Allerdale Borough Council Planning Application
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Allerdale Borough Council Planning Application Reference No: 2/2012/0315 Received: 19 April 2012 Proposed Erection of a 67m single wind turbine Development: Location: Land to The West Of Goose Green Farm Crookdake Aspatria Wigton Applicant: Empirica Investments Limited Drawing Numbers: Figure No. 1 - Location Plan (amendment received 5 July 2012) Figure No. 4 - Site Layout Plan Figure No. 6.1 - Turbine Elevation Plan Figure 6.2 - Construction Cross Section Drawing No. 6.3 - Indicative Sub-station Elevation Plan Figure No. 7 - Block Plan Drawing No. 4 - Site Access Plan (amendment received 5 July 2012) Drawing No. 3 - Site Boundary Plan (amendment received 5 July 2012) Ecological Scoping Assessment December 2011 Bat Survey and Assessment July 2102 (amendment received 4 July 2012) Constraints: British Coal Area Policies: North West Regional Strategy Policy DP1 - Spatial principles Policy DP9 - Reduce emissions and adapt to climate change Policy EM17 - Renewable Energy Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan Policy E35 - Areas and features of nature conservation interests other than those of national and international conservation importance Policy E37 - Landscape character Policy R44 - Renewable energy outside the Lake District National Park and AONBs Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy EN10 - Restoration, after uses cease Policy EN19 - Landscape Protection Policy EN25 - Protecting the open countryside Policy EN32 - Protecting wildlife protected by law Policy EN5 - Pollution Control Policy EN6 - Location of potentially polluting development National Planning Policy Framework Relevant Planning 2/2012/0123 Temporary siting of 50m meteorological mast - History: Approved SCR/2011/0045 Screening opinion request for a proposed wind turbine – Not EIA development. Representations: Parish/Town Council – Refuse on the grounds of cumulative impact and impact on the landscape (23/07/12). Bromfield Parish– No objections (06/06/12). Bromfield Parish - Following an open meeting of the parish council and hearing views of the parishioners we would like to object to the application on the grounds of cumulative impact on the landscape (29/06/12). Cumbria Highways – No objections subject to conditions attached. RSPB – The RSPB are satisfied that the applicant has contacted Tullie House, Carlisle for desk based survey information and that the conclusion from this data is that impacts on significant populations of bird species sensitive to windfarm developments is unlikely. Ministry of Defence – No objections Environment Agency – We have no comment to make. Environmental Health – No objections subject to conditions attached. County Archaeologist – The site lies in area of archaeological potential. No objections raised subject to a condition attached securing archaeological recording is carried out. Natural England – The proposal does not appear to affect any statutorily protected sites or landscapes, or have significant impacts on the conservation of soils, nor id the proposal EIA development. Natural England suggests that consideration is given to re-siting the turbine to ensure that turbine sweep is a minimum of 50m from habitat features. In this way additional survey works may not be required. (25/05/12). 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. Carlisle Airport – No objections. Public Rights of Way Officer – No objection as the wind turbine is outside of the fall zone for the public footpath. United Utilities – No objections. Fire Officer – No reply received to date. Cumbria Wildlife Trust – On the basis of the bat report provided, Cumbria Wildlife Trust remove their objection. If the application is approved we would recommend a condition attached recommending the enhancements in the report are carried out (11/07/12). Cumbria Wildlife Trust – Objects to the proposal on the grounds of potential adverse effect on bats (25/05/12). Arqiva - No objections. NATS – No safeguarding objection. The application has been advertised on site and adjoining owners have been notified. A letter of objection has been received from FORCE who recommend the application be refused. As a group, whilst supporting renewable energy, they are concerned about the irreversible loss and damage to the rural landscape, through inappropriate wind farm developments, combined with the negative impacts on local rural communities. Their concerns are: • The LVIA limits their study to 5km around the application site. They have good reason to impose this limit as a wider study would have had to include a large amount of wind energy development as part of a cumulative assessment. A full study of the cumulative impact has not been carried out and is not in accordance with the Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Document. • We cannot find in the supporting documents which accompany the application any clear information on the benefits of the scheme. Nowhere does it state the electricity generated by this turbine would be used to supply Goose Green Farm. It seems the intention is to export all the power to the National Grid. It appears the turbine will remain in the ownership of the wind company with the landowner will received an annual income to assist in the diversification of the farm. FORCE consider this to be a very lose interpretation of farm diversification. • The Planning and Design Statement all refers to outdated PPS guidance to support the application which has now been replaced by the NPPF. • We are extremely concerned to read in the Planning and Design Statement that five residential receptors were identified as at risk of experiencing noise levels in excess of the ETSU R97 limit following simplified assessment. Whilst we acknowledge that a further 7 day background noise and wind speed monitoring assessment has been done, it is unlikely to reassure concerned residents particularly when no definitive decision on which model of turbine would be used. • With a blade tip height of 67m, this turbine would be towards the upper end of medium scale and could never be regarded as small. This should be kept in mind when considering the visual impact and effects on the local amenity, receptors and the landscape. The application site on Goose Green Farm is an extremely tranquil one. • It would be inappropriate to give consent for this scheme before the bat surveys are completed. Two objection letters have been received from Westnewton Action Group. Their concerns are: • The developer has referred to the turbine as relatively small. The turbine does not constitute a small scale turbine under the DECC definition. • The turbine will not be supplying on-site demand but will be feeding directly into the national grid. • The turbine stands on rising ground just 500m from the A596, and therefore be clearly visible for several miles in either direction of travel along the road and seen in line with numerous existing turbines erected and approved. • The submitted photomontages do not provide a true representation of the area and are of poor quality. • An assessment has not be carried out appropriately on the key receptors in the area, with one in particular stating the owner of a property can mitigate the effect by planting trees in their boundary. • The LVIA states “there are no other wind farms within or immediately adjacent to the study area therefore there is no potential cumulative impact and assessment”. This shows a full landscape assessment including cumulative impact has not been carried out. • The developer has failed to consider the potential landscape effects adequately or in a proper manner. • The proposal is purely commercial enterprise rather than one which is meant simply to provide agricultural diversification. • The turbine would increase the cumulative visual impact in the area. 15 further letters of objection have been received. The concerns are: • The distance the turbines are from domestic properties in the area and that the turbines will be visible from the dwellings • The turbine will create nothing for the local community in terms of jobs or other facilities, and on its own will contribute very little towards national electricity generation. • The proposed turbine will be visible in line with the existing turbines at Hell Rigg, Bothel, Langrigg, Great Orton and The Pow, Aikton to name a few plus other turbines that have been approved but yet to be erected. • The turbine would be an overbearing structure and would have a significantly detrimental effect on visual amenity. The LVIA does not take into account properties close by that will be affected by the proposal. • Nearby landowners have not been notified about the application, therefore the application should be nullified. • The size of the turbine is completely out of scale for the location in a rural, tranquil setting. • The creation of the access into the field and delivery of the turbine would result in a loss of vital BAP species • The lane could not withstand any 25m truck plus cargo. • Flicker/noise from the turbine would create a problem for walkers, horse riders and farmers using the public right of way and nearby residential properties. • Wind turbines are an inefficient form of renewable energy. The attraction is the considerable government subsidy for all involved in their manufacture and siting. • Owners of the access road would provide