EEC/08/54/HQ Development Control Committee 12 March 2008 Report of Committee Site Visit Planning and Highway Consultation Mid Devon District and North Devon District: (a) Proposed Installation of 9 Wind Turbine Generators (105m Tip Height) with Transformer Enclosures, Substation Building, Anemometer, Access Tracks and Ancillary Equipment, Land at Pauls Moor, Wester Bullaford and West Moor North of Knowstone, South Molton; and (b) Proposed Installation of 4 Wind Turbine Generators (110m Tip Height) with Associated Crane Pads, Access Tracks, Anemometer Mast, Electrical Control Building and Associated Infrastructure, Land at Bickham Moor, Oakford Application Nos: 45489 and 07/02262/MFUL Date Consultation received by County Council : 12 November 2007 and 5 December 2007 Report of the Director of Environment, Economy and Culture Please note that the following recommendation is subject to consideration and determination by the Committee before taking effect. Recommendation: It is recommended that Members note the contents of this Report in their consideration of their consultation responses to these planning applications, and also have regard to the recommendations in Reports EEC/08/14/HQ and EEC/08/15/HQ [Appendix I and II to this Report]. 1. Summary 1.1 This Report relates to a site visit and meeting undertaken by the Members of the Development Control Committee in connection with the proposals for the construction of two separate wind turbine developments in Mid Devon and North Devon Districts. 2. Background 2.1 Members considered reports EEC/08/14/HQ and EEC/08/15/HQ at the meeting on 23 January 2008 [attached as Appendices I and II to this Report] and resolved [Minutes *208(a) and *208(b)]: “that consideration of the application be deferred for a site visit by the full Committee on 20 February 2008.” 2.2 A Site Visit was duly carried out on Wednesday 20 February 2008 and was attended by Members of the Development Control Committee [Councillors David Cox (Chairman), Derek Button (Vice Chair), Rodney Cann, Andrea Davis, John Clatworthy, Hugo Barton, Ray Radford, Frederick Tucker, James McInnes]; and Officers representing the Director of Environment, Economy and Culture. 2.3 In addition, a Site Meeting was held in the afternoon at Knowstone Parish Hall and was attended by Jeremy Yabsley (the Local Member), Representatives of Knowstone and Rackenford Parish Councils, North Devon CPRE, the Two Moors Campaign, the Exmoor Society and individual members of the community. 3. The Site Visit 3.1 Members travelled from Knowstone Village Hall to both application sites and took a circuitous route to view the sites from different vantage points, both close to and distant. Members were also shown the proposed access routes to each site. A route map (provided to all Members) is attached as Appendix III to this Report and on display at Committee. 3.2 At a number of the viewing points the applicant's photomontages were provided of the view, both with and without the turbines super-imposed in order to give a visual impression of the developments for Members to make an assessment of their visual impact individually and cumulatively. The photographs were extracted from the Environmental Statement that accompanied the planning applications and provided panoramic views created by merging a number of photographs. The Review of the photomontage visualisations submitted by the applicant, and prepared by Architech (on behalf of the Devon Branch of the CPRE, The Two Moors Campaign, and the Exmoor Society), was also referred to at the site visit. The single frame photographs contained in the Review were made available to Members as a comparison at the relevant viewpoints. At each viewing point the application site was pointed out to Members together, with an explanation of the application proposals and how both sets of photographs related to the landscape at that point. 4. The Meeting 4.1 The Chairman welcomed the attendees at Knowstone Village Hall, and explained the purpose of the visit which was to assist Members in coming to a view on the recommendations on the two planning applications to Mid Devon and North Devon District Councils, as the determining authorities. The Chairman stressed that the Development Control Committee would only consider these applications as Strategic Planning and Highway Authority. He said that no decision would be taken by his Members today, but that final consultation responses to the District Councils would be agreed at the next meeting of the Committee on 12 March. 4.2 Members and Officers then introduced themselves to the meeting. 