Page 274 - Alderney Regional Environmental Assessment of Renewable Energy: Environmental Report

Alderney

Regional Environmental Assessment of Renewable Energy:

Environmental Report

Landform and geological characteristics;

Coastal shape and dynamics, nature of seascape;

Relationship of coastline to hinterland, and coast to seascape;

Vegetation pattern, extent and screening;

Identification and understanding of human activity, trends and pressures on land and

sea;

Built development of settlement, houses, and other built infrastructure; and

Designated or protected areas (biological and archaeological importance).

Developers may need to conduct a field survey to selected viewpoints identified during the

baseline survey. At each selected point a photograph should be taken which can be used to

create photomontages of the proposed development which will aid the assessment.

7.8.1.3

Study area

Given the uncertainties regarding the Draft Plan (e.g. exact location of onshore cables or wind

turbine), the full extent of the study area for landscape and seascape will need to take account

of the entire island and its territorial waters.

7.8.2

Impact Assessment

The Draft Plan has the potential to affect the landscape and seascape character of the study

area through a number of impact pathways (EMEC and Xodus AURORA, 2010). These are

assessed in the following sections:

Increased Traffic (Section 7.8.2.1);

Lighting (Section 7.8.2.2);

Requirements for Temporary Housing and Work Facilities (Section 7.8.2.3);

Introduction of Permanent Feature (Section 7.8.2.4);

Introduction of Regular Geometric, Man-Made Forms (Section 7.8.2.5);

Change in Perception of Area (Section 7.8.2.6);

Alterations to Existing Land Forms (Section 7.8.2.7);

Construction of Access Roads and Piers (Section 7.8.2.8); and

Changes in Land Cover and Land Use Patterns (Section 7.8.2.9).

The sensitivity of human receptors to the use of the disused Mannez Quarry for the onshore

substation is considered to be medium given that it is lower than ground level and as such will

be mostly screened from view. The precise location of other elements of the Draft Plan are

currently unknown and given the overall low population, remoteness and the general openness

of sea views on Alderney, the sensitivity of human receptors to any changes in the landscape

and seascape character of the study area is considered as a worst case to be high.

Although the coastline is not unique in the Channel Islands or in Europe, it is protected in the

Alderney Land Use Plan and is of value to those living and visiting Alderney. The landscape

and seascape character of the coastline is therefore considered to be of moderate importance.

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