Committee Report
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COMMITTEE REPORT Application Ref. 15/01740/FUL Applicant TGC Renewables Reason for Referral Scale of Development to Committee Case Officer Sarah Luckham Presenting Officer Sarah Luckham Site Address Land at Bascote Road, Long Itchington . Construction and operation of a solar farm . Approximately 4.64 Mega Watt Peak (MWp) on 5.5 ha of developable area . Energy enough to supply approximately 1,260 local homes with power annually . Would be connected and export power to the local distribution network . Installation of up to 14,500 solar panels supported on up to 234 module tables. Max. height 3m above ground level . Panels matt blue/black colour . Associated equipment including - up to 4 inverter cabins; Description of - up to 2 communication cabins; Development - 2 switch gear housing buildings; - substation - cabling; - fencing; - CCTV system; and - Grid connection via underground cable from the substation(s) along the road through Long Itchington to the Point of Connection 800m south east of the site . Ecological and landscape enhancement measures . Opportunity for a community funded phase if local interest and viable . Between £500 - £1,000 per megawatt peak community benefit per annum for a period of 10 years Description of Site . Open Countryside location Constraints . Site is classed as Grade 3b agricultural land. Summary of . GRANT TEMPORARY CONSENT SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS Recommendation Development Plan Paragraph 215 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) advises that “due weight should be given to relevant policies in existing plans according to their degree of consistency with this framework”. Relevant Policies in the Development Plan for the application are:- • PR.1, DEV.1, DEV.4, DEV.10 - Consistent • PR.8, EF.13/EF.14 - High degree of consistency (framework only slightly less restrictive) • PR.6, PR.7, DEV.2, DEV.3, DEV.8, DEV.2, DEV.7, EF.6, EF.7, EF.9, EF.10, EF.11, DEV.6, DEV.8, CTY.4 - Some consistency but Framework less restrictive • DEV.5, CTY.1, Inconsistent/out of date Other Material Considerations NPPF 2012 & PPG 2014 Circular 06/05: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation EU Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC) Supplementary Planning Documents & Guidance Stratford on Avon District Design Guide Other Documents . Submission Core Strategy 2014 The examination in public (EIP) of the Core Strategy was in January 2015 with the Inspector’s Interim Report published in March 2015. Paragraph 216 of the NPPF allows for weight to be given to relevant policies in emerging plans, unless other material considerations indicate otherwise, and only subject to the stage of preparation of the plan, the extent of unresolved objections and the degree of consistency of the relevant emerging policies to the NPPF policies. At Full Council on 22 June 2015, Members resolved that some emerging Core Strategy policies are now able to be accorded ‘some weight’ on an interim basis for decision making purposes. For this application the relevant Draft Core Strategy policies are; CS.1, CS.3, CS.4, CS.5, CS.8, CS.9, CS.25 Policy AS.10 (Countryside and Villages) also is relevant however can only be attributed limited weight as this Area Strategy policy may potentially be affected by decisions yet to be made concerning the overall housing requirement and its distribution. Other Evidence base documents include:- Stratford on Avon Renewable Energy Landscape Sensitivity Study 2014 Statement of Community Involvement Corporate Strategy 2011-2015 Sustainable Community Strategy Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Resource Assessment and Feasibility Study – CAMCO April 2010 Renewable Energy Capacity Study for the West Midlands – March 2011 Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines 1993 Proposed Submission Core Strategy 2014 UK Solar PV Strategy Part 1: Roadmap to a brighter future – Department of Energy and Climate Change October 2013 UK Solar PV Strategy Part 2: Delivering a Brighter Future, April 2014 Statement by the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change (November 2013) Other Legislation Human Rights Act 1998 Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 Localism Act 2011 Equality Act 2010 Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 CIL Legislation Climate Change Act 2008 Summary of Relevant History No relevant planning history. Applicant’s Supporting Statement The above planning application for a 5.5 hectare, 4.6MW solar farm has been submitted to the Council following extensive community consultation. The concerns raised have been noted and addressed, and there are no objections from statutory consultees. In terms of benefits, the solar farm will: power approximately 1,260 