Experts from LUC’s Environmental Impact Assessment, landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA), ecology, cultural heritage, GIS and visualisation teams were commissioned by EDF Renewables.

Our teams informed their EIA for a Section 36 planning application for Dunside Wind Farm in the Scottish Borders.

If consent is given, Dunside wind farm could generate around 108MW of low-carbon electricity, which would contribute to the Scottish government’s net zero greenhouse gas emissions targets.

It would also establish a community benefit fund to invest in initiatives for local improvements.

LUC’s specialists worked with EDF Renewables during the pre-application phase of the project to guide the project’s design.

They then provided a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

The studies assessed the impact of the proposed layout of the wind farm and included inputs from ecologists, ornithologists, landscape and visual consultants, hydrologists, and cultural heritage specialists.

Our guidance was designed to help ensure the impacts on the environment are reduced.

We prepared an Outline Restoration and Enhancement Plan (OREP) which provides a holistic framework for the enhancement of the development site concerning biodiversity, peat resources, and landscape and visual amenity.

If consented and agreed, these enhancement works would be delivered over and above the mitigation proposed to address some of the predicted effects of the development.