscape character area described as Upland Farmland in the SNH Moray and Nairn Landscape Character Assessment4 The landscape of this area is considered to be of low sensitivity and to be tolerant to change from such a development It is considered to have the capacity to accommodate the development due to the natural screening provided by areas of woodland within it and the existence of other man-made features including the two adjacent quarries and the roads depot Whilst the scale of the development would cause considerable disruption and change to the landscape the low sensitivity of the landscape character combined with the highly managed nature of the existing landscape would result in a landscape change that is not significant in the immediate or the wider area of the site
Visual Effects The mitigation measures including the location and partial screening with landform and planting would reduce the adverse effects of the new development However it is not possible to entirely mitigate the adverse effects because of the scale and prominence of the development The presence of the buildings and in particular the 400kV GIS building to the east of the development would remain prominent and without scope for sufficient screening the adverse impacts cannot be fully mitigated The presence of the expanded substation development would have significant and major adverse visual effects on residential properties within 1km of the development with views to the site (see Figure 3) The visual effects of the development would not be significant for tourists recreational users of the area (including hill walkers cyclists and anglers) or users of the A and B class roads in the area
4 SNH Landscape Character Assessment Moray and Nairn Landscape Assessment (1998)
vii SHETL
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
During construction there would be visual impacts from the installation of the new buildings and the electrical infrastructure Construction operations would be very visible from short and medium range properties and these activities would be significant and major adverse The effects of operational and maintenance activities would be minor
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The proposals would not impact on any statutory designated sites and the development would not result in the loss of any habitat of particular nature conservation value Some 16ha of semi-improved grassland and arable farm land would be lost and 05ha of coniferous plantation would be felled Existing broadleaved woodland surrounding the substation site would be removed to the north east and west of the development to facilitate works Vegetation to the south of the development would be retained and strengthened to prevent windblow and to provide screening
No protected species interests have been identified on site that would be directly affected by the development Preconstruction surveys and mitigation measures agreed and implemented as necessary would ensure that any effects would be minor and not significant There would be some disturbance to animals on or near the site during construction from increased activity on site This would be temporary during the period of construction and no significant effects have been identified
The contractor would be required to develop an Ecological Management Plan as part of the CEMD to ensure that all wildlife interests were protected and effects on habitats and fauna reduced to the minimum necessary for the works There would be no significant risks to wildlife and habitats once the expanded substation was operational
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
There are no recorded remaining archaeological sites or features identified within the development boundaries of the substation expansion the construction compound or the public road improvement works No significant effects on archaeology from the permanent development or operation of the site are predicted
Minor adverse (but not significant) effects are predicted on the setting of the two farmstead buildings at Blackhillock immediately south of the expanded substation site due to the scale and proximity of the proposals There would be no impact on the setting of other sites including the listed buildings in Keith town centre If the proposed works impact on an area of previously unrecorded archaeological importance then mitigation measures to ensure identification and recording of the site or feature would ensure that any residual effects would be limited and would not be significant
viii SHETL
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
Traffic and Access
Traffic would increase on local roads during construction and mitigation measures are proposed to reduce these impacts Effects are not predicted to be significant in terms of traffic disruption or severanceamenity The additional daily two way traffic to and from the site along the A96 is less than 5 of the daily traffic flow
The U43(H) public road which connects the A96 trunk road to the substation site would be upgraded in advance of
construction to provide a safe and appropriate standard of access for construction traffic and abnormal loads A new access would be opened to the south east of the substation site to provide adequate access for abnormal load vehicles The existing access to the substation site would be closed on completion of the works
The contractor would be required to ensure any disruption was reduced to the minimum required for the works to be implemented A Section 96 agreement would be entered into with TMC so that any damage to the road network during construction would be repaired During operation traffic effects from maintenance activities would be minor (not significant)
Noise and Vibration
The contractor would follow construction good practice however the temporary residual effect from construction plant noise may vary from negligible to major adverse depending on the proximity of the noisy construction activity to nearby noise sensitive receptors It can be assumed that mitigation measures other than site screening in the final design would reduce noise levels to below the 65 dB(A) threshold and thus ensure the residual effect is reduced to minor adverse
Construction traffic is predicted to have a major adverse noise effect on residential receptors adjacent to the access road used for construction traffic This is predominantly due to the low ambient noise levels in this rural area rather than the volume of construction traffic which would be relatively low however it is expected that construction traffic would be spread throughout the day and the impacts are expected to be temporary and short-term in nature
An operational noise limit of 35 dB(A) has been agreed with TMC for the nearest noise sensitive property in relation to substation noise Mitigation measures would be put in place to minimise operational noise impacts from the substation including an acoustic barrier to ensure that the noise limit would be achieved With these measures in place operational noise effects are predicted to be no more than minor adverse (not significant)
Air Quality
No significant effects on air quality are predicted during construction provided all mitigation measures are successfully implemented There would be no significant direct effects on local air quality from construction works traffic movements or substation operation
ix SHETL
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
The permanent development of the substation expansion proposals at Blackhillock is not predicted to have significant combined environmental effects on the natural and cultural heritage of the site or surrounding area
There is some potential for cumulative effects arising from the combined visual intrusion and operational noise effects of the proposals on residential properties in close proximity (generally within 100m) to the expanded substation site Provided that the operational noise limits for the site are not exceeded then significant cumulative environmental effects are not predicted Mitigation measures in particular retention and strengthening of existing screen planting next to Greens of Auchorties and new off-site planting at Gibston would be important in offsetting the potential for significant effects
There is potential for short term significant adverse effects on properties close to the substation site from the combination of construction noise visual intrusion and general amenity effects arising from site activity plant operation and traffic movements These effects are predicted to be significant and adverse for temporary periods however the range of mitigation measures to be implemented by the contractor would ensure that such effects are limited to short periods of time during the busiest phases of construction work Whilst properties along the U43(H) are predicted to experience temporary significant adverse noise effects from construction traffic they are considered to be sufficiently distant from the site to avoid further cumulation of construction effects
It is predicted that there would not be significant residual adverse effects from the combined effects of construction on the environmental quality of the area or on the natural and cultural heritage
No significant cumulative effects with other project development proposals have been identified
x SHETL
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
REVIEW AND COMMENTS
The Environmental Statement can be viewed during the consultation period during normal working hours at
bull The Moray Council
Council Offices High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
and at the following locations
bull The Institute 138-140 Mid Street
Keith
Moray AB55 5BJ
bull Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited
Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth PH1 3AQ
Tel (0)1738 456 000
bull Natural Capital Offices
13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF infonaturalcapitalcouk
Copies of the ES are available in hard copy for pound200 or on CD for pound20 (both including postage and packing) VAT is chargeable on CDs The NTS (which is available free of charge) and the main ES are available from SHETL (address as above)
This Non-Technical Summary (NTS) is freely available with the ES on the Moray Council website (wwwmoraygovuk) The NTS can also be viewed at (and downloaded from) the SSE website at httpwwwssecom and follow the links to Media Centre and Project Portfolio
Comments on the proposals or their environmental effects can be sent in writing to the Moray Council within the time period specified in the publication notice for the Environmental Statement
xi SHETL
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
Natural Capital Ltd 13 Coates Crescent Edinburgh EH3 7AF Tel 0131 220 6121 Fax 0131 220 6131 Email infonaturalcapitalcouk
