DAVIDSTOW

There is a proposal for a wind farm at Davidstow by a company calling itself Community Windpower Ltd, and that the name of the project is Davidstow Community Windfarm. 

Despite the name 'Davidstow Community Windfarm', this project is not proposed by, and nor is it for the benefit of, the community of Davidstow. It is an industrial wind farm that is being imposed upon us by a company based in Cheshire. We feel that the use of the name, both for the project and the name of the company itself, is misleading and an insult to the people of Davidstow!

Click Here to see the sitings of the proposed turbines.

The proposal is for 20 turbines with a hub height of 80m, the blades will be 45.2m long with a rotor diameter of 92.5m. This makes a total of 126.25m to the tips of the blades. This is 415ft in old money and from where they will be positioned, they'll be higher than Roughtor and a just few metres short of Brown Willy!

We already have two wind farms close to this proposed new development. The Cornwall Energy Study recommends a 7km buffer zone around existing wind farms.  Appendix 3 - Figure 5 [1.7Mb]

The proposed Davidstow Community Wind farm is within the buffer zones of both the existing Delabole and Cold Northcott windfarms and would also be within the buffer zones of the proposed windfarms at Otterham and Hendraburnick.

On the map in the above Appendix 3 link it states:

"Please note that the landscape sensitivity study has been based on an assessment of wind energy turbines of 1.3MW in size with a hub height of 65m."

See also  Appendix 2 [352kb]
Landscape Sensitivity to Renewable Energy Generation In Cornwall

Cornwall Energy Study: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4681 

"Area 10 Central Cornwall North Facing 

Spatial Guidance on Renewable Energy Development (continued)

Results 6.53 

Area 10 Central Cornwall North Facing May provide some opportunity for accommodating carefully sited moderate scale wind farms (5-10 1.3 MW turbines). It is suitable in terms of landscape scale and is not designated for its scenic quality (either as an AONB, Heritage Coast or AGLV). However, it has a moderate sensitivity to wind farm development in terms of landscape character and the existence of two existing wind farms means that the majority of the area falls within the 7km buffer zones of these wind farms. More detailed inter-visibility studies will need to be undertaken to assess the capacity of the landscape to accept wind turbines."

Cornwall Energy Study http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4670 

"Methodology that has been employed Spatial Guidance on Renewable Energy Development (continued)

Development stages 6.50 The methodology for assessing the suitability of locations for moderate or large scale wind farm developments has been undertaken in the following stages:

Firstly the character areas that were found to have a moderate-high or high sensitivity to wind turbine development were removed from the map (see Appendix 3 - Figure 4 [1.3Mb]). Secondly, all AONBs and Heritage Coasts were removed from the map since these scenic quality designations form a constraint to large-moderate scale wind farm development (see Figure 4). Thirdly, information on landform scale and landscape pattern were combined to indicate potentially suitable scales of wind farm development in the areas identified as having potential top accommodate wind turbines. The Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) designation was considered less of a constraint to development assuming all other criteria were met. This is consistent with the content of PPS 22 as outlined in para 6.11. Areas that fell within the 7km buffer zone around existing wind farms were highlighted as potential areas of constraint indicating that further visibility analysis would be needed in these areas to fully understand inter-visibility issues."

Cornwall Energy Study - Full Contents: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3960 

The risk to birds from the proposed Davidstow Community Windfarm

By Arthur Boyt, BSc

Community Windpower Ltd is proposing to establish a 20-turbine windfarm on land comprising Davidstow Moor, Davidstow Woods and farmland immediately west of the woods and Crowdy reservoir. No mention is made in the brochure for the project of the risk to birds using the area. The whole area is used very extensively by very large numbers of several species of bird as a wintering and roosting area and, for a number of important species, for breeding. It is therefore unsuitable as a site for the proposed windfarm.

The birds most at risk, and in large numbers, are: starling, golden plover, lapwing, rook, crow, jackdaw, herring gull, lesser black-backed gull, greater black-backed gull, black-headed gull, Canada goose, mallard, teal and pochard. In smaller numbers, but equally at risk are: buzzard, peregrine, sparrowhawk, kestrel, merlin, barn owl, tawny owl, swallow, mistle thrush, skylark, wheatear, linnet, pied wagtail, snipe, ringed plover, dunlin, raven, meadow pipit and stonechat.

The greatest risk is to starlings. The woods are used by up to 1 million starlings as a night roost from October to March. The birds fly in from every direction in the evening, circle the woods for some time before settling in the area occupied by six  turbines (Nos 6 - 11).

