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CARRICK CASTLE ESTATE SOLAR
Ground-mounted solar can be an excellent way for businesses to reduce their running costs by generating their own power. But what if your business is in a highly sensitive location, such as a National Park? Does this mean ground-mounted solar isn’t an option? That was the question facing Carrick Castle Estate, an 8,000 acre estate on the edge of Loch Goil.
The estate had identified that they needed a solution to the electricity required for their newly built luxury lodge and wedding venue established in December 2017 and engaged Emtec Energy to design their system. Cogeo was appointed as Planning Consultant following an initial pre-application advice response from Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, which highlighted the potential landscape and visual impact within the highly sensitive area.
PROJECT
- Ground-mounted solar array for Carrick Castle Estate
- System design by Emtec Energy
- 60 kW array within Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
- Array to power Carrick Castle’s new lodge, which hosts weddings and events
- Solar PV will significantly reduce running costs and cut carbon
- Roof-mounted solar on site but more capacity required
- PV array will allow the ground-source heat pump to be reactivated thanks to the electricity savings
GALLERY
OUR EXPERTISE
- Pre-application enquiry
- Planning application
- Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment
APPROACH & SOLUTIONS
As part of the planning process, our Consultants undertook a Landscape Appraisal in support of the application. The appraisal involved the creation of a number of ZTV (zone of theoretical visibility) maps to understand the local landform and where the array would be viewed in the landscape. Using the ZTV outputs, we were able to complete site photographs, then used to create photomontages from key viewpoints. This process involved integrating 3D computer models of the solar into the real-world photographs to allow the Planning Department to understand the visual impact of the array.
Alongside the Landscape Appraisal, our team prepared the Planning Statement, which covered a range of policy and supplementary guidance as well as key environmental concerns and how the project complied with important legislation.
OUTCOME
The planning application was consented by delegated decision stating, “The proposal is for a renewable energy development which is supported in principle under Policy REP1.
The solar array has been assessed as being acceptable in landscape impact terms, with a condition requirement for a planting scheme to help integrate the array into the wider landscape.”
