Medium-wind Turbine Planning Services

Renewables First provides all of the services required to give your application the best chance of success.  Key to successful wind power planning is early consultations, good communication with stakeholders and provision of high quality and accurate information.  The planning stages are broken down into four distinct parts (note WP1 is part of the feasibility study).  The aim is to establish the facts quickly before expensive surveys and modelling work are completed to make sure ‘risk’ money is minimised.  The stages break down as:

• WP2 – Wind planning: pre-application & anemometry mast planning application.
• WP3 – Wind planning: surveys, ZVI and WindFarm software modelling.
• WP4 – Wind planning: preparation of application / submission / ongoing application support.

For more information on each stage click on the links above or scroll down to the relevant part below.

WP2 – Wind planning: pre-application & anemometry mast planning application

During the wind feasibility study an initial desk-based check was made of local planning sensitivities.  The WP2 stage takes this to the next level of detail to get a formal local authority ‘screening opinion’ which states whether an Environmental Statement (ES) would be required for the proposed development, and if it was then a formal Scoping Opinion would also be submitted to agree the scope of the environmental statement.

Most medium-wind projects will need an environmental statement, but the important point is to engage with the local authority to ensure that the scope if reasonable and proportionate for the scale of the development.

To support the screening opinion request an initial ‘design and access’ statement would have to be prepared which is a substantial document to broadly introduce the project both technically, visually and acoustically and provide all of the necessary information to allow them to make a realistic scoping opinion.  In many cases a pre-application on-site meeting would also be required to discuss the proposed project in more detail.

If the wind feasibility study had determined that a full NATS (National Air Traffic Service) study would be required, this would also be completed at the WP2 stage along with a formal consultation with Ofcom on television / radio interference.

Another important part of the WP2 stage is the formal planning application to erect the anemometry mast for the wind resource assessment.  This application is normally made as early as possible so that the mast can be erected and wind data can start to be collected to validate that the expected wind resource is available at the site, and therefore revalidate the revenue estimates for the system.

It is also good practice to inform the local community about the plans for installing a medium-wind turbine(s).  We can prepare a summary document based on the design and access statement submitted to the local authority for the screening opinion, which will explain the facts in a positive way.  Keeping people informed in an open and honest way will significantly reduce any negative rumours circulating / misinformation circulating which can be quite stressful and difficult to deal with.

WP3 – Wind planning: surveys & supporting information

This stage of the planning process is centred on getting all of the data to support the formal planning application and would include any surveys / further analysis requested by the local authority for the environmental statement.

As a minimum most formal medium-wind planning applications would require a noise assessment based on on-site measurements and then modelling using WindFarm software.  Also Zone of Visual Influence or ZVI analysis is required which include producing accurate photomontages from key viewpoints, shadow flicker analysis, Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) map which shows visible the turbines will be in the surrounding area.

If there was a requirement for any formal public consultation this would also be completed at this stage.  Note there would anyway be a statutory opportunity for third parties to make submissions during the formal planning application process.

Renewables First uses industry-leading RESoft WindFarm modelling software to carry out the technical optimisation of the wind project and produce many of the supporting technical documents to support the planning application.

We also use a number of partners to provide any specialist ecological surveys that may be required (bird or bat surveys for example).

WP4 – Wind planning: preparation, submission & ongoing application support

Once all of the supporting documentation has been produced it must be put into a format that is acceptable to the planning authority, the formal application prepared and then submitted.

Once the formal application has been submitted there will inevitably be many questions that arise and need to be answered.  We actively manage the application through the planning process to make sure that additional information is provided in a timely manner whenever needed, to ensure the best chance of a successful outcome.  We also have specialists who can attend planning meetings when required and if necessary can appeal against unfavourable decisions.

We also provide services to ensure the proper discharge of planning consents to make sure than any special requirements of the consent are met in full.