Map of Proposed Survey Area

Land at Penyglog Aberhosan Machynlleth,Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine Report by: Trysor For: Roger Parry & Partners LLP September 2015 Land at Penyglog Aberhosan Machynlleth,Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine By Jenny Hall, MCIfA & Paul Sambrook, MCIfA Trysor Trysor Project No. 2015/491 For: Roger Parry & Partners September 2015 38, New Road Gwaun-cae-Gurwen Ammanford Carmarthenshire SA18 1UN www.trysor.net [email protected] Cover Photograph: Yr Efail/ The Smithy in its setting within the village. Land at Penyglog Aberhosan Machynlleth,Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine RHIF YR ADRODDIAD - REPORT NUMBER: Trysor 2015/491 DYDDIAD 24ain Medi 2015 DATE 24th September 2015 Paratowyd yr adroddiad hwn gan bartneriad Trysor. Mae wedi ei gael yn gywir ac yn derbyn ein sêl bendith. This report was prepared by the Trysor partners. It has been checked and received our approval. JENNY HALL MCIfA Jenny Hall PAUL SAMBROOK MCIfA Paul Sambrook Croesawn unrhyw sylwadau ar gynnwys neu strwythur yr adroddiad hwn. We welcome any comments on the content or structure of this report. 38, New Road, Tyllwyd Gwaun-cae-Gurwen Eglwyswrw Ammanford Crymych Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire SA18 1UN SA41 3TD 01269 826397 01239 891470 www.trysor.net [email protected] Trysor is a Registered Organisation with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and both partners are Members of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, www.archaeologists.net Jenny Hall (BSc Joint Hons., Geology and Archaeology, MCIfA) had 12 years excavation experience, which included undertaking watching briefs prior to becoming the Sites and Monuments Record Manager for a Welsh Archaeological Trust for 10 years. She has been an independent archaeologist since 2004 undertaking a variety of work that includes upland survey, desk-based appraisals and assessments, and watching briefs. Paul Sambrook (BA Joint Hons., Archaeology and Welsh, MCIfA, PGCE) has extensive experience as a fieldworker in Wales. He was involved with Cadw’s pan-Wales Deserted Rural Settlements Project for 7 years. He also undertook Tir Gofal field survey work and watching briefs. He has been an independent archaeologist since 2004 undertaking a variety of work including upland survey, desk-based appraisals/assessments, and watching briefs. Contents 1. Summary 1 2. Copyright 1 3. Introduction 1 4. The Proposed Development 1 5. Planning History 2 6. Methodology 4 7. Impact on Nationally Important Historic Assets 5 8. Impact on LANDMAP historic and cultural aspect areas 7 9. Conclusion 10 10. Reporting 10 11. References 11 Appendix A: Listed Buildings within 2km 12 Appendix B: LANDMAP historical and cultural aspect areas 21 Land at Penyglog Aberhosan, Machynlleth, Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine 1. Summary 1.1 This historic environment assessment has been undertaken by Trysor to examine likely impacts on Nationally Important sites within 2 kilometres of a proposed wind turbine on land at Penyglog, Aberhosan, Machynlleth, Powys, planning application number P/2015/0148. 1.2 It has also looked at the impact on LANDMAP historic and cultural aspect areas within 2 kilometres. 1.3 The assessment has studied the impacts on all designated historic assets within an area measuring 2km in radius, focused on SN8131398307, the location of the proposed turbine. Datasets circulated by Cadw on 8th September 2015 were used. 1.3.1 There are no Scheduled Ancient Monuments within a 2km radius of the proposed turbine. 1.3.2 There are no Registered Historic Parks and Gardens within a 2km radius of the proposed turbine. 1.3.3 There are eight Listed Buildings within the 2km radius. There would be a Very Low indirect visual impact on two Listed Buildings and a Low indirect visual impact on one Listed Building but in no case would there be an impact on their setting. 2. Copyright 2.1 Trysor holds the copyright of this report. Further copies may be made of this report without gaining permission to reproduce. 3. Introduction 3.1 Roger Parry & Partners LLP, The Estates Office, 20 Salop Road, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 2NU has commissioned Trysor heritage consultants on behalf of their client to write an Historic Environment Impact Assessment on Nationally Important sites for a proposed turbine on land at Penyglog, Aberhosan, Machynlleth Powys, SY20 8SG, planning application P/2015/0148. 3.2 The report was commissioned at the request of the Built Heritage Conservation Officer for Powys County Council. 4. The proposed development 4.1 It is proposed that a single turbine, 24.8 metres to hub and 36.6m to the upright blade tip, is located at approximately SN8131398307 on high ground south of Melin Byrhedyn. 