Wigsley Airfield Wind Turbine Supporting Statement
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WIGSLEY AIRFIELD WIND TURBINE SUPPORTING STATEMENT May 2013 Prepared By: Arcus Consultancy Services Suite 1C Swinegate Court East York North Yorkshire YO1 8AJ T +44 (0)1904 715 470 l E [email protected] w www.arcusconsulting.co.uk Registered in England & Wales No. 5644976 Supporting Statement Wigsley Airfield Wind Turbine TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Overview......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Application Site........................................................................................ 1 1.2.1 Site Identification ............................................................................................... 1 1.3 Project Description ......................................................................................... 2 1.3.1 Wind Turbine ..................................................................................................... 2 1.3.2 Turbine Foundations ........................................................................................... 3 1.3.3 Transformer Housing .......................................................................................... 3 1.3.4 Crane Hardstanding ............................................................................................ 3 1.3.5 Access Tracks .................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Wind Resources .............................................................................................. 3 1.5 Grid Connection .............................................................................................. 3 2 PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK ............................................................................. 4 2.1 National Planning Policy Framework ............................................................. 5 2.1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Renewable Energy ............................................................................................. 6 2.1.3 Plan Making ....................................................................................................... 6 2.1.4 Decision-taking .................................................................................................. 7 2.1.5 Weight Attached to Development Plan Policies under the NPPF................................ 7 2.2 Development Plan Policies Relating to the Principle of the Development..... 7 2.2.1 Core Strategy .................................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Local Plan ......................................................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Commentary ...................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Site Specific Development Plan Policies......................................................... 9 2.3.1 Core Strategy .................................................................................................... 9 2.3.2 Local Plan ......................................................................................................... 9 2.3.3 Commentary ...................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Other Development Plan Policies Relevant to the Development ................. 11 2.4.1 Landscape and Visual ........................................................................................ 11 2.4.2 Ecology and Ornithology .................................................................................... 14 2.4.3 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................... 14 2.4.4 Hydrology and Flood Risk ................................................................................... 16 2.4.5 Residential Amenity ........................................................................................... 19 2.4.6 Public Rights of Way .......................................................................................... 21 2.4.7 Access ............................................................................................................. 22 2.4.8 Land Use .......................................................................................................... 23 Arcus Consultancy Services Ltd Page i May 2013 Supporting Statement Wigsley Airfield Wind Turbine 2.4.9 Air Quality ........................................................................................................ 24 2.4.10 Aviation ........................................................................................................... 24 2.4.11 Climate Change................................................................................................. 25 2.4.12 Summary of Assessment against Development Plan .............................................. 26 2.5 Material Considerations................................................................................ 27 2.5.1 Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Revocation of the East Midlands Regional Strategy Post Adoption Statement (2013) ............................................................ 28 2.5.2 Newark and Sherwood Allocations and Development Management Development Plan Document - Publication (2012) ........................................................................... 28 2.5.3 Supplementary Planning Guidance – Wind Energy 1999 ......................................... 29 2.5.4 Low Carbon Energy Opportunities and Heat Mapping for Local Planning Areas across the East Midlands: Final Report (2011) ................................................................ 30 2.5.5 Planning for Renewable Energy a Companion Guide to PPS 22 ............................... 31 2.5.6 Energy and Climate Change Policy ...................................................................... 31 2.5.7 Summary of Material Considerations .................................................................... 33 3 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................... 34 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 – Landscape and Visual Appraisal APPENDIX 2 – Ecology and Ornithology Appraisal APPENDIX 3 – Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Statement APPENDIX 4 - Noise Assessment APPENDIX 5 – Flood Risk Assessment APPENDIX 6 – Bridleway Diversion APPENDIX 7 – Aviation Consultation DRAWINGS DRAWING 001 - Site Location DRAWING 002 - Site Layout Block Plan DRAWING 003 - Typical Turbine Elevation DRAWING 004 - Other Site Infrastructure FIGURES FIGURE A1.1 – Landscape Study Area FIGURE A1.2 - Blade Tip Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) with Viewpoints (15 km). FIGURE A1.3 – Landscape Character Types FIGURE A1.4 – Landscape Designations Page ii Arcus Consultancy Services Ltd May 2013 Supporting Statement Wigsley Airfield Wind Turbine FIGURE A1.5a – Wireline from Viewpoint 1 – Spalford, Eagle Road opposite entrance to Windmill Farm FIGURE A1.5b – Photomontage from Viewpoint 1 – Spalford, Eagle Road opposite entrance to Windmill Farm FIGURE A1.6a - Wireline from Viewpoint 2 – Minor Road south of Wigsley FIGURE A1.6b – Photomontage from Viewpoint 2 – Minor Road south of Wigsley FIGURE A1.7a - Wireline from Viewpoint 3 – Moor Lane at entrance to Birklands Farm FIGURE A1.7b – Photomontage from Viewpoint 3 – Moor Lane at entrance to Birklands Farm FIGURE A1.8a - Wireline from Viewpoint 4 – A1133 south of South Clifton FIGURE A1.8b - Photomontage from Viewpoint 4 – A1133 south of South Clifton FIGURE A1.9a - Wireline from Viewpoint 5 – South Clifton on footpath south of Village FIGURE A1.9b - Photomontage from Viewpoint 5 – South Clifton on footpath south of Village FIGURE A1.10 - Wireline from Viewpoint 6 – Eagle on footpath near All Saints Church FIGURE A1.11 - Wireline from Viewpoint 7 – Footpath by Doddington Hall FIGURE A1.12 – Cumulative Sites Location Map (15 km). FIGURE A2.1 – Phase I Ecology Map FIGURE A3.1 – Core Archaeological Study Area FIGURE A3.2 – Heritage features within 5km FIGURE A4.1 – Noise Contour Plot Arcus Consultancy Services Ltd Page iii May 2013 Supporting Statement Wigsley Airfield Wind Turbine 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview Arcus Consultancy Services Ltd (‘Arcus’, ‘the Applicant’) seek permission for the erection of a single, medium-scale wind turbine on the old Wigsley Airfield site in Nottinghamshire. The location of the site is shown in Planning Drawing 001. Arcus have compiled this Supporting Statement to accompany the planning application submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council (‘NSDC’) for the erection of the single wind turbine (‘the Development’). The installed capacity of the Development will be up to 500 kW and will generate electricity for 25 years, after which it will be removed. 1.2 The Application Site The Application Site lies approximately 800 m northeast of Spalford and 1.2 km southwest of Wigsley in Nottinghamshire as illustrated in Drawing 001. The proposed turbine lies at an elevation of approximately 8 m above ordnance datum (AOD). The Application Site and surrounding area comprises an old RAF airfield which is currently used for outdoor pig rearing. There is a large block of woodland, Wigsley Wood, approximately 410 m to the north. The Application Site will be accessed off Wigsley Road making use of an