Pa1211024-Ks-Spv20-Ltd-Trehawke
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Development Management Planning and Regeneration Service Strategic Planning Committee Report 14 March 2012 Application number: PA12/ 11024 Site address: Trehawke Barton, Blunts, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 3RH Construction of solar photovoltaic park with attendant Proposal: infrastructure (generating up to approximately 9.6MW over an area of approximately 21.2ha) Parish: Menheniot Applicant: KS SPV20 Ltd. Target date for decision: 22 February 2013 The scale of the renewable energy development (9.6MW Reason for application over an area of 21.2ha) is above the threshold for being called to Committee: delegated decisions. Departure: No Electoral Division: Menheniot Electoral Division Member: Bernie Ellis CC Case Officer Mark Evans http://planning.cornwall.gov.uk:8181/rpp/index.asp?ca Link to view documents: seref=PA12/10939 RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL subject to conditions Summary: The proposed development, subject to the recommended conditions, is considered acceptable with regard to location, design and siting, its impact on the landscape character of the area, with regard to the impact on ecology and wildlife, highway safety, flooding and drainage, residential amenity of nearby properties and with regard to all other material considerations. Subject to the receipt of further information in respect to the impact upon heritage assets within the site and in the surrounding area it is considered that the positive contribution of the scheme to the provision of renewable energy and farm diversification, on land that is not the best and most versatile agricultural land, is considered to outweigh any limited harm that will arise as a result of the development as conditioned. While permanent development may not ordinarily be appropriate within the open countryside, the current application seeks consent for a temporary period of 25 years, and a condition to this affect is recommended should consent be granted. Therefore, it is considered that the proposed development would accord with the relevant national and local policy guidance referred to in this report. The land would be capable of being grazed by livestock post development. Site description: 1. The application site consists of agricultural land totalling approximately 21.2ha (52 acres). The majority of the land is permanent pasture. The land forms both north and south facing valley sides falling into the centre of the site and then in an easterly direction between Trehawke and Pathada woods into the Tiddy river valley network (112m AOD – 63m AOD). The internal field boundaries do not contain particularly well established hedges though the perimeter vegetation particularly abutting the country lane to the south is substantial. 2. The site falls wholly within the Parish of Menheniot, but lies 500m from the boundary with Quethiock Parish, and 560m from the boundary with St. Germans Parish. The latter boundary (to the south), marks the electoral divisions of Menheniot and St Germans. There are sporadic dwellings in the countryside surrounding the site including Fardell (about 100m to the south east), Trehawke Barton (inc annex) opposite side of road to south, and a cluster of dwellings around Doddy Cross about 300m to the west of the site. 3. Although the contained valley topography of the site constitutes a tight fold in the surrounding landscape the upper most southerly and northerly parts of the site would be visible from vantages within the surrounding landscape. 4. The majority of the site is within the CA22 South East Cornwall Plateau Landscape Character Area (LCA) but the lower parts are within the CA25 Lynher and Tiddy River Valleys LCA. The site is about 900m to the north east of the nearest Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) and about 4km from the nearest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). 5. There are historic records of features associated with early and post medieval settlement around Trehawke immediately to the south of the site, and which contains within its grouping grade two listed structures. The most significant asset in the wider area is the Scheduled Ancient Monument known as Padderbury Top which is an iron age hill fort that sits as an elevated dome of land some 900m south of the site. 6. The site is not within a nationally designated area for ecology or nature conservation, the closest of which is Pathada Wood Cornwall Wildlife Site some 330m east, 4.3km to the south east is the Lynher Estuary / Plymouth Sound SAC / SSSI. Proposal: 7. The application seeks permission to install a photovoltaic solar array, it is estimated that the development could have a capacity of around 9.6MW and which would consist of strings of photovoltaic modules on east-west aligned mounting structures inclined toward south at a fixed angle of 25 degrees. Each module would have a face depth of 3.36m with lower edge at approximately 0.8m and upper edge approximately 2.6m above ground level. Each mounting structure would be secured into the ground through supporting impact beams, the number of and depth vary depending on ground conditions and the spacing between the strings of panels, and also varies according to topography (gradient) so as to avoid overshadowing. This application has been screened and was found not to require an Environmental Impact Assessment. 8. The photovoltaic panels would generate direct current (DC) electricity and, in order for this to be fed into the electricity grid it must be converted to alternating current (AC) electricity. The application therefore also includes the installation of associated infrastructure comprising 8 inverter stations each comprising a transformer station and two inverter cabinets. Additionally there would be a ‘feed-in station’ consisting of a transformer, switchgear and Western Power Distribution cabinet located in the northernmost field. 9. The site would be protected by a 2.3m high security fencing weldmesh panels. 10. Vehicular access to the site is intended to be via the country lane to the south of the site. Access to and within the fields would consist of a rough gravel sub-base and finer gravel surface layer. It is intended that the upper layer contains a moss/grass mix to allow the road to blend into the fields following completion of the construction phase. 11. The applicant is seeking temporary planning permission for a period of 25 years for this proposed solar farm development, after which time the installation would be completely removed and the land restored to its original condition. 12. Members will recall receiving training on large scale solar PV development at the special meeting of the Strategic Planning Committee which took place in September 2010. This application has been brought before the Strategic Planning Committee on the grounds that the proposal has a strategic importance and is above the 2 hectare threshold. Installed Capacity Estimated Number of residential capacity (MW) factor 2 annual properties electricity 1 production equivalent 4 (MWh p.a.) 3 9.6 MW 12.5 % approx 10,080 MWh pa UK – 2472 houses England – 2462 houses Cornwall – 2041 houses 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 KWh/year, and 4,094 KWh/year for England (DECC 2011). Note: average consumption in Cornwall is currently greater than the U.K. average at approx. 4,939 KWh/year (DECC 2011) and so the number of typical residential properties in Cornwall powered by a particular source would be lower. Relevant constraints: 13. Agricultural Land Classification: GRADE 2 and 3 (discussed later in report) Relevant planning/enforcement history: 14. PA12/09115 – Screening opinion – EIA not required Relevant local/national/regional policy/guidance: Policy Context International and European 15. There are a range of International and European policy drivers that are relevant to the consideration of renewable energy developments. Under the Kyoto Protocol 1997, the UK has agreed to reduce emissions of the ‘basket’ of six greenhouse gases by 12.5% below 1990 levels by the period 2008-12. 16. Under the Copenhagen Accord (2010), the UK, as part of the EU, has since agreed to make further emissions cuts of between 20% and 30% by 2020 on 1990 levels (the higher figure being subject to certain caveats). This agreement is based on achieving a reduction in global emissions to limit average increases in global temperature to no more than 2°C. 17. The draft European Renewable Energy Directive 2008 states that, in 2007, the European Union (EU) leaders had agreed to adopt a binding target requiring 20% of the EU’s energy (electricity, heat and transport) to come from renewable energy sources by 2020. This Directive is also intended to promote the use of renewable energy across the European Union. In particular, this Directive commits the UK to a target of generating 15% of its total energy from renewable sources by 2020. National 18. At the national level, there are a range of statutory and non-statutory policy drivers and initiatives which are relevant to the consideration of this planning application. The 2008 UK Climate Change Bill increases the 60% target in greenhouse gas emissions to an 80% reduction by 2050 (based on 1990 levels).