Territory in Transition
The northern bank of the inner Forth Estuary is facing an uncertain future due to two major forces of transition. On the one hand, potential deindustrialisation, in contrast to the industrial expansion on the southern bank, and on the other hand, rising sea levels which are likely to change the shape of the region within the next decade. Though the Scottish government is developing strategies on how to handle the challenges of climate change, local authorities are not responding to the recommendations of the government, and are simultaneously threatened by a major cut-back of resources due to the financial recession. Scottish Power, the owner of Longannet Power Station and the sites connected to it, has been the major source of jobs and economy in the area over the past five decades. They are planning to stay in the area despite the fact that the coal-fired power station Longannet is being closed down in 2020/25, and despite the Scottish government planning for Scottland to be 100% provided for by renewable energy by 2020. Scottish Power has a renewable energy section, but wind farms and tidal energy can not be developed large scale in this area. ________________________________________ What is the future of this territory, and how will it adapt to the pressures it is facing whilst planners hesitate to take the next step to plan a long-term strategy to face future challenges?
Transforming the Industrial System of Longannet Power Station into an Adaptable Blue-Green Landscape
This thesis is proposing an alternative to dereliction and vulnerability by exploring the potential of a robust, flexible and multi-layered blue-green structure at the interface between the terrestrial and marine environment. Furthermore, the project seeks to set up a process of renewal which will enhance the amenities of the landscape and further strengthen the ecological, economical and social potential of the territory surrounding Longannet. Furthermore, making the most of the industrial relics of the past – be it material or structural – to re-generate a new future both for the region of the Firth of Forth and the territory of the Northern Bank of the Estuary. The blue-green strategy is explored in greater detail through the 193 hectare site of Longannet Power Station, its ash lagoons, storage areas and former mine by means of Remediation, Bio-energy crops, Saltmarsh restoration and wetland terraces, all combigned with strategically interwoven public access and complementary drainage patterns, connecting the inland territory and freshwater to the firth.
Existing
Proposed
Redistribution Regional and Territorial Strategy
From grey to green and blue; The former industrial area is reclaimed for productive, recreational and ecological purposes, meanwhile creating structures that both mitigates and adapts the landscape towards meeting the challenge of future climate change with resilience. A priority has been to make space for water and intertidal habitats where managed realignment is suitable and possible, meanwhile creating a robust and adaptable future buffer for future climate change. Furthermore, the aim has been to reuse and redistribute as much material as possible Kincardine: Opening up land, reclaimed for agricultural purposes in the 19th century, for managed realignment which allows the tide to migrate, avoiding “coastal squeeze” where the intertidal habitats disappear. This strategy furthermore provides natural, resilient and sustainable flood prevention for the town of Kincardine which is at risk with future sea level rise. The topsoil from these sites is reused in the remediation of the areas surrounding Longannet Power Station. Longannet: The former industrial land is remediated and regenerated for productive and ecological purposes. This land would otherwise be flooded at different stages within the next 100 years, exposing the pollution of the sites to the fragile ecology of the estuary. Valleyfield: The ashlagoons are so “thick” here that large areas are not threatened by sea level rise. However, the whole lagoon is made on the intertidal mudflat, making a substantial cut-back in the intertidal area of Torry Bay. The areas surrounding Preston Island area are therefore opened up for managed realignment, whilst the rest of the area is optimised for biodiversity and recreation.
From Grey to Green-Blue on the Northern Bank of the Inner Estuary
1: 10.000
0
500 m1
km
Exisiting Marine - Terrestrial Transition
Proposed Marine - Terrestrial Transition
Artificial Fish Reef - Reusing the Coal Fly Ash The first meter or so of the ash in the ash lagoons at Longannet is reused to make blocks of ash, that are used to make one or more artificial fish reefs in the outer parts of the Firth. These ash blocks both clean polluted water, whilst providing important habitat for the local fish stock to regenerate in.
This strategy is largely inspired by “Ocean Landmark�, Betty Baumonts project in the 1980s,employing the same process on the continental shelf just outside New York. The fish reef made from similar fly ash blocks, is now registered as a fish haven on the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) coastal navigational map. With the long traditions of fishing in the Firth of Forth, this could provide a regeneration of the fish stock in the long term, whilst handling the issue of what to do with the left-over fly ash.
Transforming the Industrial System of Longannet Power Station into an Adaptable Blue-Green Landscape
Existing
Saltmarsh establishment
Power Station Termination / Remediation
Remediated Site / Ecological and Productive Regeneration
1.
Saltmarsh Establishment / transformation of the ash lagoons Establishing phases of the saltmarsh
Year; 2014 Mean tide: 2.15 - 4.35 m.a.sl
Pioneering Saltmarsh vegetation
Reused and redistributed materials
Whilst the power station is still up and running, the “retired� ash lagoons are transformed into an artificially simulated tidal saltmarsh, piped with saltwater from the Forth by an existing pipe system in the power station. This way the saltmarsh vegetation also gets to establish on top of the remaining ash within a controlled environment. Topsoil from the adjacent site that has been realigned is stored in the areas that are not used for coal storage.
Mature Saltmarsh vegetation
2.
Power Station Termination / Remediation and Redistribution Principles of Phyto-remediation;
Plant suitable for remediating the site, whilst providing bio-energy;
Expected Year; 2025
Phytoremediation fo former coal-storage site and mine-area; phases
Predicted Mean Tide: 2.20 - 4.40 m.a.sl
Once the power station shuts down in 2020/2025 (At the latest 2030), most of the buildings except the turbin hall will be demolished and reused for landscaping. The former coal storage area will be remediated using plants that can simultaneously provide green energy crops. The establishment of terraces on the unproductive agricultural land is included in the area connected to the new research center.
