Committee and Date Item/Paper North Planning Committee (Oswestry) 7 26th April 2011 Public Development Management Report Application Number: 11/00498/MAW Parish: West Felton Grid Ref: Proposal: Installation of 1 wind turbine (66m high), erection of small substation, formation of new access track and hardstanding and associated infrastructure. Site Address: Abbots Moor Farm, Haughton, West Felton Company: JC & MW Suckley Case Officer: Mr Grahame French email: [email protected] 1.0 THE PROPOSAL 1.1 It is proposed to construct a single on-farm wind turbine generator with a maximum tip height of 66m, a hub height of 49m and a rotor diameter of 33.4m. The turbine would have a power output of 330kW based on an estimated wind speed of 6.1m/s, providing sufficient electricity for about 175 homes and would reduce annual Carbon Dioxide emissions by between 323 and 646 tonnes. The proposed access track would be constructed of stone chippings. In addition, concrete would be delivered to site for turbine foundation construction. A small electricity substation would also be constructed within the hardstanding area adjacent to the turbine. The construction phase would last 4 months. 2. SITE LOCATION / DESCRIPTION 2.1 The proposed site is located at the western edge of an arable field east of the former Rednal Airfield (see plan). The site is on a gentle rise at an elevation of 80m above ordnance datum. Surrounding land slopes gently to the east. The site would be accessed via an existing internal trackway running around the edge of the airfield and a proposed 175m long hard surfaced track across the field (see plan). Abbots Moor Farm (area 244 acres) forms part of a unit of 7000 acres farmed by the Suckley family and is predominantly arable. Contact: Grahame French on 01743 252595 North Planning Committee (Oswestry): 26th April 2011 2.2 The site is located 500m to the north east of two existing large potato warehouse buildings owned by the Suckley family and 330m north of two new agricultural storage buildings, approved by Shropshire Council in 2009 and currently under construction. The agricultural track defining the edge of the former airfield to the west of the proposed site is bordered by a double row of mature poplar trees. Intermittent tree and hedgerow vegetation defines field boundaries to the north and south of the site. The low-lying poorly drained area known as Baggy Moor is located to the east. Part of this area commencing 500m from the site is being managed by the RSPB to promote habitats for ground nesting birds. A privately operated runway linked to Rednal Airfield is located some 800m to the west. A national grid line crosses the airfield site in a roughly north-south direction 290m to the west of the site. The nearest pylon is located 330m to the north -west. 2.3 The main area of Rednal Industrial Estate is located 1km to the north - east. The nearest private properties are located at Haughton 740 m to the south - west (10 properties), and Henbarns 880m to the south (8 properties) and the hamlet of Rednal 1km to the west. The potato warehouse buildings referred to above are located in an intervening position relative to most of the properties at Haughton. The small settlements of Lower Hordley and Bagley Marsh extend to within 2.1km to the north east and 1.6km to the east of the site respectively on the opposite side of Baggy Moor. 3. RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that the application is GRANTED subject to conditions to cover the matters listed in section 13 below. 4. REASON FOR COMMITTEE 4.1 The number of objections received in response to planning consultations exceeds the threshold specified in the Council’s Scheme of Delegation. 5. PLANNING HISTORY 5.1 There is no previous planning history relating to the current application site. A planning application for an Anaerobic Digester has been submitted for a site 300m to the south - west and forms a separate item on this agenda. 6. CONSULTEE RESPONSES 6.1 West Felton Parish Council – No comments. 6.2 Ruyton XI Towns Parish Town Council (adjacent parish) - The Parish Council members did not consider themselves to be suitably informed on the new technology to be able to make a decision on whether to support or oppose the application as in principle the Council supports alternative environmentally friendly renewable energy sources. However, the Council was unanimously agreed to make the following comments: • That the structure proposed will dominate and disfigure the rural Contact: Grahame French on 01743 252595 2 North Planning Committee (Oswestry): 26th April 2011 landscape; • The Council had significant environmental concerns with regard to noise and wildlife. 6.3 Environment Agency - No objection. 