Common Issues

Wildlife - Community Windpower Ltd has been in regular consultation with Natural England and the RSPB to discuss potential issues which the windfarm may have on bird species in the local area. Bird surveys have been undertaken by Cornwall Environmental Consultants in consultation with Natural England as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment.

Results of the bird surveys are detailed in the Environmental Statement which accompanies the planning application.

Vegetation and habitat surveys have also been completed along with bat and mammal surveys. All reports are included in the Environmental Statement.

The RSPB have recently released an report ‘Power to the People: Our Energy and the health of the Planet’ which investigates the current energy crisis, the impacts of Climate Change and the urgent action which is required to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, meet UK renewable energy targets, limit the affects of a globally changing climate and to secure our energy supplies for the future.

The RSPB acknowledge that climate change is already happening and it is the "greatest long-term threat to wildlife" (RSPB, 2008). They believe that unless we act fast, then our incredible planet could be transformed into "an increasingly less liveable place for people and wildlife" (RSPB, 2008).

The RSPB supports UK Government targets for electricity generated by renewable energy sources by 2010, 2015 and 2020 and they also support a "significant growth in offshore and onshore wind power generation in the UK" which are appropriately located to avoid important wildlife sites. In their report the RSPB state that large windfarms are the most economically viable of the renewable technologies at present but over the long-tern "favour a broad mix of renewables including solar, wind and marine power wherever they are used in ways that minimize unnecessary damage to wildlife" (RSPB Policy on Windfarms, 2008)

Noise - Noise disturbance is a common public concern. However due to the advancement of wind turbine technology, windfarms are now significantly quieter with the majority of ‘old-style mechanical noise’ eliminated.

A full Noise Impact Assessment has been carried out following strict guidelines and procedures to ensure noise from the windfarm does not breech noise limits and will not cause any disturbance to residents of nearby properties.

Shadow Flicker - Shadow flicker can only occur when the sun’s rays pass between turbine blades and an aperture (e.g. a window) when the sun is low down in the sky (e.g. in the early morning/late evening) and when the property is located at a specific angle in relation to the windfarm.

Occurrence of shadow flicker can be accurately predicted and therefore any problems can be ‘designed-out’. Davidstow Community Windfarm will not create shadow flicker nuisance for local properties.

Electricity Production - The turbines would generate electricity for 75% - 85% of the time, producing varying amounts of electricity depending on the speed of the wind.

The electricity generated by the windfarm is variable and on average equates to a capacity factor of approximately 30% throughout the year. This 30% capacity factor is then used to calculate how much electricity the windfarm will produce per annum.

Based on the predicted wind regime of the local area, we anticipate that over 131Gwh of electricity will be produced each and every year, which is enough electricity for around 28,000 households.

Landscape and Visual

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment has been undertaken by Cornwall Environmental Consultants to investigate and evaluate the potential landscape and visual effects which could occur as a result of the construction and operation of Davidstow Community Windfarm. The LVIA report is included within the Environmental Statement submitted with the planning application.

Measures have been implemented in to the design process of the proposed Davidstow Community Windfarm to ensure any potential negative impacts on landscape and visual amenity have been reduced and minimised. They include:

• The proposed turbines will not be taller than other turbines consented in the UK and the windfarm would be classed as ‘small to medium scale’ when compared to other wind energy developments in the UK.
• Wind turbines have a specific form and function and are not industrial structures
• Windfarms are sustainable developments as once they have ceased operating at the end of their operational life, they are decommissioned and the land is returned to its original state.
• National surveys show that 77% of the UK population is in support of wind power and once built, windfarms are widely accepted into their landscape.
• Windfarms are increasingly being regarded as elegant and beautiful structures and symbols of a less polluted future
• All cabling onsite will be underground
• The external walls, doors and roof of the substation building would reflect the style of local agricultural buildings

House Prices - There is no evidence in the UK to prove that operational windfarms have long term effects on property prices close to windfarm sites. The BWEA website provides more information on this and has details of several reports which investigate this common myth.

View BWEA website