Large Typologies

10. Some limited scope has beenidentified for very large turbines up to150m high to be accommodated in thismore extensive upland landscape.Turbines should be set well back intothe core of the upland areas, avoidingridges and hills which form immediateskylines to the adjacent smaller scalesettled Rolling Farmland and Forest withValleys (5a), Narrow Farmed Valleys (13),and the Broad Farmed Valley (7). Thesmall scale and richly diverse upperLossie Valley to the south-west of Dallaswould be particularly sensitive to largeturbines sited on the hills which containthis valley. Turbines should not be sitedon, or close to, the landmark hills of MillBuie, Carn na Cailliche and Brown Muir.Adverse effects on views from the minorroad between Dallas and Knockandoshould be minimised by siting turbineswell back from the diverse moorlandand regenerating native woodlandwhich provides and attractive featureparticularly seen to the west of thisroute. Significant cumulative effects onthe Dava Way and on the A95, which iswell-used by tourists, should be avoided.Turbines of this size should be sited tominimise cumulative effects withsmaller turbines within nearbyoperational and consented wind farmsin key views.

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Areas of Greatest PotentialScottish Planning Policy states that planningauthorities “should identify where there isstrategic capacity for wind farms, and areaswith the greatest potential for winddevelopment”. Areas of Greatest Potential areareas with the greatest scope for furtherinvestigating the feasibility of developingwind farms. These areas have been identifiedon Policy Guidance Maps by removingadditional constraints from the spatialframework map of the areas likely to be mostappropriate for wind farm development. Theremaining areas which have been mapped foreach development typology are the areaswith fewest constraints and therefore thegreatest potential for wind farmdevelopments.

MAP 1Policy Guidance Map forLarge Typologies (80m and over to blade tip)

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Areas of Greatest PotentialScottish Planning Policy states that planningauthorities “should identify where there isstrategic capacity for wind farms, and areaswith the greatest potential for winddevelopment”. Areas of Greatest Potential areareas with the greatest scope for furtherinvestigating the feasibility of developingwind farms. These areas have been identifiedon Policy Guidance Maps by removingadditional constraints from the spatialframework map of the areas likely to be mostappropriate for wind farm development. Theremaining areas which have been mapped foreach development typology are the areaswith fewest constraints and therefore thegreatest potential for wind farmdevelopments.

Medium Typologies

8a. The medium typology (turbines 50-80m)could be more readily accommodated in thislandscape in terms of minimising effects onadjoining more sensitive landscapes. Turbinesof this size should be set back into the core ofthe more extensive areas of upland plateau.Turbines of this size would need to be carefullysited to avoid cumulative effects withconsented larger turbines sited both in thislandscape and the adjoining Rolling ForestedHills (9) and the Upland Farmland (8).

Medium typologies should not be sited on orclose-by the landmark hills of Bin of Cullen andMeikle Balloch. The summits of morepronounced hills which are locally distinctiveshould also be avoided. Turbines should alsoavoid significant intrusion on the designedlandscape of Gordon Castle, on the Spey Valleyand on the setting of Fochabers. Potentialcumulative effects with the consentedAultmore wind farm and wind turbines in theUpland Farmland (8) will additionally be amajor constraint to additional development inthis character type.

10. Some limited scope has been identified forvery large turbines up to 150m high to beaccommodated in this more extensive uplandlandscape. Turbines should be set well backinto the core of the upland areas, avoidingridges and hills which form immediate skylinesto the adjacent smaller scale settled RollingFarmland and Forest with Valleys (5a), NarrowFarmed Valleys (13), and the Broad FarmedValley (7). The small scale and richly diverseupper Lossie Valley to the south-west of Dallaswould be particularly sensitive to largeturbines sited on the hills which contain thisvalley. Turbines should not be sited on, or closeto, the landmark hills of Mill Buie, Carn naCailliche and Brown Muir. Adverse effects onviews from the minor road between Dallas andKnockando should be minimised by sitingturbines well back from the diverse moorlandand regenerating native woodland whichprovides and attractive feature particularlyseen to the west of this route. Significantcumulative effects on the Dava Way and on theA95, which is well-used by tourists, should beavoided. Turbines of this size should be sited tominimise cumulative effects with smallerturbines within nearby operational andconsented wind farms in key views.

MAP 2Policy Guidance Map forMedium Typologies (50-80m to blade tip)

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Areas of Greatest PotentialScottish Planning Policy states that planningauthorities “should identify where there isstrategic capacity for wind farms, and areaswith the greatest potential for winddevelopment”. Areas of Greatest Potential areareas with the greatest scope for furtherinvestigating the feasibility of developingwind farms. These areas have been identifiedon Policy Guidance Maps by removingadditional constraints from the spatialframework map of the areas likely to be mostappropriate for wind farm development. Theremaining areas which have been mapped foreach development typology are the areaswith fewest constraints and therefore thegreatest potential for wind farmdevelopments.

Small/Medium typologies

4. Scope to accommodate the small-medium typology (turbines 35-50mhigh). Turbines this size would be lesslikely to overwhelm the scale andsetting of individual buildings andsettlements and would be lessprominent particularly in relation tomultiple developments. They couldbe sited to be visually associated withlarger farm and industrial buildings orwithin less densely settled areas, setbelow ridge lines to benefit fromsome back-cloth of rising groundwhich would reduce prominence tosome degree. Turbines of this sizeshould not be sited on, or nearby, thelandmark hills of Tappoch and BinnHill in this landscape and Bin of Cullenand Quarry Wood in adjacentcharacter types. Areas of morecomplex landform and the setting ofsettlements, keyhistoric/archaeological features anddesigned landscapes should beavoided.

Capacity could be quickly reached inthis open landscape as inter-visibilitybetween developments (togetherwith the well-settled nature of thischaracter type) increases potential forcumulative effects to arise. The use ofwind turbines of different sizes anddesigns in close proximity should beavoided as this can lead to adiscordant appearance.

MAP 3Policy Guidance Map forSmall-Medium Typologies(35-50m to blade tip)

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Potential Development Areas Map

i) Very limited scope toaccommodate the large typologywithin this area. Turbines towardsthe lower end of the height bandfor this typology (<100m high)would minimise effects onadjacent settled landscapes.Turbines should be set well backinto the interior of the moreextensive areas of upland plateauwhich would allow for adequateseparation to occur thusminimising intrusion on moresettled areas.

ii) Limited scope to accommodate thelarge scale development typologyin this landscape. The same sitingprinciples apply for the extra-largeturbines up to 150m.

MAP 4Landscape Capacity forPotential Development Areasfor extension and repowering