6.4i. Civil Aviation Authority - The development (like any wind turbine development) has the potential to impact upon aviation operations and activities in a number of ways; the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI - now the Department for Energy and Climate Change) sponsored document 'Wind Energy and Aviation Interests' and Civil Air Publication 764 refer. From a study of the information it is evident that there is a need to consult with the owner/manager of Rednal aerodrome. Furthermore, to complete the aviation picture the related perspectives of the Ministry of Defence and NATS should also be taken into account during associated future planning deliberations, as they are both statutory consultees. In addition the following points may be raised during consultations with other aviation stakeholders. ii. There might be a request to install aviation obstruction lighting to some or all of the associated wind turbines should this wind turbine development be progressed. This comment is made specifically if there were concerns expressed by other elements of the aviation industry, i.e. the operators. For example, if the Ministry of Defence (MoD) or a local aerodrome had suggested such a need, the CAA (sponsor of policy for aviation obstruction lighting) would wish, in generic terms, to support such a claim. We would do so if it could reasonably be argued that the structure(s), by virtue of their location and nature, could be considered a significant navigational hazard. That said, if the claim was clearly outside credible limits (i.e. the proposed turbine(s) was/were many miles away from an any aerodrome or it/they were of a height that was unlikely to effect even military low flying) the Authority would play an 'honest- broker' role. That said, in isolation, the CAA would not make any case for lighting. iii. International aviation regulatory documentation requires that the rotor blades, nacelle and upper 2/3 of the supporting mast of wind turbines that are deemed to be an aviation obstruction should be painted white, unless otherwise indicated by an aeronautical study. It follows that the CAA advice on the colour of wind turbines would align with these international criteria. As with the potential need for lighting, in isolation, the CAA would make no special case for marking. iv. The number of pre-planning enquiries associated with wind turbine developments has been significant. It is possible that the proliferation of wind turbines in any particular area might potentially result in difficulties for aviation that a single development would not have generated. It is, therefore, not necessarily the case that, because a generic area was not objected to by the aviation industry, future, similarly located potential developments would receive the same positive response. Due to the unique nature of associated operations in respect of operating altitudes and potentially unusual landing sites, it would also be sensible to establish the related viewpoint of local emergency services air support units. None of the above negates any requirement to consult in line Contact: Grahame French on 01743 252595 3 North Planning Committee (Oswestry): 26th April 2011 with ODPM / DFT Circular 1/2003. 6.5 Ministry of Defence - No objection. In the interests of air safety the turbine should be fitted with 25 candela omni-directional red lighting or infrared lighting with an optimised flash pattern of 60 flashes per minute of 200ms to 500ms at the highest practicable point. The principle safeguarding concern of the MOD with respect to development of wind turbines relates to the potential to create a physical obstruction to air traffic movements and cause interference to Air Traffic Control and Air Defence radar installations. Government guidance on renewable energy development as set out in Paragraph 25 of PPS22 stipulates that 'it is the responsibility of developers to address any potential impacts, taking account of CAA, MOD and Department for Transport guidance in relation to radar and aviation, and the legislative requirements on separation distances, before planning applications are submitted. Local Planning Authorities should satisfy themselves that such matters have been addressed before considering planning applications'. Defence Estates Safeguarding wishes to be consulted and notified of the submission and progression of planning applications relating to this proposal to verify that it will not adversely affect defence intrerests. 6.5 National Grid – To be reported verbally. 6.6i. Natural England – No objection. The application does not affect any nationally or internationally designated site for nature conservation. Natural England notes the comments in the application relating to the significant effects on the landscape of the area and from two selected viewpoints. Natural England welcomes the details included in the Ecology report relating to the assessment about the micro - siting of the turbine. Siting the turbine away from hedgerows, to avoid possible effects on birds and bats, is welcome. The report also considerers effects of disturbance on breeding birds (page 22) stating the turbine is more than 500m from the RSPB project site.