Planning Agenda 17 September 2009
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Agenda Item 8 (d) REPORTS FOR DEBATE Eden District Council Planning Applications Committee Agenda Committee Date: 17 September 2009 INDEX Application Item Page Applicant’s Name Location Number Number Number 09/0479 Pure Renewable Field at Midtown Farm to West of 1 3 Energies Reagill, Shap 09/0532 The Lakes Free Land at Meg Bank, Stainton 2 12 Range Egg Company 09/0500 Mrs C Wheatley- Reigny House Cottage, Newton 3 18 Hubbard Reigny 1 Agenda Item 8 (d) REPORTS FOR DEBATE 2 Agenda Item 8 (d) REPORTS FOR DEBATE Item No 1 Eden District Council Planning Applications Committee 17 September 2009 Planning Application No: 09/0479 Erection of Temporary Wind Monitoring Mast Field at Midtown Farm to West of Reagill, Shap Director of Technical Services Site Plan: 3 Agenda Item 8 (d) REPORTS FOR DEBATE 1 Purpose of Report 1.1 This application is before members as some eight objectors have requested a hearing and that the recommendation is contrary to the views of the Parish Council. 2 Recommendation It is recommended that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions: 1 That the temporary wind monitoring mast hereby granted planning permission shall be removed from the site and the uses discontinued on or before the expiry of a period of three years from the date of this permission. Any works required for the reinstatement of the land to its current form and appearance shall be carried out within one month of the expiry of the permission, or the prior removal of the temporary wind monitoring mast, whichever is the earlier. Reason: 1 The development is required to meet a specified short term need and to secure the satisfactory reinstatement of the site. 3 Report Details 3.1 Proposed Development 3.1.1 The proposal is for the erection of a 51 metre high wind monitoring mast, constructed in 150mm diameter tubing and supported by guy wires extending to a radius of 33.5 metres around the base of the mast. The lightweight mast is simply fixed to the ground with a steel base plate (spiked in) and is remotely monitored to avoid extensive ground works or the need for an equipment cabin. 3.1.2 The proposed mast is required to secure wind speed data in order to assess the suitability of the site for a wind farm cluster and to inform on the design and layout of such a potential development proposal. 3.2 Description of the Site and the Surroundings 3.2.1 The proposed mast is to be located just on the west side of a hill, some 40 metres above and some 550 metres to the west of Reagill, a small village between Mauls Meaburn and the M6 motorway corridor some 2.7 kms to the west. The mast position is generally located on a raised, undulating plateau area, sparsely populated by several individual farm groups and visible only from more distant views. The undulating plateau area and application site area is not visible from Reagill and is hidden from view behind the crest of the hill 550 metres to the west of the village. The east side of the hill facing Reagill has a number of mature trees and a large mature plantation block is located 120 metres to the south east of the mast position. 3.2.2 The majority of the lightweight, 51 metres high mast will be visible from the village of Reagill, over the adjacent ridge, but at a distance of 550 metres. A public foot path runs between Reagill and Threaplands, an isolated farm group some 500 4 Agenda Item 8 (d) REPORTS FOR DEBATE metres to the west of the application site. The footpath passes within 130 metres of the mast position and is one of six paths which converge on Treaplands. 3.2.3 The application site and the immediate surrounding area has no landscape designation. The area of Landscape of County Importance which lies within the M6 corridor, extends up to Threapland, some 500 metres from the application site. The undulating plateau area has fine panoramic views extending to the Pennines AONB to the east and to the Lake District National Park to the west. 3.3 Relevant Planning History 3.3.1 The Council provided a Scoping Opinion in response to a scoping statement submitted by the current applicant, in respect of a proposed Windfarm Cluster at Midtown Farm, Reagill, on 8 July 2009. The Scoping Opinion being the mechanism to establish the parameters of an Environmental Impact Assessment which would be a requirement to be included in any subsequent planning application that may follow. 