Landscape Integration and Visual Assessment for Roche Road Solar Park
Roche Road Solar Farm
Yarrenlea | Queensland | Australia
mitigating visual impact through landscape integration at Roche road solar park
Citicene was proud to contribute to the Roche Road PV Solar Park, providing a comprehensive Visual Impact Assessment and securing Landscape Development Approval for this expansive one-square-kilometre renewable energy facility on the outskirts of Pittsworth.
Designed to seamlessly integrate with its natural surroundings, the solar farm incorporates a preserved waterway and wetlands buffer that runs through the site, reinforcing ecological sustainability. A dedicated bushfire buffer zone along the northern boundary enhances site resilience, while the gently rising topography offers sweeping 180-degree views to the west.
Thoughtful landscape planning ensures that the facility not only delivers clean energy but also respects and enhances the visual and environmental character of the region.
preserving rural character and visual amenity
Toowoomba Regional Council required a Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) alongside conceptual landscape proposals to achieve Development Approval. Citicene’s role included a detailed assessment of how the development would affect the surrounding rural landscape, identifying potential impacts on key viewsheds from sensitive receivers and public spaces.
landscape authority approval
As part of the Development Approval process, the Local Authority mandated a comprehensive visual and landscape assessment to ensure the project would integrate harmoniously with the existing environment.
visual impact assessment (VIA)
A critical component of the project was evaluating the visual impact of the solar farm and developing appropriate mitigation strategies. Given the site’s footprint of approximately one square kilometre – situated between floodplains and rolling hills in a rural setting – assessing how the project would be perceived from various vantage points was essential.
Sensitive receivers within a three-kilometre radius were identified, and viewpoints were analysed to determine the likely visual impact of the project during both construction and operational phases.
The assessment included:
- Establishing a baseline landscape character and mapping sensitive receivers within a three-kilometre radius of the site.
- Analyzing viewsheds from each sensitive receiver and evaluating potential visual impacts, ranking them in terms of landscape character and visual amenity.
- Assessing the effectiveness of proposed mitigation strategies in increasing Visual Absorption Capability (VAC).
Evaluating key factors such as:
- Receiver’s Visual Sensitivity Rating – The degree to which the surrounding landscape contributes to the overall visual quality of the area.
- Distance of View – The proximity of sensitive viewpoints to the solar farm.
- Duration of Visual Impact – How long the development remains in view.
- Visual Absorption Capability – The site’s natural ability to screen or integrate the infrastructure.
mitigation strategies for visual integration
To minimize visual impact and enhance the site’s ability to absorb the development into the existing landscape, Citicene developed a range of mitigation strategies. Establishing effective landscape screening along boundary alignments was critical to increasing visual amenity. The proposed planting strategy focused on utilizing native species to soften the development’s edges, ensuring long-term visual harmony with the surrounding environment.
Through strategic landscape planning and assessment, Citicene helped shape a renewable energy facility that balances functionality with environmental and visual sensitivity, supporting sustainable energy development without compromising the character of the region.
