Wonston Planning Development Control
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WCC – PDC995 BDBC - 13/00046/FUL TVBC - 13/00753/FULLN FOR DECISION WARD(S): WONSTON WHITCHURCH HAREWOOD PLANNING DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE(S) 16 JUNE 2014 REPORT OF HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT Contact Officer’s: WCC - David Dimon Tel No: 01962 848430 [email protected] TVBC – Lucy Miranda Page Tel No: 01264 368182 [email protected] BDBC – Patricia Logie Tel No: 01256 845457 [email protected] This report concerns the following applications: WCC - Case No. 13/00800/FUL W22618/03 TVBC - Case No. 13/00753/FULLN BDBC - Case No. 13/00046/FUL Proposal Description Construction of a wind farm development comprising Winchester City Council (case no. 13/00800/FUL) for 7 wind turbines up to 126.5m in height to blade tip and ancillary equipment, site access, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, anemometry mast, control building and temporary construction compound, in conjunction with planning applications to Test Valley Borough Council (case no. 13/00753/FULLN) for 3 wind turbines, ancillary equipment, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (case no. 13/00046/FUL) for 4 wind turbines, ancillary equipment, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, as part of a single wind farm of 14 wind turbines for an operational period of 25 years (IS A MAJOR APPLICATION AND IS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DEVELOPMENT) (THIS APPLICATION MAY AFFECT THE SETTING OF A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY). Address: Proposed Bullington Cross Wind Farm Site, Norton, Sutton Scotney, Hampshire Applicant : EDF Energy Renewables Page 1 of 161 RECENT REFERENCES: None EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: 1) This report deals with the major planning proposal for the erection of a 14 turbine wind farm at Upper Norton Farm, approximately 2km to the north east of Bullington Cross where the primary east west and north south arterial roads A303 and A34 intersect. The proposed development site at Upper Norton Farm falls at the point of intersection of the administrative boundaries of Winchester City Council, Test Valley Borough Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Consequently the proposal comprises of three separate planning applications with the Winchester application being for 7 turbines in Wonston Parish, the Test Valley application for 3 turbines in Bullington parish and the Basingstoke application for 4 turbines in Whitchurch and Laverstoke parishes. 2) The 14 Turbines are sited on arable fields to the north of the main farm complex and mostly south west of Freefolk Wood. The combined site area of the three applications extends to 57.92 hectares within the total available farm area extending to approximately 442 hectares. 3) The proposed turbines have a height of 80 metres to hub and an overall maximum height of 126.5 metres to blade tips, with their ground level heights ranging from 90 to 120 metres above mean sea level. 4) In addition to the turbine structures, the development includes new and upgraded on site access tracks, crane pads and lay down areas of approximately 45m x 28m adjacent to each turbine plus an external transformer to serve each turbine. The proposal also includes a control and metering building of approximately 12m x 12m x 4.5m height to roof ridge, a 70m high lattice tower anemometer mast and a temporary construction compound measuring 50m x 50m. These additional constructions all lie within the Winchester application. 5) Details of the proposed development are set out in section 3 of this report and sections 4 and 5 deal respectively with public consultation representations that have been received and statutory/non-statutory consultation responses. Relevant national and local policy provisions against which the applications must be assessed are set out in section 6 of this report. Paragraphs 97 and 98 of the National Planning Policy Framework March 2012 are of particular relevance to the presumption in favour of sustainable renewable energy development, along with the relevant local plan policies of the 3 authorities that support the generation of renewable and decentralised energy in the Districts to help contribute to national, regional and sub-regional renewable energy targets and CO2 reductions. The wide ranging environmental safeguarding policies against which such objectives must be balanced are also set out within section 6. 