Onshore wind – what developers need to know about environmental planning

We talked to Matt Rea, Principal Ornithology Consultant and Jill Simpson, Divisional Director for Environmental Planning, about what developers need to know about environmental regulations for onshore wind planning.

Firstly, please can you introduce yourselves?

Matt: I’m Matt and work as a Principal Ornithologist based in Glasgow, where I lead the APEM Group UK Terrestrial Ornithology team. I have over 9 years’ experience as a consultant specialising in ornithology and ecology on numerous large-scale infrastructure projects, with particular expertise in onshore wind.

I have experience leading, designing and managing surveys, and have worked on over 40 onshore wind projects. This includes leading Environmental Impact Assessment & Habitats Regulations Assessment for new project applications, undertaking Collision Risk Modelling and managing monitoring surveys on operational sites. Working on renewables projects provides the opportunity to contribute to a more sustainable future and has also allowed me to work across the UK in some really exciting locations.

Jill: I’m Jill and joined APEM three years ago as a senior leader in the growing Terrestrial Ecology division. Two years ago I was awarded the fantastic opportunity to establish a new division within APEM Group, focussing on providing onshore consent and environmental support to clients across a diverse range of industries and geographies. Using my many years of experience of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) within the major infrastructure and onshore wind industries, my team typically acts as a conduit for all the EIA related onshore technical teams in APEM and overlays the specialist planning, EIA coordination and advisory support that Developers of such projects require to navigate the consenting process.

As onshore wind developers in England are evolving their plans, what environmental surveys do they need, and when?

Matt: Onshore wind projects require a range of environmental surveys to support an impact assessment when submitting a planning application. Every project is unique and will require a different approach, so it’s important to get advice as early in the process as possible. For example, guidance states that typically two years of bird surveys are required to inform an impact assessment, and the range of surveys required will depend on the scale of the site and other factors including location and habitats present.

While there are standard surveys which are required for all sites, there are also less commonly encountered species which can require targeted surveys, or design of a bespoke survey program. It’s particularly important to consider where SPAs, Ramsar sites and SSSIs could be impacted, and as birds can range widely, there can be connectivity between a wind farm and designated sites a considerable distance apart.

Jill: Environmental surveys are often seasonally constrained, and sometimes can only be undertaken during a very short time period. For example, great crested newt surveys can only be undertaken between mid-March and June, while freshwater pearl mussel surveys need to be undertaken during periods of low water flow, typically spring/summer. It’s important to understand the surveys required and plan accordingly, or the project could end up being delayed.

How do environmental surveys affect an onshore wind development?

Matt: Environmental surveys are a legal requirement for onshore wind applications, and it’s important to engage with experts to ensure that your application is compliant with legislation. In addition, consultants can advise on the potential impacts of your project on the environmental receptors and how these can be mitigated.

Jill: I totally agree, Matt. Importantly, the earlier the project team can identify potential constraints to the development the more likely it is that the mitigation hierarchy can be baked into the design. I’ve seen potential constraints being turned into opportunities to demonstrate to stakeholders that the scheme has recognised the local context and taken steps to avoid impacts by involving environmental experts during the early design stages of onshore wind developments.

What aspects of onshore wind farms can be nature positive?

Matt: By undertaking specific surveys to determine the baseline environmental conditions, it’s possible to design a site which not only avoids impacts, but also benefits nature. For example, on a Highland site where breeding black-throated diver are present, an appropriate layout design can avoid disturbing current nests, while diver rafts could be installed on lochs to provide potential breeding locations which are less susceptible to predation.

Jill: Or on a degraded peatland, there may be opportunities to enhance important habitats such as blanket bog by implementing a suitable Habitat Management Plan, which could include re-wetting peatland habitats and sensitive management of deer grazing. This will bring a range of biodiversity benefits but is also an effective method of carbon capture. As has been well publicised, in England delivering a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is now a legal requirement as part of the planning process, and other UK nations (and the Rep. of Ireland) are exploring similar approaches.

Can the results of a survey completely shut down a development?

Matt: Developers should get advice early in a project lifecycle, ideally at feasibility stage, to understand potential constraints including those which are likely to hinder consent. On rare occasions, it is possible that surveys could reveal an unforeseen ‘show-stopper’, for example a particularly rare species breeding on site or potential for significant landscape and visual impacts. However, even where this is the case, there are often opportunities to alter the project design to avoid or reduce impacts. We pride ourselves on a high-quality approach which allows clients to manage project risks and offer pragmatic advice using our professional judgement. We have worked on many sensitive projects and encourage early and ongoing consultation with key stakeholders to allow for any comments to be considered as early as possible.

Is there going to be a sudden rush to develop in England now that the ban on onshore wind has been lifted?

Jill: Even with the decisive removal of the de facto ban on onshore wind in England by the incoming UK Government in one of their first moves after taking office, there remain significant blockers to the rapid deployment of onshore wind in the country around areas such as grid capacity and connections, skills shortages in the industry and capacity in the supply chain. In July, the UK government announced the creation of an Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce as part of efforts to double deployment by 2030. With similarities to the Onshore Wind Sector Deal in Scotland, launched in 2023, it should serve to identify current barriers and potential solutions to deployment across the UK. Collaboration will be key between Industry and Government as well as within the EIA community to share lessons learned across other geographies and to aid the under-resourced regulators by preparing proportionate, well-considered and robust EIA Reports. That’s where APEM come in.

APEM Group’s skilled teams including Terrestrial Ecology, Ornithology and Landscape and Visual disciplines are supporting onshore wind developers with projects in the UK, Ireland and beyond. At APEM we take pride in the high quality of our work, and we are dedicated to gathering proportionate scientifically robust data and regularly use innovative technology to increase the efficiency and accuracy of surveys.

To speak to a member of our team about onshore wind EIAs and surveys, contact APEM Group.