4.3 Stewart Redding explained the route that had been taken during the site visit in the morning, and advised that there were no updates to give on the Reports that were taken to Development Control Committee on 23 January 2008. The Chairman explained that Councillor Jeremy Yabsley was present as the Local Member (for South Molton Rural) and that he had asked to sum up his views at the end of the meeting. Councillor Yabsley stated also that he had taken legal advice regarding his position at this meeting and had been advised that although he has a personal interest, he was able to speak as the Local Member. Ms Judith Reilly (Knowstone Parish Council) - commented that her Council unanimously recommended refusal of both planning applications. Ms Reilly asserted that the landscape impact of all three proposals was major and would have a substantial impact on Exmoor National Park. The visual impact for local residents was also raised as a concern, as well as the impact on local businesses. Furthermore, it is feared by the Parish Council that tourism trade from visitors to the National Park would be negatively affected by the visual impact of the turbines. Ms Reilly also voiced the Parish Council’s concerns regarding cabling to connect the turbines to the grid as this did not form part of the planning application. The Parish Council also has concerns regarding noise - although the Environmental Statement (ES) states that noise levels would be within guidelines, the Parish Council pointed out that it is unable to interpret these levels into ‘real life volumes’. She said that the developments are considered incongruous in view of the Conservation Area status of much of the village and the listed buildings within it. Ms Reilly asked that the Members consider the highways impact of the development, and the impact during the 9-12 months construction period, as well as concerns regarding quality of life and health issues from ‘shadow flicker’. Rackenford Parish Council (Sarah Child) asked the Members to consider the cumulative effect of the planning applications which she felt would result in a complete transformation of the area. She said that farm diversification has generally resulted in walkers and riders having access to land and the Parish Council was concerned that these activities would be less attractive to visitors with the turbines nearby (which are considered to introduce an industrial element to the landscape). The Parish Council complained that insufficient consultation had been carried out by the applicant prior to the planning application being submitted, despite claims to the contrary in the application documents. The Parish Council also asked if the turbines would be lit, as this detail was not included in the application. Officers agreed to provide this information to the Development Control Committee meeting on 12 March. The Members were also reminded of Policy ST1 (Sustainable Development) in the Devon Structure Plan. Bob Barfoot (North Devon Campaign to Protect Rural England - and resident of East Knowstone) raised concerns over the visual impact of the Bickham Moor application as represented in the EIA visual amenity study. Mr Barfoot advised that the photomontages were not in line with best practice guidance. Mr Barfoot also claimed that the 2010 target for energy from renewable sources from renewables could still be met without these applications. Caroline Harvey (The Two Moors Campaign) Expressed support for the County Council's recommendation in respect of the Three Moors application. However, concern was expressed in respect of Bickham Moor regarding impact on the setting and natural qualities of Exmoor National Park. She said that the County Council was being inconsistent and made particular reference to the ridge setting as this was the prime focus in an appeal for a nearby site. Caroline Harvey (Exmoor Society) Expressed concern that the public’s enjoyment of Exmoor National Park would be negatively impacted by the proposed development which would detract from its sense of remoteness, wildness and wide open space. She commented that the eye would no longer be able to wander freely over open landscape if the turbines were constructed. Richard Del (Resident of Knowstone) - spoke as a resident who lives close to the Bickham Moor site. He pointed out the location proposed is outside the Structure Plan Area of Search, and expressed concern over the cavalier approach that seemed to have been taken toward the EIA making the ES inadequate. For example, the noise measurements were taken during a three week period in the summer. During this time it was unseasonably wet which means that in his view the measurements should be discounted according to guidelines. This three week period is also not fully representative of ambient rural noise levels throughout the year, and furthermore measurements were not taken at properties closest to the proposed sites. He also stated that the anemometer was installed for less than the recommended period of a year, all of which combines to give the impression that the application is based on insufficient information. In addition, the application does not recognise that there are properties within 6 motor-blade distances of the site, when the guidance regarding shadow-flicker, is that residential properties should not be within 10 motor-blade distances.