Agenda No. 5.1 Page 15 Page 16 Development Management Planning Housing and Regeneration Service East Sub-Area Planning Committee Report 8 December 2014 Application number: PA14/07782 Site address: Furzedown Farm, Lanreath, Looe, Cornwall. PL13 2PD A single wind turbine of max 77m to tip along with Proposal: associated infrastructure including an access track and electrical housing. Parish: Lanreath Applicant: Mr A J Venning Target date for decision: 13 th October 2014 Reason for application At the request of the Divisional Member due to concerns being called to Committee: about impact on the surrounding landscape. Departure: No Electoral Division: Trelawny Electoral Division Member: Jim Candy Case Officer Mr Ellis Crompton-Brown http://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online- Link to view documents: applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&k eyVal=NACR36FGJAO00 RECOMMENDATION: Approval subject to conditions. Summary: The application consists of the erection of a single 77m wind turbine which would be constructed in an agricultural field. The turbine would have a maximum generating capacity of 0.5 Megawatts (MW). Ancillary development associated with the turbine would include the provision of a temporary access track and switchgear housing. The main issues concerning this application are i) the impact of the development on landscape character and the appearance of the surrounding area, and ii) the extent to which the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the amenities currently enjoyed by the occupiers of nearby residential properties. The proposed turbine would make a positive contribution toward the generation of renewable energy as endorsed in planning policy and there are not considered to be sustainable grounds for refusal based on ecology, landscape, neighbour impact or archaeology. The proposal would introduce a dominant vertical structure that would be visible on its own; however it is considered that the landscape can accommodate this turbine without unacceptably eroding its intrinsic quality. The degree of visual harm Page 17 that this turbine would cause to the landscape is in this instance considered to be outweighed by the positive contribution made toward renewable energy. Site description: 1. The proposed site location is on land at Furzedown Farm at an elevation of 78m AOD (Above Ordnance Datum) and approximately 2.3km north east of St Veep. The site is relatively isolated, with the nearest non-involved residents situated ap- proximately 526m south-west with much of the immediate area being comprised of agricultural farm land. This gently rolling, undulating landform consists of me- dium sized open fields in agricultural use and is approximately 1.7km north east of Penpol, 2.3km east of St Veep, 2.7km south east of Lerryn and 2.3km south west of Lanreath. 2. The nearest public highway is approximately 100m east of the proposed turbine location and adjacent to the application field. This public highway connects Lanreath to the north east with Bodinnick approximately 4.6km to the south west. 3. The site is within a single agricultural field of approximately 6 hectares in area that slopes up from 62m AOD in the south west to 104m in the north east. The field is surrounded on three sides by agricultural fields and the public highway to the east. The area of the proposed development is approximately 0.9ha and the main access would be provided via a temporary track from the highway using an existing gateway. Proposal: 4. The proposal is to install a single wind turbine of maximum hub height 50m and maximum tip height 77m, with a 3 bladed rotor design with blades of 27m in length. The proposed wind turbine model is an EWT 500kW wind turbine. Supplementary elements include: a permanent switch gear housing unit approximately 5m by 3m, temporary access track, underground cabling, and temporary crane hard standing area of approximately 35m×15m. The switchgear housing is proposed to be located at the base of the turbine. The tower height has been chosen by the applicant to maximise the wind resource at the site whilst minimising any visual impact on neighbouring properties. The tower would be manufactured from pre-fabricated steel and the blades from fibreglass and epoxy resin. In order to mitigate potential unforeseen impacts at this location, a micro- siting radius of up to 30m has been requested subject to clearance of the final location by the Local Planning Authority (LPA). 