Heysham South Wind Farm Site, Lancaster Morecambe Bypass
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Agenda Item Committee Date Application Number A5 15 October 2012 11/00689/FUL Application Site Proposal Heysham South Wind Farm Site Erection of 3 Wind turbines with a maximum height of Lancaster Morecambe Bypass 125 metres and associated infrastructure including Heaton With Oxcliffe anemometer mast, access roads, crane pads and Lancashire control building Name of Applicant Name of Agent Banks Renewables (Heysham South Wind Farm) Ltd Gayle Black Decision Target Date Reason For Delay 28 November 2011 Awaiting resolution from Natural England in relation to biodiversity impacts and Officer workload Case Officer Mrs Jennifer Rehman Departure No Summary of Recommendation Approval 1.0 The Site and its Surroundings 1.1 The proposed application site is located on land immediately to the south of the A683 Heysham link road, approximately 1.2km south east of the coastal town of Heysham. The villages of Middleton and Overton are located circa 0.9km and 1.5km south west and south respectively of the application site. Lancaster City is approximately 5km to the east and Morecambe approximately 2.4km to the north. The Port of Heysham lies 2.5km to the west of the site. The application site covers an area of approximately 107.8ha of Grade 3 agricultural land (mainly arable farming and used for grazing) associated with Hillside Farm and Downside Farm. Dual high voltage power lines and associated pylons run east-west through the centre of the site from Heysham Power Station, across the River Lune through to Stodday with Lancaster. A public right of way also runs through the centre of the site in a north-south direction, linking Heysham Moss to Overton (via footpath nos FP 37, FP 9 and FP 1). 1.2 The immediate area in and around the site is flat predominantly agricultural pasture with hedgerow field boundaries and a network of field drains following boundaries. The application site is relatively flat with an altitude of 5m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD). The surrounding area also occupies a low- lying position amongst a gently rolling landscape. The eastern edge of Heysham sits on a localised ridge (between 10m-15m AOD) with parts of the newly developed Mossgate descending to the foot of the ridge where the railway line separates the settlement from the open countryside. Land rises marginally to the south west towards Middleton village (10m AOD) but remains relatively flat in the direction of Overton. A series of small hillocks (Byroe Hill, Great Swart Hill, Windmill Hill, Wymber Hill and Colloway Hill) lie to the eastern side of the application site forming a localised ridge neighboring the application site. The small hamlet of Heaton lies on the east side of this ridge. 1.3 Surrounding land uses reflect the open characteristics of the area with several farmsteads, roads linking small settlements, infrastructure related to the distribution of electricity (predominantly pylons and transmission lines) to/from the nearby Heysham Power Station and telecommunications apparatus. Owing to the presence of the power station and the port, essential high profile infrastructure is observable within the immediate location. Transmission line routes run through the site (as noted above) but also to the north on the opposite side of the by-pass with a total of three lines close to the application site. In addition there is the BT Radio Station, which is located on the north side of the by-pass, and includes a 30m high lattice telecommunications mast with associated antennas; transmission dishes and ancillary equipment and security fencing around its perimeter and lies approximately 600m to the north of the closest turbine (turbine 1). The by-pass also contributes to this essential infrastructure and runs through the open countryside between White Lund and Higher Heysham. 1.4 There are a number of different land uses in the immediate vicinity of the application site. These include farmsteads situated mainly to the east of the site (generally along a north-south axis following the line of the localised hillocks described above). The closest farms include Hillside Farm, Downy-Field Farm, Wymber Hill Farm and the cluster of farms to the north of the by-pass (Downlands Farm, North Farm and Moss Side Farm). Residential development is mainly focused around and within the settlements of Middleton, Overton and Heysham with some isolated residential dwellings sporadically located around the network of country roads (mainly to the east), including the hamlet of Heaton. Old Trafford Park caravan site lies to the west of the application site separated by the access road to Lancaster West Business Park where the Waste Transfer Station is situated (south west of the application site). 