EHG5878 - DBA and walkover survey - proposed Kintradwell Wind Farm

A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out by CFA Archaeology in 2019 in advance of a proposed wind farm development at Kintradwell, Sutherland. The aim was to inform determination of an EIA report chapter in relation to likely significant impacts upon the historic environment. The assessment aimed to identify all known heritage assets potentially affected by the proposed development, and the potential for currently unknown heritage assets to be present within the Inner Study Area. Known heritage assets were visited to confirm their location, extent and state of preservation. Field visits were also undertaken to heritage assets in the Outer Study Area in order to assess their baseline settings. An assessment of the identified cultural heritage resource, and consideration of the current and past land-use, within and in the immediate vicinity of the Inner Study Area, indicates that there is a moderate to high probability of hitherto unidentified archaeological remains of prehistoric or medieval/post-medieval date being present within the site, mostly restricted to the south-east facing slopes between Kintradwell Farm and Lothbeg. The layout of the Proposed Development has been designed as far as possible to avoid direct effects on the identified heritage assets within the site and all bar two assets of medium sensitivity have been avoided. Two assets of medium sensitivity would be directly affected by the Proposed Development and a programme of mitigation is set out to address likely direct impacts on these and on any as yet undiscovered buried archaeological remains<1>