PWYLLGOR DYDDIAD: 28/05/2012 SIAMBR DAFYDD ORWIG CYNLLUNIO DATE: CHAMBER, PLANNING COMMITTEE CAERNARFON EITEM CAIS RHIF CYMUNED LLEOLIAD ITEM APPLICATION COMMUNITY LOCATION NUMBER 1 C12/0325/34/LL Clynnog Llwyn Isaf Landfill, Clynnog Fawr 2 C10D/0261/40/AM Llannor Tir gyferbyn, Parc Yr Efail, Efailnewydd 3 C11/1122/39/LL Llanengan Hendy Farm, Abersoch 4 C11/0828/14/LL Caernarfon Ysbyty Bryn Seiont Hospital, Pant Road, Caernarfon 5 C12/0120/17/LL Llandwrog Tafarn Tudor, Groeslon 6 C12/0217/40/LL Llannor Rhosfawr Caravan/Camping Nurseries Park, Rhosfawr 7 C12/0280/38/LL Llanbedrog Fferm Crugan Farm, Llanbedrog 8 C12/0298/16/AM Llandygai Tir gyferbyn / Land opposite, Cwr y Coed, Dob, Tregarth, Bangor 9 C12/0316/37/LL Llanaelhaearn Cae Rhif / Field No. - 6645, Moelfre Bach, Llanaelhaearn 10 C12/0379/46/LL Tudweiliog Parc Carafanau Moel y Berth Caravan Park, Llangwnnadl 11 C12/0438/46/LL Tudweiliog Penclawdd, Llangwnnadl 12 C12/0477/19/LL Bontnewydd The Workshop, Dol Beuno, Bontnewydd Number 1 Number: 1 Application Number: C12/0325/34/LL Date Registered: 08/03/2012 Application Type: Full - Planning Community: Clynnog Ward: Clynnog Proposal: CONSTRUCTION OF AN ANAEROBIC DIGESTION FACILITY AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING CONTINUED USE OF THE SITE ACCESS TRACK FROM THE A487 Location: LLWYN ISAF LANDFILL, CLYNNOG FAWR, CAERNARFON, GWYNEDD, LL545DF Summary of the TO APPROVE SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS Recommendation: 1. Description: 1.1 The Welsh Government provides support to local authorities to try and establish a network of anaerobic digestion facilities across Wales to manage food waste collected by the waste control services. ‘Towards Zero Waste’ is the Welsh Government’s waste strategy which outlines the long term framework for managing waste and draws attention to the need to reduce the volume of food waste that we throw away. 1.2 We have reduced the volume of biodegradable urban waste to landfill and Gwynedd now recycles over 45% of municipal waste. It is proposed to extend the waste collection service in Gwynedd to a weekly food collection before the end of May 2012. 1.3 There is extant consent on the site for an anaerobic digestor approved by the planning committee on 19th January 2011, to treat 15,000 tonnes of food waste collected in the County, as well as producing up to 0.5MW of renewable energy from the process. 1.4 Since 2011 the Council has appointed Biogen (UK) Limited to implement the GwyriAD project. The company has considerable experience in design, building and operating anaerobic digestion facilities to process food waste. As a result of an assessment of the plan already approved, it is proposed with this application to introduce a range of improvements based on the company’s experience operating similar sites in England. 1.5 This application requests full planning consent to adapt the design, number and layout of the structures associated with the anaerobic digestion facility in order to satisfy the company’s operational requirements. The plans have been adapted to deal with 11,000 tonnes of food waste annually rather than 15,000 tonnes as previously approved. 1.6 The application details show plans for; retaining the existing transportation road which links Llwyn Isaf and the A487 trunk road through the Cefn Graianog quarry, Connecting with the surface water drainage facility which is in the process of being constructed on a piece of land east of the site, Installation of facilities for the waste treatment process within the Llwyn Isaf site to comprise a reception hall/prior waste treatment, waste digestor tanks and storage tank for process material, gas storage tank, equipment for heat and energy recovery and associated infrastructure The Anaerobic Digestion process comprises the following key elements: Waste reception Unpacking and conditioning waste Waste storage Anaerobic digestion Pasteurisation and storage of processed material Storage of biogas; and, Reclaiming energy and power distribution Anaerobic digestion methods of treating food waste produce bio-gas and it is possible for these methods of treating waste to play a vital role in assisting the UK to reach its renewable energy targets. However, not only is the renewable energy element of value in the anaerobic digestion process, the compost produced from the process is also full of nitrogen and is a good source of phosphate, potash and other elements that are required to grow healthy crops and fertilize the soil. It is proposed to produce 9,000m³ of compost per annum from the process with a purpose built tank to store 4,800m³, or worth 6 months of finished produce (bio fertilizer liquid) with additional capacity in the two anaerobic digestor tanks to store up to a year’s produce. 