Environmental consultancy LUC has launched ENGAGE3D, an immersive visualisation tool to support public consultation on infrastructure including onshore wind projects.
The company said the tool uses game-engine technology to create interactive 3D models of proposed developments in real-world landscapes, allowing stakeholders to explore sites and compare scenarios.
It added that ENGAGE3D integrates multiple datasets including LiDAR terrain models, aerial imagery, the National Tree Map and photography to reflect real-world conditions.
The platform enables users to navigate sites at eye level or via a virtual drone view, while adjusting variables such as seasons, weather, visibility and turbine speeds.
Welsh publicly-owned renewable energy developer Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru is among the first adopters, using the tool to consult on new wind farms across the country.
“At LUC, we believe that the best projects start with listening. Effective consultation builds understanding, strengthens trust, and helps communities feel part of shaping their future,” said Rob Booth, chief executive at LUC.
“This is why we developed ENGAGE3D – an integrated service backed by 60 years of environmental consultancy expertise and robust GIS data. It’s a tool that will facilitate meaningful conversations about development proposals and place communities into the heart of decision making.”
Dr Catrin Ellis-Jones, head of public involvement at Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, said: “The 3D digital model is an excellent tool for visualising what a project can look like in the local landscape from close up, or from kilometres away.”
“It helps provide context and illustrates how some features, such as trees and buildings, or topographic effects, mean the turbines are less apparent when observed from certain locations, and more obvious from other viewpoints.”