1 Land at Penyglog Aberhosan, Machynlleth, Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine Figure 1: Location of the proposed turbine, showing the 2km radius area 5. Planning History 5.1 A planning application for the proposed turbine was submitted to Powys County Council planning department on 3rd March 2015. 5.2 An EIA screening opinion was compiled by Powys County Council on the 18th August 2015 5.2.1 On page 2, paragraph 3, of the screening opinion it was noted “..The closest listed buildings are the Smithy in 2 Land at Penyglog Aberhosan, Machynlleth, Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine Melinbyrhedyn some 600 metres to the north and Aberhosan chapel approximately 1km to the south….” 5.2.2 In the last paragraph on page 3 under “Does the development fall within a sensitive area” Scheduled Ancient Monuments are listed as one of the sensitive areas according to EIA regulations. It is noted that “There is two Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) within 5km of the site namely, Fron Goch Hillfort some 3.2 km to the north east and Foel Fadian round barrow approximately 3.3 km to the south east” 5.2.3 On pages 4 and 5 is the section “The main issues which emerge as potentially having an effect on the environment are…” 5.2.4 Listed Buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments are not mentioned in this section. 5.2.5 On page 5 in this section under a heading “Archaeologiocal Impacts” it is stated that Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust had commented and that there were no archaeological implications from this proposed turbine. This is in line with the response from Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust of 10th March 2015. 5.3 Debra Lewis, Built Conservation Officer for Powys County Council, to an email to Gemma Bufton, planning officer, dated 08/09/2015, for Powys County Council stated that she “…would not consider the impact that the proposed wind turbine would have on the heritage assets in the area has been addressed sufficiently to approve this application…” The particular concerns were the Listed Buildings within 2km. 5.4 This report was commissioned to assess the impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the proposed turbine. 5.5 After a meeting between Richard Corbett and Becky Bowen of Roger Parry & Partners and Debra Lewis, further assessment on the impact of the turbine on the historic and cultural aspects areas within 2 kilometres was also undertaken. 3 Land at Penyglog Aberhosan, Machynlleth, Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine 6. Methodology 6.1 A study area of 2km radius centred on SN8131398307, the proposed turbine site, was chosen for the assessment of all designated historic assets. 6.2 Datasets received from Cadw on 8th September 2015 was used for the assessment. Descriptions available through the Historic Wales portal for Listed Buildings were used to inform the history of the buildings and their current condition. 6.3 Historic mapping was consulted. The maps used included 19th and 20th century 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey mapping. 6.4 A site visit was made to the area on May 7th, 2015 and to four of the Listed Buildings on 18th September 2015. 6.5 The aerial photographs on Google Earth, dating to 2006 and 2009, were used to inform the assessment as well as the more recent aerial photographs on the People’s Collection. 6.6 Elevation profiles, were used assess to intervisibility, views and impact on setting, as well as a ZTV provided by the client. 6.7 Modern mapping was used to assess current public access 6.8 All information gathered during the desktop assessment and site visit was entered into a bespoke database created in Access 2003 to form an assessment dataset. 6.9 The Direct and Indirect impact on each site and its setting was assessed taking into account both physical and non-physical impacts. Each impact was assessed within the scale Very Low, Low, Moderate, High and Very High, taken into account the significance of the site and the nature of the impact. 4 Land at Penyglog Aberhosan, Machynlleth, Powys Assessment of Impact on Nationally Important Sites within 2km of the Proposed Turbine 7. Impact on Nationally Important Historic Assets 7.1 Scheduled Ancient Monuments and their settings 7.1.1 There are no Scheduled Ancient Monuments within the 2km assessment area. 7.2 Listed Buildings and their settings 7.2.1 There are eight Listed Buildings within the 2km assessment area. There would be a Low indirect, visual impact The Smithy (84431) and a Very Low indirect visual impact on Pen Rhiw Las (84429) and Gydrhos (84423) but with no impact on their settings, see Table 1 and Figure 2. Details of the settings and impacts are given in Appendix A as well as photgraphs.

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