1.5 The application site and neighbouring land is not protected by any national landscape designation, although owing to the scale of the development it is important to note that the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is located approximately 7km to the east of the site with the Silverdale and Arnside AONB located circa 10km to the north. In addition, the Lake District National Park is situated approximately 18km north of the application site and the Yorkshire Dales National Park some 27km to the north-east. Locally, the Lancaster District Local Plan designates the site and surrounding area as ‘Countryside Area’ (with the exception of the Lancaster West Business Park which is designated as employment land to the south west). The Countryside designation terminates at the railway line to the east which forms the settlement boundary to Heysham. 1.6 Whilst the site does not benefit from any landscape designations, the application site is located in close proximity to areas of significant international ecological importance including the extensive Morecambe Bay Special Protection Area (SPA), also designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Ramsar site, and which is located within 2km of the site. Morecambe Bay is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Lune Estuary and Heysham Moss are also designated SSSI’s and are located approximately 1.1km eats and 0.8km north respectively from the closets turbine. 1.7 There are also non-statutory sites of ecological importance within close proximity to the site. Land north of the site is designated as Heysham Moss Biological Heritage Site (BHS) and Nature Reserve. This is a site of local importance, predominantly for the quality of its vegetative habitats and species of flora but also for breeding and wintering birds. Middleton Marsh BHS is situated approximately 140m to the west of the site and supports swamp and fen vegetation. There are no significant trees or groups of trees that are subject to Tree Preservation Orders within the site. Nor are there any identified significant archaeological or cultural heritage designations on the site. 2.0 The Proposal 2.1 Banks Renewables (Heysham South Wind Farm) Ltd is seeking full planning permission for the installation and operation of 3 no. wind turbines (referred to as the ‘proposed wind farm’ throughout the rest of the report) with an anticipated installed capacity of 6 – 7.5 Megawatts (MW), together with associated infrastructure. The proposed development falls within Schedule 2 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations 1999 and as such an Environmental Statement (ES) accompanies the application. 2.2 Whilst the final choice of turbine and manufacturer has not yet been identified, the turbine will be a modern three bladed, horizontal axis machine with a hub height of approximately 80m and a rotor diameter of 90-92.5m, giving a ground to tip height not exceeding 125m. The turbine rotor and nacelle will be mounted on a tapered steel tower (finished in a light grey) supported on reinforced concrete foundations. For the purposes of the EIA the ‘worst case’ impacts of the machines currently under consideration have been used. 2.3 The associated infrastructure includes: • External transformers measuring approximately 4.5m x 2.5m x 2.0m situated adjacent to each turbine • The erection of an 80m high anemometer mast • Approximately 1.7km of access tracks with a nominal width of 5m linking the turbines to the public road network with passing places • Creation of two new access points to the site • On-site cabling • A site control building which will house the wind farm switchgear, protection equipment, metering and control equipment, communication equipment and any other electrical infrastructure required to operate the wind farm including a substation. This building shall measure approximately 7.6m by 13.8m. • Crane hardstanding pads adjacent to each turbine (approximately 42m x 26m but may vary at each turbine depending on site conditions) • Welfare compound adjacent to turbine 3 (approximately 20m x 20m) • Site compound adjacent to turbine 1 (indicative plans suggest this will measure 80.5m by 51.5m) 2.4 The location and design of the proposed wind farm has been selected following a process of sieve (constraint) mapping. The applicant has carried out extensive preliminary work in respect of the design process. As part of this process the number of turbines have been reduced (from that considered at the scoping stage 3-5 turbines) and the turbines heights reduced from 145m in height to 125m. The constraint mapping exercise undertaken has reinforced similar constraint mapping work undertaken and later used as the evidence base for the Core Strategy, namely the Development of New Renewable Energy and Recycling Industries for Lancaster and Morecambe produced by Quantum Strategy & Technology Ltd. Constraints such as landscape designations, low wind speeds, 500m separation for residential properties, sites of internationally recognised ecological importance (SPAs, SACs, SSSIs, Ramsar) and Registered Parks and Gardens are considered absolute and have been applied by the applicant as part of their sieve mapping process.