Trewithen Dairy Single Turbine Cornwall Landscape and Visual Appraisal
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TREWITHEN DAIRY SINGLE TURBINE CORNWALL LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL APPRAISAL Quality Management Issue/revision Issue 1 Revision 1 Revision 2 Revision 3 Date 24/03/14 28/04/14 Prepared by Katharine Mayhew Andy Cocks Checked by Andy Cocks Rachel Lawson Digital Signature Authorised by Andy Cocks Andy Follis Digital Signature Project number 41870-04-03 41870-04-03A 22/04/2014 Client Renewables First Unit 11 Wimberley Park Brimscombe Stroud Gloucestershire GL5 2TH Consultant Katharine Mayhew Colston 33 Colston Avenue Bristol BS1 4UA UK Tel: +44 (0)117 930 2059 Fax: +44 (0)117 929 4624 www.wspgroup.co.uk Registered Address WSP UK Limited 01383511 WSP House, 70 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1AF Project number: 41870-04-03 Dated: 22/04/2014 Revised: Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 2 2 Project Description .................................................................................................... 2 3 Planning Guidance and Landscape Capacity ........................................................... 2 3.1 Strategic Landscape Guidance .............................................................................. 2 3.2 Supplementary Planning Guidance ....................................................................... 3 4 Overview and Methodology ....................................................................................... 4 4.1 Landscape and Visual Effects ............................................................................... 4 4.2 Cumulative effects ............................................................................................... 10 4.3 Relevant Guidance and Sources of Information .................................................. 11 4.4 Study Area ........................................................................................................... 12 4.5 Extent of Theoretical Visibility .............................................................................. 12 4.6 Figures and Illustrations....................................................................................... 13 4.7 Viewpoints ........................................................................................................... 13 5 Baseline conditions ................................................................................................. 15 5.1 Description of the wider landscape ...................................................................... 15 5.2 Landscape Character .......................................................................................... 15 5.2.1 National Level Landscape Character Areas .................................................. 15 5.2.2 Regional Level Landscape Character Areas within 7.5 km............................ 16 5.2.3 Local Level Landscape Character – the Application Site ............................... 18 6.1 Landscape Planning Designations ...................................................................... 19 6.1.1 Landscape Designations ............................................................................... 19 6.1.2 Heritage Assets ............................................................................................. 19 6.2 Key Visual Receptors .......................................................................................... 20 6.3 Public Rights of Way............................................................................................ 20 7 Appraisal of Landscape Effects ............................................................................... 21 7.1 Construction and Decommissioning .................................................................... 21 7.2 Landscape Effects during Operation ................................................................... 22 7.2.1 Effects on the landscape character of the study area .................................... 22 7.2.2 Landscape Effects on Designated Landscapes ............................................. 22 7.2.2.1 Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ...................................... 23 7.2.2.2 Bodmin Moor part of the Cornwall AONB ............................................. 23 7.2.2.3 South Coast Eastern part of the Cornwall AONB.................................. 23 7.2.2.4 Pentire Point – Widemouth Heritage Coast .......................................... 24 7.2.2.5 Gribbin Head – Polperro Heritage Coast .............................................. 24 7.2.2.6 Mid Fowey AGLV and Boconnoc AGLV ............................................... 24 7.3 Landscape Effects on Historic Parks and Gardens ............................................. 25 7.3.1.1 Gardens and Designed Landscapes – up to 7.5 km from the Site ........ 25 7.3.1.2 Gardens and Designed Landscapes – between 7.5 and 20 km from the Site 25 8 Appraisal of Visual Effects ...................................................................................... 26 8.1 Visual Receptors ................................................................................................. 26 8.2 Long Distance Paths............................................................................................ 26 9 Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 28 10 References .............................................................................................................. 29 11 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... 30 12 Summary Tables ..................................................................................................... 31 Appendix 1 – Landscape Character Assessment ............................................................ 33 Appendix 2 - Viewpoint Assessment ............................................................................... 37 Appendix 3 - Residential Assessment ............................................................................. 45 Project number: 41870-04-03 Dated: 22/04/2014 Revised: 1 Introduction This report has been produced to accompany the planning application for a single wind turbine at Trewithen Dairy near Lostwithiel in Cornwall. The report provides an appraisal of the landscape and visual impact and effects of a proposed wind turbine which would have a hub height mast of 50 m and a rotor diameter of up to 54 m, giving an overall height of up to 77 m to blade tip. There is also an appraisal of the interactions between the proposed wind turbine and other tall structures nearby, including other wind turbines. 2 Project Description The proposed wind turbine development is located at NGR 213151, 063497 on the south facing slopes of an open field located approximately 300 m south-east of Greymare Farm Cottage, 435 m south-east of Greymare Farm Office Block and approximately 400 m east of Greymare Farm Lodge. The proposed Site is located on a minor road, approximately 6 km south-east of the settlement of Bodmin, 4 km north of Lostwithiel and 8 km west of Dobwalls. It is 1.5 km south of the A38 road and 350 m north of the A390 road. The infrastructure required for the new turbine would include an 85 m length of access track, with an additional 19 m length turning head, both 4m wide running through the field to the turbine location; a substation to the side of the turbine indicatively 3.25 m x 3.55 m and 2.5 m in height, foundations and an underground power connection. 3 Planning Guidance and Landscape Capacity 3.1 Strategic Landscape Guidance Projects below 50 MW are determined at local authority level in England in accordance with the polices set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and following the procedure set out in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2184). Policy is also contained within the Planning practice guidance for renewable and low carbon energy. The NPPF identifies that when local planning authorities (LPAs) are determining planning applications for renewable energy development they should: Ŷ Not require applicants for energy development to demonstrate the overall need for renewable or low carbon energy and also recognise that even small-scale projects provide a valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions; and Ŷ Approve the application if its impacts are (or can be made) acceptable. Once suitable areas for renewable and low carbon energy have been identified in plans, local planning authorities should also expect subsequent applications for commercial scale projects outside these areas to demonstrate that the proposed location meets the criteria used in identifying suitable areas. Project number: 41870-04-03 Dated: 22/04/2014 2 | 54 Revised: The NPPF makes clear that renewable energy development is not normally considered appropriate development for green belt land and encourages LPAs to develop a strategy to promote renewable energy developments and identify suitable sites for them. The NPPF also makes clear that planning authorities should follow the approach set out in the National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (July 2011) when assessing the likely impacts, locations and determining planning applications for potential wind energy development. The National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure sets out the general principles that should be applied in the assessment of development consent applications