All the other turbines put birds at risk approaching from the north, west and south. The starling although present in such large numbers, is, neverthe less, a Red Data Book species with amber status (a species of medium concern). Besides the direct threat to starlings, their presence attracts numbers of raptors to feed on the approaching and roosting birds. A dozen buzzards have been seen on a number of occasions and there are so often peregrine, merlin and sparrowhawk present that birdwatchers come to see these birds as much as to view the spectacle of the starlings themselves.

Golden plover assemble in numbers of up to 2000 - 3000 in the air over the area of the airfield (turbines 1 - 5). They are also present in numbers over 1000 on and over the very fields on which turbines 12, 14, 17 and 18 - 20 are placed. These areas are used for feeding and roosting. Lapwing which associate with the golden plover are also found in numbers of up to 1000 birds in the same areas. Turbine 15 is sited directly on a corvid roost into which 100s of crows, rooks and jackdaws assemble every night during the winter months. There is also a raven roost about 1km from turbine 20 which, along with turbines 15 - 19 could present a hazard to ravens flying to roost.

A large number of bird species are attracted by Crowdy reservoir. These birds move in and out on a daily basis flying across the whole area where turbines are located. The birds affected are the gull species and Canada geese which may number up to 500 birds. The ducks similarly move in and out in lower numbers from Crowdy. The reservoir also attracts migrants and winter visitors which often move across the area of turbines to feed on Davidstow airfield. This is a sufficiently regular occurrence to attract numbers of birdwatchers to the sites to watch the birds. Davidstow airfield and the woods are a roosting and wintering area for large flocks of pied wagtail.

There are a number of nesting birds which could be affected adversely by the introduction of turbines. There is a tawny owl nesting regularly within 240m of turbines 15 and 16. There is a barn owl presence with possible nesting in buildings within 160m of turbines 15 and 16, and a kestrel nested this year within 150m of turbine 1. Stock dove also nest in the same buildings. Linnet, wheatear and stonechat also nest in the vicinity of turbines 1 and 2. There is a regular buzzard nest within 100m of turbines 6. One of the last breeding sites of snipe in Cornwall is situated within 150m of turbines 9 and 11. Turbine 11 is within 500m of a regular breeding site for several pairs of lapwing.

It is not known whether the species present are susceptibile to blade strikes, although both large and small birds have been killed by the blades elsewhere. Turbines are known to have an adverse effect on birds' willingness to nest when turbines are erected in the vicinity of established nesting sites. This could have an adverse effect on the presence of snipe in Cornwall as a breeding species.

The RSPB were consulted by Community Windpower as to the effect on birds and they advised the windpower company that they should look elsewhere to build their proposed windfarm.

The pictures below show starlings coming in to roost at Davidstow Forestry

RARE BEES IDENTIFIED AT DAVIDSTOW FORESTRY

"To whom it may concern.

It has recently come to my attention that there is a plan to build a windfarm on the site of Davidstow Woods.

I am e-mailing you to inform you that this area is the home for two rare species of bee - Andrena tarsata and Nomada roberjeotiana, the latter being a cleptoparasite of the former.

Andrena tarsata has undergone a marked decline in Britain since the 1970s, so much so that it is a BAP [Biodiversity Action Plan] species. In the forthcoming autumn review of hymenoptera status [2007] it will be assigned a status of RDB 3; [rare] or higher.

Nomada roberjeotiana has always been a very scarce species in Britain, with a status of RDB 3, which will almost certainly be upgraded in the autumnal review 2007. This species has rarely been recorded in Britain in recent years, the records by Haes C. on the lower slopes of Rough Tor in 1996 and by Falk in 2004, are the last known records for this species in Britain apart from my recent record of both species on tormentil along the hedgerows bounding Davidstow Woods on 08/08/2007.

Operations to cut down and develop parts of this woodland will inevitably involve the movement of heavy machinery and the like in this area, and it is my great concern that the habitat for both of these rare species will be severely and irreversibly disrupted.

Yours sincerely, Paul. A. Gainey [Dr]"

Cornwall Energy Study: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4460 

"Nature Conservation

Wind Farms

5.16

Wind farms are commonly sited in exposed rural and often upland or coastal areas to ensure high average wind speeds to maximise energy capture. Such locations can often contain some of the most important and sensitive habitats, so there is a need to ensure that any potentially damaging effects are avoided or minimised.  In determining the suitability of a wind farm site in relation to nature conservation, it should be determined whether the development would have significant impacts as a result of:

• Direct habitat loss or damage and associated biological impacts (e.g. reduced species diversity, loss of feeding/ breeding habitat)?
• Development leading to the introduction of a new substrate/ habitat?
• Interference with geological/ geomorphological processes (e.g. slope processes)?
• Interference with hydrological process (e.g. increased runoff from upland sites, erosion of peatlands)?
• Disturbance to mobile species (e.g. mammals, birds, fish including migration, feeding, breeding) from shadow flicker, noise, vibration or lighting?
• Location on a known bird migration route?