local homes with renewable energy; support the local energy distribution network; protect agricultural land from permanent redevelopment for 25 years; diversify a rural business; deliver substantial biodiversity enhancements; generate supply opportunities for local companies during construction and operation; generate community benefit payments of a minimum of £500 to a maximum of £1,000 per MW (subject to development costs) installed on the Site (irrespective of the Parish Council’s support or otherwise); and generate approximately £435,000 in business rates over 25 years of operation. Following wide publicity, the first consultation event gathered views, a better understanding of local issues and the likely impacts of a solar farm on the fields immediately to the south of Long Itchington. These views were taken into account, the impact on the setting of the Conservation Area was considered inappropriate by TGC and this site was dropped. To make efficient use of existing infrastructure and grid capacity, an alternative site in the area was sought. The site of the current proposals (application 15/01740/FUL) is not visible from the Conservation Area and is located on poorer quality land which is not Best and Most Versatile (BMV). It is lower quality agricultural land compared to the discarded site. A further consultation event was held and the feedback incorporated into the application: Western field (on opposite side of Bascote Road) dropped to contain visual impacts; Additional screening incorporated around the site’s boundaries; Deer fence used instead of metal paladin fencing; and Detailed planning assessments prepared, taking into account the issues raised. As noted above, the field to the west of Bascote Road has been dropped, leaving the one field which forms the application. This decision was made to contain the scheme’s visibility, with only more distant receptors to the south and south-east potentially affected and the site not visible from the vast majority of areas or dwellings in Bascote. The need to develop agricultural land has been demonstrated, the Proposals would not result in any loss of agricultural land, the site would continue to be used for agriculture, the site is not BMV land, it is poorer quality agricultural land and there would significant biodiversity enhancements. The submitted Biodiversity Management Plan includes measures based on liaison with the Canal and River Trust and Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire. The solar farm will not be prominent in the wider landscape, and the dwellings to the south will not experience inappropriate effects on their amenity due to the distance from the site, their orientation, the low level nature of the solar farm and the existing and proposed landscaping. There is no objection from highways officers and the construction works will be short and temporary. Consent is sought for the underground cable route through Long Itchington, although shorter and less disruptive routes which will better suit all parties are being investigated. The site is not located in the flood zone and a drainage scheme will improve run off rates from the site. There are no indirect impacts on heritage assets, there will be no direct on inappropriate indirect impact on tourism or recreation in the area, including on the canal or public rights of way. Overall, there is strong policy support for the proposals and they comply with the Development Plan and national planning policy. Specifically, they comply with the main policy test for renewable energy development within the adopted Local Plan (Policy PR.6). The solar farm will make a substantial contribution to meeting the Council’s renewable energy targets as well as a positive contribution to national targets. There are substantial environmental, social and economic benefits, which outweigh the impacts of the Proposals, which have been minimised through site choice, area reduction and mitigation measures such as screening. Applicant’s Supporting Documents Historic Environment Desk Based Assessment May 2015 Ecological Appraisal February 2015 Planning, Design and Access Statement Agricultural Land Classification (18 Feb 2015) Provisional Traffic Management Plan Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal March 2015 Flood Risk Assessment (incorporating Sustainable Drainage Strategy) 25/02/2015 Community Consultation Report Rooftop, previously developed and/or non-agricultural land solar programme – Opportunity Register Updated May 2015 Additional supporting information submitted during the course of the application: Letter addressing issues and enclosure of photo montages 20th October 2015 Landscape photomontages 1 of 2 Landscape Photo Montages 2 of 2 Landscape and Biodiversity Management Plan September 2015 Flood Risk Assessment Incorporating Sustainable Drainage