RECOMMENDATION

1.1 To raise an objection to the proposal as it is contrary to Policy R44 due to its effects on the landscape character and Policy E37 as it is not compatible with the landscape capacity of the area. It would cause unacceptable harm to the landscape character both individually, and cumulatively with other wind energy schemes in the area.

2 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The development site is located to the north east of Winscales, Workington. The land is reclaimed from opencast coal mining.

2.2 The scheme involves the construction of 7 wind turbines, 81m high to blade tip, each with capacity of 1.3 MW. This would provide a total maximum ‘installed capacity’ of up to 9.1MW. The total output could meet the electricity needs of around 4,000 households. It is likely the turbines would be painted in a semi matt grey in colour.

2.3 Access to the site is proposed along the minor road from the A595 to Stainburn, running along the south west edge of the site. 4.5m wide access tracks would connect with each turbine using, where possible, existing agricultural tracks.

2.4 The proposal also includes a single storey substation and control building, sited at the southern corner of the site, a 55m anemometer mast and crane hardstandings beside each turbine.

2.5 The scheme proposes to generate electricity for approximately 25 years. At that time a decision would be taken by the developer whether to decommission, refurbish or replace the turbines. If the turbines were to be replaced or refurbished they would be subject to a further planning application. The proposal would be connected to the local 33kV line.

2.6 The scheme is adjacent to the Winscales Wind farm, with around 0.35km between the nearest proposed turbine and working turbine. This comprises 11 turbines. 3 turbines are 69.5m high to blade tip and 8 are 73m high to blade tip.

2.7 The site lies in Landscape Character Sub Type 5a – Lowland – Ridge and Valley.

3 REPRESENTATIONS

3.1 Borough Council has received 70 letters of support and 15 letters of objection from the local community.

4 STRATEGIC ISSUES

4.1 As Strategic Planning Authority the County Council needs to consider whether this application would materially conflict with or prejudice the implementation of any policy contained within the and Lake District Joint Structure Plan 2001 – 2016 (JSP).

4.2 The key issues raised by this application are:

 Whether the development creates a significant detrimental effect on the landscape character, biodiversity and the natural and built heritage [policies E34, E37, R45 and R44 of the JSP].  Whether there is an unacceptable level of cumulative impact due to its proximity to other operational and consented wind energy developments [policy R44].  Whether the development creates significant adverse effect on local amenity, the local economy, highways, aircraft operations or telecommunications [policy R44].  Whether the energy contribution and other benefits of the proposal outweigh any adverse effects [policies ST4 and R44] 4.3 Additional guidance on the provision of wind energy developments in Cumbria is contained within ‘Wind Energy Development in Cumbria – Statement of Supplementary Planning Guidance 1997’.

4.4 The County Council and Allerdale Borough Council have both approved the consultation draft Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document. This is currently being revised for adoption following public consultation. This includes a detailed Landscape Capacity Assessment which identifies the potential capacity of the area to support wind energy development.

4.5 The Environmental Statement (ES) submitted with the application covers a wide range of potential impacts including those that relate to the main policy issues outlined above. This has been considered in detail to help assess the impact of the proposal.

Landscape, Visual and Cumulative Impacts

Landscape Character

4.6 The site lies within Landscape Character Type 5a – Lowland – Ridge and Valley (Cumbria Landscape Classification 1995). The site is situated on the northern flank of a low ridge above the coastal lowlands around Workington. This landscape type is characterised by a series of low expansive ridges interspersed by shallow valleys and tributaries of the River Derwent. The area is characterised by a patchwork of large, regular shaped open fields of improved pasture bounded by ditches, wire fences and some low hedges, shelterbelts of woodland and coniferous plantations. There are several small to medium villages nestled along the ridges and valleys found within the area. Electricity pylons are a reoccurring feature in the landscape and Winscales wind energy development is a prominent feature.

4.7 The site reflects several of the landscape characteristics. It is generally open in character comprising medium to large size improved agricultural fields bounded in part by small coniferous and deciduous woodland belts, and intersected by hedges, drainage ditches, wire fences and grass banks. The site rises gently to the south and north. Pylons can be found along the site boundary and adjacent to it.

4.8 A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment forms part of the Environmental Statement. This identifies the landscape character as predominantly lowland agriculture following a series of ridges and valleys. The pasture land is interspersed by mixed scrub and plantation woodland, hedges and hedgerow trees. The area includes small to large settlements and pylons, masts and wind energy developments are also a common feature. I agree with this statement.

4.9 The Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Guidance (1997) identifies the landscape type as having the potential to accommodate, exceptionally, up to a large cluster of 6-9 turbines in a single installation.

