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EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE: 18 JANUARY 2013 11/0868/PP: ERECTION OF EIGHT WIND TURBINES AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE AT CHALMERSTON, DALMELLINGTON BY BURNHEAD WIND FARM LTD Report by Head of Planning and Economic Development Click for Application Details: http://eplanning.east- ayrshire.gov.uk/online/centralDistribution.do?action=dispatch&caseType=Application&ca seNo=11/0868/PP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SHEET 1. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 1.1 The development proposes the following: • 8 wind turbines of up to 100 metres to tip height (i.e. height from ground level to the tip of the blade when vertical); • Transformers, foundations and crane hardstandings; • New and upgraded access tracks with passing bays and turning points; • underground power cabling; • on site control building and sub station; • one permanent 60m high meteorological mast; In addition to the above components of the operational windfarm proposal, the construction phase proposals include: • a temporary construction compound; • two temporary performance monitoring masts; • laydown areas adjacent to crane hardstandings; • conversion of an existing compound into a temporary laydown area for wind turbine components and storage containers; • one potential borrow pit (areas of stone excavation); 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the application be refused for the reasons on the attached sheet. 3. CONCLUSIONS 3.1 Sections 25 and 37(2) of the Town and Country Planning (Section) Act 1997 require that planning applications be determined in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 3.2 Scottish Government legislation and policy gives strong support for developments that generate electricity from a renewable source. The proposal would make a modest contribution towards the 100% equivalent target for electricity generation from renewable sources. However, that support is not unconditional and it relies upon the proposal satisfying a range of criteria which are largely replicated and expanded upon within the Development Plan. 3.3 The key issues which this proposal presents are its landscape and visual impact, its effect on the historic environment, its effect on tourism and recreational interests and its impact on local communities. 3.4 By the very nature of such developments, commercial windfarms form significant elements within a landscape due to their vertical emphasis and moving parts. In the case of Burnhead, the development is partly located within the Loch Doon Valley designated Sensitive Landscape Character Area and is likely to significantly change the landscape character of the area. These changes are considered to be relatively localised and not experienced at all locations however in those locations where turbines are visible they will alter the appearance of the landscape by forming the dominant feature and appearing out of proportion with the landscape. At greater distances and particularly from southerly directions, the imposing landscape around and behind the turbines allows the development to fit with the landscape and not significantly alter the landscape perception or views towards the Loch Doon Valley area. The higher ground to the north of the development largely allows for no views of the development. Within their consultation response Scottish Natural Heritage largely agree with this assessment. 3.5 At a more localised level, the development will offer significant visual impacts on parts of the settlements of Burton, Bellsbank and Dalmellington, the rural residential properties of Laight and Minnivey and sections of various transport and tourist routes and destinations within approximately 5 -6km’s. This localised impact is of particular concern for objectors who note that the turbines will not only be visible from a number of key local areas but that their size is out of scale with the surrounding environment. The intervening landscape at Craigmark Hill provides a buffer between the development and the local settlements. However, the development appears as a haphazard collection of moving parts of turbines on the skyline, created by this landscape feature. This is a distracting feature visually and alters the perception of the enclosed landscape around Burnton. It should be noted that Scottish Natural Heritage describe the significant landscape impacts as being localised in nature therefore whilst this proposal has significantly reduced in size from the previous application to the extent that its landscape and visual impact at distance has significantly improved, it continues to fail at a local level. 3.6 The proposal will have varying degrees of impact on the historic environment. There are a number of listed buildings, conservation areas, scheduled monuments and a Garden and Designed Landscape within 5km’s of the development. A minority of these features will experience a direct and/or an indirect effect from the windfarm. Although the development may be visible from some of these features, it does not have an unacceptable adverse impact on their setting. The exception to this is Craigengillan Garden and Designed Landscape to the south of the development. It is anticipated that a degree of adverse impact will occur on the setting of this area, particularly in its northern and north western portions and will also suffer a degree of cumulative impact with the Dersalloch proposal to the west. Historic Scotland does not consider these impacts to be significant and do not object to the development. 3.7 The letters of objection and Community Council consultation response raises significant concern over the adverse impact on tourism that the proposal will cause. This is largely two fold with the adverse visual and landscape impacts considered to discourage visitors and the direct effects that the proposal could have on the observatory should it be night lit, as requested by the MoD. The local area sits at the periphery of the Dark Sky Park boundary and is within the transition area of the Biosphere and is therefore well placed to exploit these features. The recent opening of the observatory and extension of the Dark Sky Park offer significant tourism benefits for the local community. Furthermore, a number of core paths and other routes allow access and exploitation of the Galloway national tourist route which could attract visitors to the area. The applicant considers that the development will have a negligible impact on tourism given the limited number of recreational opportunities. 3.8 It is considered that the proposal could have an adverse impact on the tourism potential of the area. The recent designations noted above have the potential to grow and attract tourists to a world class resource which has no comparison in Scotland and perhaps indeed Europe. Whilst this is a relatively new feature, any adverse impact on these designations should be resisted. The visual impact of the turbines from the observatory is significant given its elevated position. However, the observatory is primarily for use at night to take advantage of the dark sky designation therefore visual impact is considered to be a lesser issue. However, any lighting of the turbines has the potential to adversely affect the designation and the objectors advise that infra red lighting does not address this issue. The applicant has not provided any rebuttal of this claim therefore a cautious approach to this matter should be pursued. The development is not considered to adversely affect the Biosphere or its sustainable aims as the development seeks to contribute towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and in this respect can be described as being sustainable at a national level. The visual impact of the development on other tourism related facilities such as the paths and key transport routes will be significant however this significance is reduced as many of these views will be fleeting owing to the nature of the activity. 3.9 Turning now to the impact on the local community, a number of benefits could result from the proposal. The applicant has indicated a willingness to contribute to the Renewable Energy Fund which would be used in the local area. However, Scottish Government policy is clear that such financial benefits do not carry any weight. The applicant envisages that some jobs may be created and that spin off benefits to the local economy from employment of local contractors and use of local facilities may occur but acknowledges that this is likely to be short term. 3.10 Set against these benefits, there is the potential for adverse impact on tourism which is set out in the preceding paragraphs. Whilst tourism does not currently contribute to East Ayrshire in the same manner as South or North Ayrshire, the Council does have strategies to increase visitor numbers and tourist revenues. The designation of the Biosphere and Dark Sky Park will contribute to the desirability of the area for tourists which will also create other local opportunities therefore the development has the potential to discourage tourists to the area given its significant local presence and its impact on the landscape character and amenity of the area. Furthermore, the local communities stands to receive the most significant visual impacts from the development. The community is largely a permanent receptor that will experience continual exposure to the windfarm. The properties on the north and north west boundaries of Burnton and the western boundary of Dalmellington will experience the disjointed appearance referred to in paragraph 8.5