Single Turbine, 46M to Tip and Considered in Isolation, the Proposed Turbine Fits Easily Within the Identified Capacity of the Landscape
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Allerdale Borough Council Planning Application Reference No: 2/2012/0345 Received: 08 May 2012 Proposed Siting of one 36.4m hub height wind turbine and associated Development: infrastructure. Location: Tarns Farm Silloth Wigton Applicant: Mr John Wise Drawing Numbers: SL1 - Site Location Plan SL2 - Site Location Plan DR1 - Proposed Turbine DR2 - Wind Turbine Details DR3 - Proposed Turbine Photomontages DR4 - Proposed Wind Turbine Details DR5 - Noise Details EWP50_F_001 - Foundation and Bolt Arrangement Constraints: Policies: National Planning Policy Framework North West Regional spatial Strategy Policy DP7 - Promote environmental quality Policy EM17 - Renewable Energy Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan Policy E38 - Historic environment Policy R44 - Renewable energy outside the Lake District National Park and AONBs Allerdale Local Plan Policy CO13 - The setting of a Conservation Area, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy CO18 - Setting of a Listed building, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy CO21 - Proposals affecting archaeological sites, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy CO22 - Protection of archaeological remains, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy CO24 - Protection of setting of Hadrians Wall, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy EN10 - Restoration, after uses cease, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy EN19 - Landscape Protection, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy EN25 - Protecting the open countryside, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy EN32 - Protecting wildlife protected by law, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy EN6 - Location of potentially polluting development, Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved). Relevant Planning A screening opinion was issued by the Local Planning Authority in History: June 2012. This opinion stated that the proposal did constitute EIA development. However, the applicant subsequently prepared additional information (ecological report) and sought a Screening Direction from the Secretary of State. The Screening Direction confirmed that the proposal is not EIA development, stating that whilst the proposal had the potential to impact on the setting of the Solway Coast AONB and on bird species in the Outer South Solway area, based on the separation to the AONB and the height/scale of the turbine, it was not likely to give rise to significant environmental effects on the landscape either alone or in cumulation, nor would it be likely to affect significant populations of protected species, sufficient to require EIA. 2/2012/0250 - Proposed demolition of existing agricultural building with erection of new portal frame shed, approved. Representations: Parish Cou ncil - Recommend refusal on the basis that: • There are already turbines within this area at Low Tarns, with others proposed. • Not for own use • Visible from nearby caravan park, other tourist attractions and from AONB • If allowed, this small rural area will look like a large windfarm. Civil Aviation Authority - Consultations for wind energy related development is exceeding the resource available to respond within LPA timeframes. Should consult with NATS and MoD and relevant aerodromes. The CAA has no responsibility for safeguarding sites other than within its own property. NATS - No objection. MoD - No objection. If permission is granted, the MOD must be informed of the date construction commences, the maximum height and the latitude/longitude. County Council Highways No objection subject to conditions requiring the road to be kept clear of mud during the construction phase and that a Traffic Management Plan be submitted for approval. Natural England – Response to planning application - This proposal does not appear to affect any statutorily protected sites or landscapes, or have significant impacts on the conservation of soils. The LPA should consider the effects on protected species in accordance with standing advice and local wildlife sites. Response to screening opinion – Natural England confirmed that the proposal had to potential for significant impacts on the environment in relation to bird species functionally linked to the Solway SPA (geese and swans). A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment would be required for the turbine also, including from vantage points within the AONB, but landscape impact was not considered to be significant in EIA terms. Response to Screening Direction - On the basis of the additional material supplied with the consultation, that, in so far as statutory designated sites, landscapes and protected species are concerned, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required for this application. Based on the additional information provided by the developer, we can confirm that the application site is not located within, adjacent to or in close proximity to any Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) or Ramsar Site and the additional information provided has demonstrated that the development is not likely to significantly affect the interest features for which they are notified. Based on the additional information provided by the developer, the location of the proposal is not within, nor is it sufficiently close to the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site to impact upon the purposes for which these sites were designated. We are further satisfied that the application is not likely to affect significant populations of protected species sufficient to require an EIA. Environmental Health – No objections subject to conditions specifying noise limits in accordance with ETSU and a noise complaint procedure. County Archaeologist – Contrary to paragraph 4.27 of the design and access statement, the proposed turbine lies within a known archaeological site. Aerial photos show that remains of Iron Age and Romano-British field systems survive within the field of the proposed development. These remains will be disturbed by the construction ground works of the proposed turbine and infrastructure. I therefore recommend that the ground works associated with the development should be subject to a programme of archaeological recording. This recording should be carried out during the course of the development (a watching brief) and should be commissioned and undertaken at the expense of the developer. This programme of work can be secured through the inclusion of a condition in any planning consent. RSPB – 1st response, insufficient information relating to geese and swans, functionally linked to the Solway SPA. 2nd consultation response confirms that the additional information provided (Ecological Desktop survey & protected species risk assessment) is satisfactory and that no additional survey work is required. Based on the information provided, the RSPB concur with the conclusions of the report, regarding the low risk to pink footed geese and whooper swans. Fire Officer – No comments received. Cumbria Wildlife Trust – No comments received. County Planning – Not a category 1 application, therefore no comments. Arqiva – No comments received. English Heritage - The views that provide part of the importance (the Outstanding Universal Value) of the World Heritage Site, are those that allow an understanding of Roman military planning and land use: in this precise area these important views centre on views up and down the Roman frontier on the coast, with views inland towards the hinterland being of less importance unless a particularly visual relationship (for example along a Roman road) is interrupted. Having looked at the application information, it does not appear that any of these important hinterland views will be interrupted, so the key issue is impact on views along the frontier. Knowing this site, the nearest Roman installations (and views between them) seem to lie too far to the west for this turbine to disrupt or otherwise harm these views along the frontier. My concern would therefore be with reference to longer distance views, particularly from the south. In such views, the line of the coast is such that the proposed turbine will lie visually behind the Roman installations when looking northwards from places like turret 20b (at Blue Dial). However, although it would have been useful to have a montage from here to assist and the turbine is twice the height of the others given permission, I am confident that the distance over which these views will occur is such that the turbine will not be visually prominent enough to harm an appreciation of the visual relationship between the Roman features. The application has been advertised by site notice and neighbour letter. Two letters of objection has been received from FORCE and the Westnewton Action Group. The grounds of objection are summarised as: • Reference to a small scale turbine when it would be considered medium in scale. • That the cumulative assessment of the development is insufficient and should consider a wider range of existing, consented and proposed turbines as well as including ZTV’s to inform the LVIA. • The scheme will seriously add to the cumulative effect of turbine development in the borough. • The proposal will impact negatively on residents and visitors to the AONB • Potential threat to birds in the coastal region. • Greater assessment of archaeological interest required given the location of sites of interest within 500m. • Noise information is insufficient, the turbine testing was