6) Section 7 addresses the Planning Considerations of the proposals with the following sections 8-16 dealing with detailed topic assessments as follows:- Page 2 of 161 (section numbers are shown in brackets). Access, Highways and Public Rights of Way(8); Hydrology Hydrogeology, Geology and Flood Risk(9); Ecology and Ornithology(10); Landscape & Recreational Amenity(11); Heritage; Archaeology and Conservation(12); Aviation(13); Electromagnetic Interference(14); Impact on Residential Amenity(15); Economic considerations(16). Finally section 17 provides a concluding summary/planning balance with the recommendations of the three authorities provided at section 18 1, 18.2 and 18.3. 7) An Environmental Statement and technical appendices, together with drawings and landscape impact views, wirefame diagrams and photomontages support the application. It is a large and complex development that would have a significant impact over a wide area of the surrounding north Hampshire countryside. 8) The examination of the main areas of consideration, as outlined in paragraphs 5 & 6 above, highlights a number of matters on which the proposal overall exhibits significant shortcomings as judged against relevant policy criteria. This includes both technical and amenity concerns particularly as regards the likely detrimental visual impact upon the surrounding landscape. An area which contributes in no small way to the setting of nationally recognised areas of landscape importance and consequent designation, the South Downs National Park and North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. These matters of concern together combine to undermine confidence in the acceptability of the proposal in terms of its benefits outweighing its adverse impacts and demonstrate its failure to adequately meet all relevant policy requirements. Therefore each planning applications is recommended for Refusal RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. In the case of planning application. 13/00800/FUL Winchester City Council:- That planning permission be REFUSED for the reasons set out in section 18 of this report. 2. In the case of planning application. 13/00046/FUL Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council:- That planning permission be REFUSED for the reasons set out in section 18 of this report. 3. In the case of planning application. 13/00753/FULLN Test Valley Borough Council:- That planning permission be REFUSED for the reasons set out in section 18 of this report. Page 3 of 161 PLANNING DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE 16 JUNE 2014 REPORT OF HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT WCC - Case No. 13/00800/FUL W22618/03 TVBC - Case No. 13/00753/FULLN BDBC - Case No. 13/00046/FUL Construction of a wind farm development comprising Winchester City Council (case no. 13/00800/FUL) for 7 wind turbines up to 126.5m in height to blade tip and ancillary equipment, site access, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, anemometry mast, control building and temporary construction compound, in conjunction with planning applications to Test Valley Borough Council (case no. 13/00753/FULLN) for 3 wind turbines, ancillary equipment, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (case no. 13/00046/FUL) for 4 wind turbines, ancillary equipment, external transformers, foundations, crane hardstandings, access tracks, cable trenches, as part of a single wind farm of 14 wind turbines for an operational period of 25 years (IS A MAJOR APPLICATION AND IS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DEVELOPMENT) (THIS APPLICATION MAY AFFECT THE SETTING OF A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY). DETAIL: 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND This report comprises the following sections with the detailed consideration of issues beginning at section 7. Each of the topic sections 8-16 has a conclusion paragraph(s) that summarises the main findings of the section assessment and section 17 draws together the overall conclusions from these to inform the recommendations at section 18. Section Topic 1. Introduction / Background 2. Location and Site Description 3. Details of Proposal including split between authorities 4. Public Consultation process and response 5. Statutory and Non-Statutory Consultation Responses 6. Policy Provision applicable to consideration of applications 7. Planning Considerations 8. Access and Highway considerations including Rights of Way 9. Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Flood Risk 10. Ecology & Ornithology 11. Landscape (Including recreational amenity) 12. Heritage, Archaeology and Conservation 13. Aviation 14. Electromagnetic Interference Page 4 of 161 15. Impact on residential amenity (Including the effects of noise and shadow flicker) 16. Economic Considerations 17. Concluding Planning Balance 18. Recommendations 18.1) WCC, 18.2) B&DBC, 18.3) TVBC A. APPENDIX A = Analysis of Public Consultation Reps. & full version of Hurstbourne Priors PC comments. B. APPENDIX B = Aviation Consultants report (Popham) C. APPENDIX C = Noise Consultants report 1.1. The development proposed in this case, although comprising of three separate