Hyndburn

In order to arrive at the wind farm design detailed on this website we have carried out many different studies and consulted many organisations. Independent experts have studied aspects such as landscape and visual impact, cultural heritage and archaeology, ecology, hydrology, noise, and transport issues as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment, a statutory requirement for a project of this scale. Their findings will be reported in the Environmental Statement, copies of which will be available at Hyndburn Borough Council’s offices once we have submitted the planning application.

Hyndburn Wind Farm has been designed to minimise its visual impact on the surrounding environment. Professional landscape architects have produced visualisations showing how the wind farm may look from various viewpoints when built.

An independent ecological consultancy carried out a number of surveys and has been in frequent communication with bodies such as the RSPB and Natural England to ensure that we have taken all the available information into account in our studies. Their findings show that a wind farm in this location would be acceptable.

In addition detailed surveys have been undertaken to prepare restoration proposals for the improvements and future management of the degraded blanket bog on Oswaldtwistle Moor.

Archaeology and cultural heritage experts have conducted research into the potential effects of a wind farm on the local historic environment. Views from important cultural sites and listed buildings have been assessed, and bodies such as English Heritage have been consulted. The refined layout reflects the results of this consultation.

Noise is a concern often raised by members of the public. However, modern wind turbines produce very little noise. They are positioned far enough away from residential properties to ensure that noise conforms to DTI and ETSU requirements and will therefore not be a nuisance. Background noise has been measured at various locations in the vicinity of the proposed wind farm and results have shown that the noise created by the wind farm will be well within the official limits.

Hydrology is the study of the distribution, movement and quality of water. A hydrology consultancy studied the potential effects of a wind farm on soil and water in the vicinity of the wind farm site, which included assessing the impact on private water supplies and flood risk. An Environmental Management and Pollution Prevention Plan would ensure that mitigation measures are put in place, minimising or preventing detrimental impact on the soil and water environment.

Transport and access arrangements have been carefully considered with the advice of transport planning consultants so as to create as little disturbance as possible to the local transport network. The construction period would be approximately 6-9 months in duration and the traffic to the site would be mostly light vehicles and normal HGVs.

Aviation safety is something that must not be compromised by the building of a wind farm, so extensive consultation has been undertaken with the MOD, Civil Aviation Authority and NATS En Route Plc to ensure that a wind farm in this location would not affect the safe running of radar facilities and Air Traffic Control services.

Flicker can occur when light from the sun passes through the blades of a wind turbine and through a window. This only happens at certain times of day and at certain times of year when the sun is very low in the sky. The potential effects have been modelled and the wind farm has been designed so that shadow flicker effects will be minimal.