Highland Renewable Energy Strategy | Renewable Energy | North Highland Onshore Vision
Pentland Firth | Highland Heat Mapping Project
Highland Renewable Energy Strategy
The Highland Renewable Energy Strategy and Planning Guidelines (HRES) was formally approved at the Council meeting held on 4 May 2006 as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the policies of the Highland Structure Plan. The main thrust of the document is to identify the capacity in the Highlands for a range of renewable energy targets and provide locational guidance and support economic development. Further information is available from the link below:
For on-shore wind energy, a major component of HRES was the identification on maps of ‘prospective development zones’ for wind farms and the inclusion of Council policy and strategy statements for those. The policy framework included a ‘sequential approach’. This no longer complies with national planning policy, which has changed. The Council therefore in May 2008 began preparing new policies and guidance for onshore wind energy. This takes the form of policies for renewable energy which are incorporated in the Highland wide Local Development Plan and Supplementary Guidance on onshore wind energy.
The new policy and guidance supersedes parts of HRES relating to on-shore wind energy. It is important though to note that HRES and the Renewable Energy Resource Assessment on which it is based continue to provide an overarching strategy and much useful information to those involved in renewable energy development including onshore wind.
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Large scale hydro electric schemes were constructed in Highland after the Second World War and these are now being added to by wind farms and smaller scale hydro projects. There is also considerable interest in offshore wind, wave and tidal energy development. These have been stimulated by central government policy to respond to climate change.
The Council is the planning authority for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy schemes of up to 1 megawatt as well as onshore wind energy schemes and hydroelectric generating stations of up to 50 megawatts. Above these capacities, consent is sought from Scottish Ministers under the Electricity Act, 1989. However, the Council is a statutory consultee of the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government has a database of renewable energy projects at various stages.
Scottish Natural Heritage produce windfarm footprint maps based on their database of windfarm proposals, for the whole of Scotland.
You can view a map of current wind farm activity in Highland by clicking the link below:
You can view a map of hydro-electric power activity in Highland by clicking the link below:
Visualisation Standards
Visualisation standards have been produced to enable the Council to verify that photomontages submitted in support of planning applications and contained within Environmental Statements are accurate and clearly understood depictions of proposals so that the public and decision makers can make informed opinions and decisions. While these standards have been produced with wind energy development in mind, the principles contained could apply to all submissions where panoramic photomontages are submitted.
Please note that updated Standards will be published at the end of October 2012.
The main changes will be:
- An increase in single frame image size from 360mm x 240mm to 390mm x 260mm.
- In addition to 50mm single frame images, a focal length of 75mm will be adopted for all distances.
The Highland wide Local Development Plan – Proposed Plan states that Major Developments and developments that are subject of Environmental Impact Assessment will be expected to follow a robust project environmental management process, following the approach set out in the Council’s Guidance Note “Construction Environmental Management Process for Large Scale Projects” or a similar approach. The Guidance Note in question has recently been produced with the assistance of SNH, SEPA and SSE. It will be relevant to many onshore wind energy developments as well as a range of other types of development proposal. The Guidance Note is available here:
The Implications for visualisation standards for wind energy developments; University of Stirling May 2012.
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The Council’s renewable energy strategy (HRES 2006) recognised the potential of the area’s marine renewable resources, but acknowledged that at that time, the industry needed to develop the necessary technology to fully exploit its potential. Targets were set to reflect this, 400MW of installed capacity by 2020. However, as a reflection of the speed of technological change, that target now seems conservative. The amount of installed capacity estimated to be generated by 2020 from the world’s fist commercial scale leasing round for wave and tidal energy in the Pentland Firth, is now expected to be closer to 1000MW.
Along with its partners the Highland Council is working to ensure that Caithness and Sutherland maximises the economic opportunities that the development of a marine renewables industry can bring. The area has a lot to offer:
- A skilled workforce experienced in the Oil and Gas and Nuclear energy industries
- A top quality higher and further education sector working to ensure that we can provide the necessary technical and professional skills required by the marine renewables industry
- A well developed engineering and energy supply chain capable of supporting marine renewables developments
- A port and maritime infrastructure with all the necessary skills, expertise and local knowledge to support marine renewables developments
- A “joined up” public sector looking to work closely with potential inward investors to Caithness and North Sutherland and to lobby Government to ensure the necessary grid infrastructure is in place to allow the growth of the marine renewables industry.
Scotland’s National Planning Framework 2 identifies the Pentland Firth as an area for co-ordinated action to harness its potential for marine renewable energy, work being taken forward as the Pentland Firth Tidal Energy Project.
The Marine Spatial Plan Framework and Regional Locational Guidance may be accessed on the external Scottish Government website by following the link below.
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The marine renewables sector – covering wave, tidal and offshore wind energy – is expected to expand significantly in the Caithness and North Sutherland area over the next 20 years. The Highland Council wants to maximise the potential economic benefits and employment opportunities that this could bring to the area. This is reflected as a key priority for the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership, of which the Highland Council is a key partner.
As part of the North Highland Onshore Vision, The Highland Council produced a 10 point Action Plan in May 2011. This focused on the land use planning of onshore support services for the marine renewables sector in North Highland. A revised Action Plan, based on the progress made so far, was approved in November 2012. This can be viewed below:
Action Plan - Nov 2012 (pdf 355kb)
A ‘call for sites’ exercise was undertaken between 8th August and 3rd October 2012. This focused on identifying potential employment land to support marine renewable developments in the Caithness and North Sutherland areas. Around 60 sites were proposed by a variety of people and organisations. Details of the sites which were suggested to us can be found below. It should be noted, however, that these sites do not necessarily have the Council’s support but simply show all the sites which were suggested to us during the call for sites process. If you wish to receive further information on any of the sites please contact the Development Plans team using the contact details below. The site suggestions will be assessed by the Council as part of the preparation of the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan.
Site Reports (pdf 9mb)
In April 2012 the Scottish Government established an enterprise area at Scrabster on the Low Carbon/ Renewables theme. A planning protocol has been prepared with the Scottish Government, underlining the Council’s commitment to a streamlined approach to planning in this area. This can be viewed via the following link:
Enterprise Areas
Although carried out as part of the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan, the whole-town Charrettes which were carried out in February 2013 for Wick and Thurso will be used to inform the preparation of the design and masterplanning of Thurso West and Scrabster, and Wick Harbour and Lower Pulteneytown. Further information on the results of the Charrettes can be found via the following link:
Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan
If you require any further information contact the Development Plans team at devplans@highland.gov.uk or on 01463 702259.
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The Highland wide Local Development Plan
The Highland wide Local Development Plan contains general policies and outlines the views of the Council. As well as a spatial strategy and vision for the Highlands, it provides policy guidance for marine energy developers and is designed to assist with the delivery of economic development.
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Pre-Application Advice Service for Major Developments
The award winning Pre-Application Advice Service for Major Developments provides an opportunity for developers to discuss their proposals with representatives of all the statutory consultees involved in the planning process and provides developers with an ‘advice pack’.