4.10 More recently a landscape capacity assessment has been carried out that forms part of the Draft Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document. This identifies the area as having moderate sensitivity and a moderate capacity to accommodate wind energy development. It suggests the landscape has the potential to support up to 3-5 turbines, and 6 – 9 turbines in exceptional circumstances, in open flatter areas and broad ridge tops where development relates to the medium to large scale landform with dominating wide views. The proposal is sited in an area that has landscape characteristics that reflects this, and 6-9 turbines could be acceptable. The scheme of 7 turbines, on its own, would accord with the overall landscape capacity findings. However, the proximity and effect of the existing wind energy development of 11 turbines at Winscales I and II needs to be considered. Supporting the proposed extension would, essentially, result in 18 turbines being located in the landscape. This exceeds the landscape capacity findings.

4.11 The applicant concludes that the proposal would produce a significant effect on the local landscape character within 3km of the site, but that the proposal would not cause a significant effect on the broader landscape character type or adjacent landscape character types. I agree that the landscape character effects would be significant within 3km of the site.

4.12 The scheme would introduce an additional 7 turbines into the landscape and would be seen in conjunction with the existing 11 turbines of Winscales I and II, and two lines of pylons that form a prominent feature in the area. In my opinion, the proposal would result in an extension of the existing development at Winscales and would form one large prominent feature in the local landscape. I consider that this would cause unacceptable harm to the landscape character due to the overall scale of the combined developments.

4.13 The applicant considers that this proposal, in combination with the existing development of Winscales I and II, should be considered exceptional on planning grounds, rather than landscape grounds, when interpreting the Draft Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document and its associated landscape capacity assessment.

Visual Effects

4.14 The applicant concludes that the proposal could be most widely seen from properties, settlements, roads, footpaths and bridleways within 3km of the site. Views would be possible from a range of locations within Workington, including the river estuary, the Howe and residential properties on the edges of the town. It would also be visible from the edges of , Seaton, Stainburn and Camerton. However, the local topography, buildings and trees are likely to screen the proposal in places restricting the number of properties that will experience views. There are several individual residential properties within 0.6 – 1.1km of the site. Although a significant change in view will be experienced from these properties, the proposal is likely to be partially obscured by the trees associated with the site. Other significant views will be seen by motorists travelling along the A66 and A595, along the footpaths closest to the site, national cycle routes and minor roads within 3km of the site. From these areas the proposal will often be seen in conjunction with the operational Winscales development.

4.15 The applicant identifies that the proposal would be visible from the Lake District National Park. However, the visual impacts are not considered to be significant due to the expansive views across the landscape and the distance from the park’s boundary (8.8km at its nearest point). I generally agree with this.

4.16 The applicant has assessed the visual effects of the proposal from several viewpoints and from a process of computer modelling. The applicant concludes that the proposal would be visually prominent from several locations, often seen as one development with the operational Winscales development. The applicant considers that although there are significant visual effects in some locations within 3km of the site, these are not unacceptable as the viewpoints already experience wind turbines through the operational Winscales development. I do not agree with this.

4.17 In my opinion, the scheme will be visible from a range of areas within 3-5km of the site. Although many of these views are already characterised by existing turbines the scale and extent of the turbines seen from these views will increase. The proposal will significantly alter such views.

Cumulative Landscape and Visual Effects

4.18 The applicant considered both the cumulative landscape and visual effects of the proposal in relation to operational and proposed wind energy schemes at:

Distance No. of turbines Height of turbines Winscales 0.5km 11 63m Voridian 4km 2 108m Oldside 4km 9 61m Siddick 4.5km 7 71m Lowca 6.5km 7 81m Fairfield Farm, Pica 7km 5 81m Wharrels Hill 16km 8 77m

Cumulative landscape effects

4.19 The applicant concludes that cumulative landscape effects would be significant for a limited number of residents living on the outskirts of Workington and surrounding villages within 5km of the site and users of the A595 and A596. The greatest effect arises when the proposal is seen in conjunction with the existing turbines at Winscales and the operational schemes of Voridian, Oldside and Siddick located on the coastal plain in the northern part of Workington. However, the applicant also concludes that the majority of settlements will not experience significant cumulative effects due to intervening topography, planting and increasing distance from the developments. However, I consider that from certain areas, such as the Howe and Dean Moor this proposal, along with the operational schemes around Workington, will cause unacceptable cumulative effects on the landscape character due to its scale and proximity with Winscales.

Cumulative visual effects

4.20 The applicant concludes that cumulative visual effects will mainly be moderate from a range of viewpoints including the A596, Seaton, and The Howe, Workington. Several operational wind energy schemes can already be seen from some of these areas, and this factor, along with the overall number of schemes that could be seen at any one time and the distance between the proposal, other schemes and the viewpoints act to minimise the overall cumulative visual effect.