5. The tower is off-white and the turbine casing would also be off-white. A control cabinet housing the switchgear and monitoring equipment would be sited near the base of the turbine. The final design would be subject to agreement with Western Power Distribution once the grid connection is finalised, however it is likely that this would be green or grey in colour and measure approximately 3m x 5m and stand 3m high. 6. The total site area would be approximately 0.9ha and after construction any disturbed area would be reinstated to full agricultural use. The development would be carried out over a 6 month period with the construction phase lasting approximately 2 weeks. The construction phase would involve the following stages: Page 18 • Setting out and groundwork preparation; • Laying steel reinforced concrete base to prepare for turbine foundation anchor; • Foundation: concrete pour and curing; • Turbine component delivery, including: tower (two sections), three blades, nacelle, hub, and generator; • On site assembly of turbine to existing foundation; and, • Installation of earthing, and electrical connection and commissioning. 7. The erection of the turbine would typically last 2-3 days. Within this period two cranes would be taken to and from site, the turbine components would be delivered via Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV’s), and the turbine would be assembled on site. The temporary road through the field would be removed after the construction phase is complete. 8. Vehicular access to the site for construction purposes would be via the existing field gate on the public highway to the east of the site and then through an adjoining field to the location of the proposed turbine. This temporary track would be approximately 200m in length. 9. The transformer, switch gear and generation meters for connection of the wind turbine to the national grid and monitored operation would be contained within the switchgear building at the base of the turbine. The waterproof housing unit would be of a steel, GRP (dark green in colour) or stonework construction. The operation life span of the turbine is 25 years, after which the turbine would be decommissioned. This site would then be reinstated to its former state or to a condition agreed with the Local Planning Authority (LPA). 10. During decommissioning the turbine would be dismantled and removed from site. The foundations would be left underground and covered with topsoil enabling green cover to establish over the turbine site. Underground cables, disconnected from the local grid, could also remain in the ground. Additional Information: Electricity Generating Capacity 11. Electricity consumption in Cornwall is, on average, higher than the South West and UK. The turbine at Furzedown Farm would provide the equivalent renewable energy to meet the average daily electricity consumption of approximately 328 local households with the electricity they require for everyday needs. Installed capacity Capacity Estimated Number of residential (MW) 1 factor 2 annual properties electricity production equivalent 4 (MWh p.a.) 3 0.5MW 36 % 1, 594 MWh UK – 391 houses Cornwall – 328 houses Page 19 Notes: 1 Installed capacity is the full-load, continuous rating of generating equipment under specific conditions as designated by the manufacturer. In other words, this is the power generated when the equipment is working at full capacity. 2 Capacity factor is the calculated factor which compares the plant's actual production over a given period of time with the amount of power the plant would have produced if it had run at full capacity for the same amount of time. The capacity factor should take account of the specific equipment and the specific location. It is expressed as a percentage. 3 Estimated annual production of electricity based upon the installed capacity and the capacity factor. 4 Number of residential properties that would be powered by the estimated annual production based upon the U.K. average household consumption of 4,077.4 KWh/year (OFGEM). Note: average consumption in Cornwall is currently greater than the U.K. average at approx. 4,939.2 KWh/year (DECC 2011) and so the number of typical residential properties in Cornwall powered by a particular source would be lower. 12. A 20 year index linked annual community fund is proposed by the applicant. The Community Benefit offer is not relevant to the consideration of this application as neither the principle of the undertaking nor the details contained within it have been proposed in order to directly mitigate/remedy a specific planning objection to this proposal, and as such, the requirement for this community benefit is not considered to be compliant with the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 (as amended) and cannot be required under planning law. Therefore no weight has been given to the inclusion of a community benefit scheme when considering this planning application. Relevant constraints: 13. The closest Scheduled Monument is Giants Hedge (Lerryn to Lanreath) which is approximately 1.6km north of the proposed site. The Conservation Areas of Lanreath and Lerryn are approximately 2.1km and 2.5km respectively, from the site. The site is approximately 2km east of the South Coast Eastern section of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The Boconnoc Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) is approximately 1.8km North West and the Looe and Seaton Valleys AGLV is approximately 2.8km to the east. East Court and Court Wood County Wildlife Site is approximately 830m to the east.