5.17

Particular cares need to be taken to ensure that the integrity of designated nature conservation sites is not compromised (ie Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, National Nature Reserves and Ramsar Sites etc).

5.18

Further information - 'Wind Farm Development and Nature Conservation'  (2001) - This is a guidance document for nature conservation organisations and developers when consulting over wind farm proposals in England.  It was jointly published by WWF, English Nature, RSPB and the BWEA.  Scottish Natural Heritage in association with the British Wind Energy Association is also preparing a 'Methodology for assessing the effects of wind farms on ornithological interests'.  Volume three of the ETSU report on the 'Cumulative effects of wind turbines' (2001), also deals with the cumulative effects on birds."

Cornwall Energy Study - Full Contents: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3960 

PEAT BOGS AND TURBINES

Another worrying aspect of putting wind turbines on Davidstow Moor is the fact that most of it is peat marsh.

See this from '400 Million Years In The Making' 

http://www.caradon.gov.uk/media/adobe/bodminmoor1.pdf

"But as sea level fell it paused at times, so the sea had time to erode broad flat benches in the landscape – ancient sea beds! Davidstow airfield is probably on one at around 300m above present day sea level. You can stand on Roughtor today – at 400m – and imagine the scenery changing as the sea level fell"

Not only do peat bogs store three times as much carbon as held in tropical rainforests, but a similar wind farm development in Ireland ended in disaster

Follow the links below for the full story:

The hidden cost of wind turbines
http://environment.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19125591.600

Peat Paper

Windfarms on Blanket Peat

** 'Preserve peat bogs' for climate **
The UK government should conserve peat bogs and the carbon they contain, urges the National Trust.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/6502239.stm

HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The RAF Davidstow Moor website has comprehensive information about the history of this iconic aerodrome.

The English Heritage website contains a publication Airfields and aviation Buildings. A National Assessment.

See HERE 

Cornwall Energy Study:  http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4461 

"Archaeology and Historical Buildings Guidance on Consultation and Development Control (continued)

Wind energy developments 

5.19 

Wind energy developments can potentially have an impact on listed buildings, conservation areas and archaeological sites which are located within or near to a proposed wind farm site. The impacts could include - direct physical impact on the feature of archaeological or heritage interest or an indirect impact on the setting of these features. There is also the potential to damage as yet undiscovered archaeological remains. In determining the suitability of a site, the following question needs to be addressed:

Are there any identified sites/ features of significant archaeological or historical importance within or near to the site? And what will be the impact on the physical form or setting of these sites/ features?

5.20 

Further information - Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Historic Environment Record held by Cornwall County Council. The Historic Environment Service can advise on what the likely impacts will be or suggest those that could give this advice. Institute of Field Archaeologists (2000), 'Standards and Guidance for Archeologically Desk Based Assessment' and Institute of Field Archaeologists 'Code of Conduct and Health and Safety in Field Archaeology' (1999)."

Cornwall Energy Study - Full Contents: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3960 

A Parish Plan proposed for Davidstow.

Upcoming Events: 

The village hall committee AGM is on December 10th at Tremail Methodist Hall at 7.30pm. It is important that people attend this meeting to form a new committee and discuss the way ahead.

Davidstow is a large Parish with no true centre, it's residents are mainly scattered over a wide area, often isolated, and other than the church or chapel, with no means of coming into contact with each other. There is no shop, school, post office village hall or pub for neighbours to meet each other informally. It is for this very reason the wind farm company targeted Davidstow, it foresaw a weak opposition to it's plans, counting on the fact that as a community we would be unable to counter the proposal. Strong communities are better able to withstand this type of pressure from developers and it is one of the reasons that there are plans afoot to look at forming a Parish Plan for Davidstow.

So, if you live in or around Davidstow, are there things that you would like to see changed, kept as they are or something completely new? Things can be changed and you can have a say in the direction it takes. A Parish Plan serves that purpose.

For full details of Parish Plans and how to have a say, please contact Liz Gregory on: 01840 261123 or email: liz@lizgregory.com 

See also the new Davidstow Parish website - www.davidstowparish.co.uk 

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Last revised: December 29, 2007