4.21 The proposal would also be seen in conjunction with the above schemes from a range of locations within 5 – 20km from the site, including Great Broughton and open access land at Dean Moor, and the Lake District National Park. However the cumulative effects would be further reduced due to the distances involved. I agree with these findings.

4.22 I consider that any significant cumulative effects, as identified above, are localised in nature. However, the proposal would result in unacceptable views due to its relationship with the operational Winscales development and other schemes around Workington.

Highways

4.23 Cumbria Highways requires conditions to be attached to any consent to ensure work to the highway, visibility splays and access is carried out to the satisfaction of the planning and highway authority and to ensure any damage to the approach roads is repaired at the cost of the applicant.

Other Issues

4.24 There appear to be no significant effects likely with regard to ecology, archaeology and noise. Further investigations are ongoing to determine any adverse effects and mitigation needed for air traffic safety and telecommunications links.

4.25 The applicant considers the proposal would provide the opportunity for socio- economic benefits as local contractors would have the opportunity to bid for the construction, operation and maintenance of the proposal. This could result in contracts worth around £2million.

4.26 The proposal would provide a range of environmental benefits, including improvements to air quality and a reduction in CO 2 emissions nationally, and generate at least 24 times the energy used in their manufacture and installation. In addition it proposes to enhance and extend the native hedgerows found within the site.

4.27 The applicant considers the issue of tourism citing there is no evidence to suggest that wind energy schemes are detrimental to tourism.

4.28 The applicant proposes to work with the local community to set up a community benefit scheme and acknowledges that setting up such a scheme is not a material planning consideration.

Energy contribution

4.29 There is an imperative in national policy to use renewable energy sources to help offset green house gas emissions and the increasing reliance on imported energy supplies. The Government set itself a domestic target for reducing CO 2 emissions in the Energy White Paper ‘Our energy future - creating a low carbon economy’ 2002. It aims to reduce emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 and to obtain 10% of the UK’s electricity supply from renewable sources by 2010. This has recently been extended to 15% by 2015, with an aspiration by 2020 to double the renewable share of electricity to 20%. This continues to be promoted by the recent Energy Review and the need to move to a low carbon economy has been reinforced by the recent findings of the Government’s Stern Report on the economics of climate change.

4.30 National and regional planning policies support the development of renewable energy projects. PPS22 – Renewable Energy contains strong national guidance on the need for local authorities to support renewable energy proposals that do not cause significant harm to the local environment. The emerging Regional Spatial Strategy contains a target for onshore wind development in Cumbria of an additional 15 – 21 onshore wind schemes (generating 247 MW) by 2015. However, these targets have been subject to an Examination in Public and may change.

4.31 We currently have 12 operational schemes, 2 under construction and 1 with consent. Together these will have an installed capacity of around 71MW, producing enough electricity to meet the needs of over 40,000 households.

4.32 The importance of supporting renewable energy proposals is reflected in Policy R44 of the JSP. A study undertaken to assist in the development of Structure Plan policy identified the potential for further grid connected on shore wind energy development in Cumbria in the region of 261 – 416 MW.

4.33 This proposal would contribute 9.1MW towards the target, and produce sufficient electricity to meet the demands of over 4,000 households.

5 CONCLUSION

5.1 National and regional planning policy is promoting targets for renewable energy and looking for local authorities to support proposals for renewable energy developments which do not have unacceptable impacts.

5.2 Policy R44 of the Joint Structure Plan relates to renewable energy schemes outside national landscape designations and supports favourable consideration if there are no significant adverse effects on the landscape and a range of other issues. The proposal does not accord with the findings of the landscape capacity assessment contained within the Draft Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Guidance as it would, essentially, result in the extension of the operational development at Winscales. The proposal, in conjunction with Winscales, would result in 18 turbines being sited together in a landscape type with an indicative capacity to accommodate up to 9 turbines. It will be viewed as a single scheme with Winscales from a range of locations, particularly to the north and south of the site, Workington and from the coast. The proposal will also be seen in conjunction with several other wind schemes in the Workington resulting in unacceptable cumulative effects.

5.3 I consider that this proposal does not accord with Policy R44, due to its effects on the landscape character and visual amenity, and Policy E37, as it is not compatible with the landscape capacity of the area. An objection should be raised on these grounds.

Shaun Gorman Head of Environment

Contact

Jenny Wain, Kendal, tel. 01539 773427

Background Papers

Planning Application File Reference No. 2/06/1321

Electoral Division Identification

A Caine, Harrington, Clifton and Stainburn