Conversion of wet unproductive land into productive terraces
Longannet transitions from “grey� energy to green energy
3.
Remediatied Land / Regeneration Bio-energy crops on remediated soil;
Short Rotation Coppice
Expected Year; 2035 Predicted Mean Tide: 2.25 - 4.45 m.a.sl
Annuals
Scottish Agricultural References
The remediated sties are used for both short coppice bio-energy, like willow and poplar, and annual bio-energy plants such as sunflower and miscanthus, whilst the terraces of Spartina pectinata will gradually be reclaimed by the tide.
A new Research Center for Climate Change and Renewable Energy in Scotland
Salt water tolerant plant species
Water tolerant tree-species
4.35
10.00
4.40
8.00
Ash Garden
9.50
5.50 15.00 9.50
10.00
9.00
8.00
7.00 6.50
9.00
5.50 The Rigs
7.00 6.00 10.00 6.50
5.50
10.00
7.
9.00
7.00 7.00
9.00
7.00
7.00
6.50
8.00
7.50
7.00
6.0
7.50
7.50 4.75
7.00
5.00
Longannet Point 4.35
5.
Rese
arch
5.00 7.50 Sunflower Poplar
Longannet Peninsula
7.00
Cente
r
7.00
6.00
Willow Miscanthus
7.50
6.00
Mixed Native Pine
The Jetty
Birch Spartina pectinata terraces Spartina pectinata fields Upper High Salt Marsh High Salt Marsh Lower Salt Marsh Intertidal zone Wetlands
5.00
5.00
10.00
4.75 10.00
4.65
00
4.65
4.65 4.55
4.75 7.00
4.75
4.50
5.00
4.55
4.55
4.50 6.20
4.40
4.43
4.40
5.00
5.00
2.55 4.35
4.43
.50
0
4.75
4.75 The Terraces
6.50 5.00
4.75
4.75
6.50
5.00 2.15
4.40
7.50
5.00 5.00
The Green
2.55 4.40
6.50
4.43
.00
5.00
4.35 7.50
4.35
4.43
6.50
4.35 6.00
7.00
6.00
4.35
6.50 6.00
4.43 2.55
6.50 The Spit
6.00 4.43 7.50
4.43
6.50 7.00
6.50
1: 2500
0
50 m
125 m
250 m
The Green / Saltmarsh
The establishment of the saltmarsh on the former ash algoons provide both a stabiliser for the remaining ash underneath, whist reusing dredge material to creat a saltmarsh the provides habitat both for important saltmarsh vegetation, birds and fish. The re-connection of tidal creeks diversifies and provides the saltmarsh with a naturally developing saltmarsh system. Pits and pannes are areas where the saltwater will enteron a irregular basis, to evapourate, keeping the saltmarsh from transforming into a freshwater wetland.
The Terraces
The terraces will provide currently unproductive areas with an alternative, using Spartina pectinata, which handles both moist conditions and temporary exposure to brackish and salt water. Spartina pectinata provides biomass to create green energy. The tidal creeks and tidal acess will enter this area underneath the railway and public path, providing both with a unqie setting and experience for the public..
The saltmarsh is a fragile ecology and will be acessed by wooden deck walkways, that will give the public access to ceirtan parts of the marsh, whilst ensuring there are sections of the marsh completely restricted to the wildlife.
The terracing will make sure the whole area won´t be reclaimed by the tide at the same time, whilst allowing the tide to reclaim these areas one by one. The plant Spartina pectinata will provide orgnaic material for the saltmarsh to form on, whilst allowing the natural vegetation to estblish. The boarder ledge of the second terrace is slightly wider than the others, accomodation a public path inbetween the crops.
The Rigs; Remediation / Phase 2
Remediation; Phyto-remediation will gradually clean the polluted leftovers from the area´s former use as a coal storage. The plants will target the heavy metals likely to be here, whilst providing biomass for green energy through incineration. The land here will lie higher than before due to reuse of topsoil from the agricultural areas that have been opened up to the tide by Kincardine.
The Rigs; Bio-energy / Phase 3
Bio-energy; The pattern of the run rigs are continued, providing new bio-crops with clean soil to grow in, which means the ash left over from incineration could be used as a natural fertiliser. Each row is about 50 m wide, and could be used for other crops and means than what has been suggested here. The roads between the crops and the converted coal conveyor belt structures will provide public access and view, both from on the ground and above.
The Spit and the Green
The spit is the remains of the structures restricting the former ash lagoons. This has been kept so that the ash underneath the saltmarsh is not as vulnerable to erosion, whilst providing protection for the vulnerable saltmarsh vegetation, just like a natural spit would. It does not obstruct the process of tidal exchange with the saltmarsh, which will function naturally once the Power Station shuts down.
The spit also forms a structure that brings the public right out into the Firth, in an area where the Firth of Forth has been cut off from public access and direct contact for a century.
Longannet Peninsula at the Jetty
Longannet Peninsula will accomodate a transformed power station into a research center and bio-energy production facility. The penisula is framed with a double row of slightly raised land, made of rubble from the parts of the power station that have been demolished. The upper section of these provide roads, whilst lower lying areas are wetlands that absorb water at extreme times, like astronomical tides or storm surges.