As part of the development process, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be undertaken to assess the effects of the Proposed Development on the natural, physical and human environment.
Ventient Energy has appointed RSK Environment Ltd (RSK), an experienced environmental consultancy based in Scotland, as lead consultant together with a wider team of technical specialists to carry out an EIA and related assessments to accompany a Section 36 Application[1] to Scottish Ministers.
The EIA process includes:
- Consultation with the local authority, stakeholder organisations and the public to identify specific concerns and issues;
- Determining the existing conditions at and around the site by reviewing the available data and undertaking specialist field surveys;
- Assessing the potential impacts of the Proposed Development on the existing environment
- Developing proposals for mitigation measures to alleviate any significant impacts identified.
RSK has conducted a detailed scoping exercise to identify the environmental aspects to address in the EIA for the Proposed Development. This included a review of available environmental information and desk and site-based surveys.
A Scoping Report was submitted, as part of a request for a scoping opinion, to the Energy Consents Unit in July 2022. This report identified the environmental aspects to be addressed within the EIA report. Statutory and non-statutory organisations were consulted at the scoping stage and their responses were included in the scoping opinion issued by the Scottish Government on 07 October 2022.
The scoping report concluded that the following detailed studies should form part of the environmental impact assessment:
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- Landscape and visual impact
- Archaeology and cultural heritage impact
- Ecological and ornithological impact
- Geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, peat and geotechnical conditions
- Hydrology and flood risk
- Noise and vibration impact
- Traffic and transportation impact
- Electromagnetic Interference, shadow flicker and aviation risks
- Socioeconomics, land use and tourism.
Should other studies be deemed to be required as the project progresses these will be discussed with relevant consultees and scoped into the EIA as appropriate.
[1] In Scotland, any proposal to construct, extend, or operate an onshore electricity generating station with a capacity of over 50 megawatts (MW), or to install and keep installed an overhead electric line, requires the consent of Scottish Ministers under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act respectively.