3.4 Method of Publicity and Summary of Representations 3.4.1 The application was advertised by the posting of a site notice and some 24 neighbour notification letters were sent out. Some 181 objections were received which may be summarised as follows: (1) The mast, because of its size, industrial scale and location (50 metre mast on land 250 metres high and sited 30 metres above Reagill) will have a serious adverse effect on the landscape and visual character of this elevated and unspoilt area, dominating the skyline and creating noise nuisance to near by residents. (2) The mast because of its size, scale and elevated location will have a serious adverse effect on the villages of Reagill and Sleagill. (3) The site is within an area of search for the National Park Extension, in respect of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District National Parks and under consideration as an AONB and visible from East Fellside, the Howgill Fells and the Winash Fells. (4) The proposal will adversely affect biodiversity, prehistoric heritage, the tourism potential of the area and will provide no benefit to the area. (5) The proposal is unnecessary as the Met office, Shap provides wind speed information. (6) The proposal will have an adverse effect on The Image Garden at Reagill. (7) The mast would be a danger to the flight path for light aircraft. Non-material representations were received on the following grounds: (8) The proposal is part of a larger application for 13 No. 125 metre high wind turbines and so should be refused as they will have an adverse effect on the landscape and visual character of this area, including the Lake District 5 Agenda Item 8 (d) REPORTS FOR DEBATE and Yorkshire Dales National Park and The Pennines AONB and the villages of Reagill and Sleagill in particular. (9) There is insufficient wind in the area to operate a wind farm. (10) The noises and disturbance from the wind farm will adversely affect Reagill residents and adversely affect tourism in the area. (11) Wind turbines will adversely affect bird life and the bio diversity of the area. (12) Wind power is unnecessary as Cumbria is the home of nuclear power and in any event is unreliable. (13) The cost benefit of wind turbines have yet to be demonstrated. (14) The proposal will de-value adjacent property. (15) The road infrastructure is insufficient to cater for wind farm construction traffic. (16) Inland wind farms are incapable of providing anything other than minimal power. (17) The developer has not liaised with the local community. 3.5 Parish Responses (Crosby Ravensworth and Newby) 3.5.1 At their meeting of 3 August, Crosby Ravensworth Parish Council confirmed concerns very similar to those submitted in response to the Scoping Opinion as follows: (i) The site is within 500 metres to 1500 metres of the residents of Reagill. It will be a prominent feature within an unspoilt landscape, most directly affecting seven properties (named) and may lead to a „drift‟ towards major change involving the intended wind farm. (ii) The applicant has made not attempt to liaise with the residents of Reagill, which is not referred to in the supporting statement. (iii) The site is within Category 4 agricultural land in use as grazing and is typical of the distinctive and varied landscape character, involving hill farming in the Lyvennet Valley, the area being crossed by a number of public footpaths. (iv) The suggestion that the land is without a special landscape designation, is premature and is under investigation. Local knowledge confirms a broad range of fauna and flora, together with architectural and archaeological features which would be in conflict with the industrial scale of the proposal. (v) Although there is no designation of significant value, the Parish Council is aware of the investigation relating to the area bordering the Lake District National Park as an AONB and which is supported by the Parish Council 6 Agenda Item 8 (d) REPORTS FOR DEBATE and a leading feature of the recently completed Community plan. There should be a moratorium on industrial scale developments in this unchanged environment until the outcome of these investigations are complete. (vi) The elevated site is in a prominent position clearly visible as the highest point between the much used High Street and Helvellyn ranges and the Pennine ranges together with other public footpaths in the area. The proposal would be detrimental to the landscape and visual character of the area over looking the whole of the Lowther and Eden Valleys. This adverse impact outweighs any potential benefit associated with the scheme. (vii) The proposal will create risk to two local light aircraft landing sites within 1 km and 6 km of the site. (viii) If permission is granted, any wind speed information gathered by the mast should be shared with the Parish Council. (ix) If permission is granted it is requested that the applicant be required to reinstate the site to its former condition.