Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development

Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development received consent on 16th September 2024 after a Public Local Inquiry (PLI) in October 2023.

Proposed_Hollandmey_RED

Location

Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development is located approximately 8 km south west of John o’ Groats and 16 km east of Thurso, situated within the north east of Caithness in the Scottish Highlands.

Current Stage

ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) submitted an application in November 2021 for a development comprising of 10 wind turbines up to 149.9 metre blade tip height, with a generating capacity of around 50 megawatts (MW), and around 15 MW of ground mounted solar arrays producing a combined output of around 65 MW (and additional 15 MW battery energy storage facility). The application was referred to the Scottish Government's Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) in March 2023, and subsequent Public Local Inquiry (PLI) covering Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA), Energy Policy, and Planning Conditions was held in Octover 2023.

The application received consent in September 2024.

Project History

As part of the development process a wind monitoring mast was installed on the Site in November 2017.

In July 2020, Scoping Topic Information Sheets and a Project Information Sheet were issued to relevant consultees to seek their views on the scope and content of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Hollandmey RED.

In November 2021, a planning application was submitted for consideration. Following receipt of consultation responses to the application, SPR submitted Additional Information to the ECU in July 2022 in relation to:

a Castle of Mey mitigation planting proposal which sets out proposed mitigation that aims to minimise potential effects on affected key views from the Castle of Mey and its Garden and Designed Landscape;
an amended visualisation from the Castle of Mey (CHVP09); and
a response prepared by The Natural Research Group (NRP) in response to consultee queries in relation to ornithological matters.

In July 2023, SPR submitted an Updated Cumulative Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA), including updated figures and visualisations to its application for consent to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), which can be found along with copies of the documentation submitted as part of the planning application in the “Project Documents” section.

Community Consultation

Early consultation is key to the way SPR develops projects, and throughout the development process, SPR ensures local communities and stakeholders are given the opportunity to provide feedback and are kept informed of project progress.

The design of Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development has been reached following a comprehensive suite of environmental assessments and feedback from consultees and local communities following:

Two online Public Information Events in October 2020 and January 2021;
Consultation following Section 36 Application submitted in November 2021; and
Consultation following submission of Additional Information in July 2022.

Turbine positions and associated infrastructure have been arrived at through an evolving design process to achieve a final layout sympathetic to environmental constraints and the surrounding landscape.

Key Benefits

SPR has been working alongside communities across the UK for nearly two decades and has, to date, contributed more than £60 million in benefit funds to support initiatives and projects for those communities local to its onshore operational sites. SPR operates two existing windfarms in The Highlands region: Beinn Tharsuinn Windfarm in east Sutherland and Halsary Windfarm south of Spittal in Caithness. Community benefit funds from these developments over their lifetime are projected to exceed £5.5 million in the local area.

With the development of these sites nearby, SPR is continuing its history of working positively with local communities in the Highlands. We are keen to create employment opportunities during the construction and operation of our windfarms that can benefit those who live near our sites.

The flexible approach adopted by SPR has empowered local communities to decide what their community benefit is spent on. This has resulted in a fantastic diversity of projects being delivered, from broadband provision, environmental improvements, youth activities, educational programmes, heritage projects, a community minibus, installation of defibrillators and provision of first aid kits and much more. For Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development alone, SPR has reached an agreement with the Highland Council regarding the provision of a £50,000 contribution to support the electric vehicle network in the Highlands. The proposed Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development would add further significant value to the local communities by supporting the local economy through the supply chain; creating new opportunities for businesses in terms of both jobs and training; and local employment to support local communities.

The Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development, now consented, will contribute to the additional local benefits listed below:

Production of around 133.59 Gigawatt hours (GWh)^[1]
Generating enough wind energy to power 41,231 homes annually^[2]
Enhanced Habitat Management Area for local biodiversity
299.8 job years of employment in Scotland during construction
£50,000 funding for local electric vehicle network
Opportunities for local suppliers of goods and service
Package of community benefit

[1] Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) example, using a 30.5% capacity factor (Scotland, Wind), figures are derived as follows: 50 MW × 8,760 hours/year × 0.305 (capacity factor) = 133,590 MWh (133.59 GWh).

[2] This is calculated using the most recent statistics from BEIS showing that annual UK average domestic household consumption is 3,240kWh. The figure is calculated as follows: Annual energy generation / (UK average domestic electricity consumption/1000).

Site Enhancements

The Hollandmey Renewable Energy Development would incorporate environmental enhancements including a Habitat Management Area to provide wider benefits for nature and biodiversity. Proposed enhancement measures comprise felling of commercial forestry and restoration of 168 ha of peatland habitat, providing habitat for many wader species surrounding the Phillips Mains Mire Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and helping to preserve its favourable conservation status.