1.7 The application details confirm that the site’s capacity is sufficient to store the bulk of the compost produce during the winter when it is not practicable to use it when the ground is wet. 1.8 It is intended to locate the anaerobic digestion facility on 2.6 ha of land south of the existing pulverisation building, where there is extant permission for an in-vessel composting unit and the permission also included use of part of the Llwyn Isaf site as a waste transfer site. The application site is part of former sand and gravel works and is currently used to drain surface water from the landfill site in purpose-built lagoons. 1.9 The applicants have submitted a design and access statement to confirm that the proposal satisfies the requirements in terms of access, character, design, ecology, community safety and environmental sustainability. 1.10 The application has been screened for the need for an Environmental Assessment under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (England and Wales) 1999, and the application does not require an Environmental Statement. 2. Relevant Policies: 2.1 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and paragraph 2.1.2 of Planning Policy Wales emphasise that planning decisions should be in accordance with the Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Planning considerations include National Planning Policy and the Unitary Development Plan. 2.2 Gwynedd Unitary Development Plan 2009: STRATEGIC POLICY 1: TAKING PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES STRATEGIC POLICY 2: THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT STRATEGIC POLICY 4: DESIGN STANDARDS STRATEGIC POLICY 6: LAND REDEVELOPMENT AND REUSE STRATEGIC POLICY 8: WASTE STRATEGIC POLICY 4: DESIGN STRATEGIC POLICY 9: ENERGY STRATEGIC POLICY 16: EMPLOYMENT POLICY B8: Protecting the Llŷn Area of Natural Beauty - Safeguard, maintain and improve the character of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by ensuring that proposals conform to a series of criteria aimed at protecting the recognised features of the site. POLICY B14: Safeguard the Character of the Snowdonia National Park Landscape - Safeguard the character of the Snowdonia National Park landscape by refusing proposals which are visually obtrusive and/or are located insensitively and uncongenially within the landscape. POLISI B15: Protect Nature Conservation Sites of International Importance - Refuse proposals which are likely to cause significant harm to nature conservation sites of national importance unless they conform to a series of criteria aimed at safeguarding, enhancing and managing recognised features within the sites. POLICY B16: Protect Nature Conservation Sites of National Importance - Refuse proposals which are likely to cause significant harm to nature conservation sites of national significance unless they conform to a series of criteria aimed at protecting, enhancing and managing recognised features within the sites. POLICY B17: Protecting Sites of Regional or Local Significance - Refuse proposals which are likely to cause significant harm to sites of regional or local significance unless they conform to a series of criteria aimed at the protecting, promoting and managing recognised features within the sites. POLICY B22: Design - Promote good building design by ensuring that proposals conform to a series of criteria aimed at safeguarding the recognised features and character of the local landscape and environment. POLICY B23: Amenities - Safeguard the amenities of the local neighbourhood by ensuring that proposals conform to a series of criteria aimed at protecting the recognised features and amenities of the local area. POLICY B32: Increasing Surface Water - Refuse proposals which do not include flood reduction measures or appropriate alleviating measures which will lead to a reduction in the volume and scale of surface water reaching and flowing into rivers and other water courses. POLICY B33: Developments that Could Cause Pollution - Protect human amenities, health quality and the natural or built environment from high levels of pollution. POLICY B34 - Lighting and Light Pollution - Ensure that proposals do not significantly impair the amenity of neighbouring land uses and the environment. POLICY C1: Locating New Developments – Land within town and village boundaries and the developed form of rural villages will be the main focus for new developments. New buildings, structures and ancillary facilities in the countryside will be refused with the exception of a development that is permitted by another policy of the Plan. POLICY C3: Re-using Previously Developed Sites – Proposals which give priority to the use of land or buildings previously developed and located within or adjacent to development boundaries will be permitted if the site or the building and use are