Loch Kemp Storage EIA Report and LVIA
EIA and LVIA support for 600MW pumped storage hydro on Loch Ness
ASH has produced the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) for Loch Kemp Storage: a 600MW pumped storage hydro scheme on the shores of Loch Ness, delivering long-duration energy storage to help balance the UK grid.
Pumped Storage
EIA
LVIA
Challenge
Located partly within a Special Area of Conservation, and wholly within a Sensitive Landscape Area, the development of a major infrastructure project in this location required detailed environmental survey and analysis of results to inform a sensitively designed project within this location.
Strategy
ASH Design and Assessment initiated the EIA process by defining its scope and coordinating technical specialists while delivering comprehensive LVIA and design refinements to minimise environmental effects.
Results
The submitted EIA Report supports the planning application for the 600 MW pumped storage scheme, which will provide flexible energy storage to power over one million homes, while providing significant woodland enhancement and and peatland restoration measures to help preserve the region’s landscape and ecology.
Project Context
Situated between Fort Augustus and Inverness, the Loch Kemp Storage project will use Loch Kemp as the upper reservoir and Loch Ness as the lower reservoir. With capacity to store and generate up to 600MW for 15 hours, the scheme will help manage excess renewable generation and meet peak demand – supporting energy security, lower costs, and Net Zero goals. The site’s topography and hydrology make it a natural fit for this proven technology.
Our Brief
ASH Design and Assessment was appointed to coordinate the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) for the Loch Kemp Storage project. Our scope included visualisations, stakeholder consultation, design input, and coordination of specialist studies across technical and environmental disciplines.
We have delivered a series of technical outputs to support the planning application: the Scoping Report, EIA Report, Shadow Habitats Regulations Appraisal, Derogation Report, and two rounds of Additional Information.
Our Approach
Key actions included:
Initiating the EIA process and defining scope
Prepared and submitted the Scoping Report to define issues and guide early project design.
Coordinated technical specialists to address environmental sensitivities, including landscape, ecology, hydrology, and cultural heritage.
Scoped key constraints associated with the Ness Woods Special Area of Conservation, ensuring that habitat and species impacts were identified and addressed at an early stage.
Comprehensive assessment and design iteration
Worked with architects to refine the design of the powerhouse and above-ground structures, selecting appropriate materials and landscape mitigation measures to minimise effects in the Loch Ness setting.
Delivered a detailed LVIA, supported by visualisations, that set out the results of the assessment of potential impacts.
Coordinated ecological inputs to develop a design that minimises effects on sensitive habitats within the Ness Woods SAC to an acceptable level.
Collaborative approach and holistic evaluation
Supported at public exhibition events, engaging directly with local communities and stakeholders.
Liaised with statutory consultees to ensure robust responses to landscape, ecological, and planning issues.
Worked with ecological specialists in the production of a Shadow Habitats Regulations Appraisal and Derogation Report given impacts on a European designated site.
The Section 36 application, supported by the EIA Report and associated documentation, has been submitted and is currently under determination. Should the project receive consent, the 600 MW scheme will deliver up to 15 hours of flexible storage capacity – helping to power over one million homes.
The Outcome
Working on a large-scale storage or hydro project in a sensitive landscape?
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