Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
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DONCASTER METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE - 22nd February 2011 Application 1 Application 10/00442/CON Application Number: Expiry Date: Application Consultation Type: Proposal Construction of a gas-fired Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) Description: electricity generating station following demolition of former cooling towers At: Thorpe Marsh Power Station Marsh Lane Barnby Dun Doncaster For: Sinclair Knight Merz Third Party Reps: 82 Parish: Barnby Dun /Kirk Sandall Parish Council Ward: Edenthorpe, Kirk Sandall And Barnby Dun Author of Report Roy Sykes MAIN RECOMMENDATION: SUPPORT – subject to legal agreement 1.0 Reason for Report 1.1 The issues raised require the Planning Committee’s consideration. 2.0 Proposal and Background 2.1 This proposal seeks consent for a 1500 Mega Watt (MW) combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) electricity generating station on approximately 10 hectares of the former coal-fired power station at Thorpe Marsh. As the generating capacity exceeds 50MW, it falls to the Secretary of State for the Department Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to determine this application under the provisions of Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and deemed planning permission under Section 90 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Doncaster MBC, as the local planning authority, is only a consultee on this application and as such cannot grant or refuse planning permission. Doncaster MBC can, however, recommend conditions as well as negotiate any legal agreements with the applicant considered necessary to secure matters that cannot be dealt with by conditions. Ultimately it is for the Council to resolve to either support or object to the proposal and it is for DECC to either grant or refuse consent. Should the Council object a public inquiry will be required. 2.2 The proposal is EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) development and therefore an Environmental Statement (ES) has been submitted which has considered air quality, landscape and visual impact, noise, cultural heritage, ecology, flood risk, geology, traffic and transportation and socio-economics. In addition to the ES, the application has also been accompanied by: a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Assessment; Carbon Capture Readiness Feasibility Study; a Design and Access Statement and a Planning Statement. 2.3 Since the application was initially submitted a revised ES has been produced which principally amended the area set aside for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and amended the cooling system for the CCGT. In addition to this a number of concerns raised by both DMBC and local residents in relation to traffic and transportation, noise and landscape and visual impact were also addressed in this revision. This has required additional publicity to be carried out - see below. 2.4 It should be noted that the ES addresses the main plant area only as the CCS land will not be developed at the same time as the Power Station. The development of the CCS land will be subject to a separate planning application and EIA at an appropriate future time. 2.5 The former power station land is currently owned by Able UK Ltd (Able UK) and an option to lease the site has been entered into between Thorpe Marsh Power Limited (TMPL) and Able UK. Should a satisfactory planning consent be achieved, Able UK will undertake to demolish the existing cooling towers and level the land prior to hand over of the site for development. 2.6 In a CCGT plant, fuel is burned in the combustion chamber of the gas turbines from where hot gases expand through the turbines to drive the generators and produce electricity. The hot exhaust gases are then used in the heat recovery steam generators to generate steam, which in turn is also used to generate electricity in steam turbines. 2.7 It is expected that electricity will be exported via the substation to the south of the site and the existing 400 kV overhead transmission network beyond. The entire plant will be capable of generating up to 1500 MW, with an efficiency of around 60%. 2.8 The plant will only burn natural gas, which is an inherently clean fuel. Natural gas will not be stored on site but will be brought to the site by a new gas pipeline linking into the National Transmission System (NTS) by one of two potential routes to the north of the site. The final routing and consenting of the pipeline will be the subject of a separate planning application and Environmental Statement. 2.9 The main CCGT plant will comprise a combination of gas turbines, heat recovery steam generators and steam turbines, with three main units each with an electrical output of around 425 MW. In addition, there will be an Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) of approximately 100MW for use at times of peak electricity demand. The proposed plant would have an operational life of between 25 to 40 years, which is dependent on its economic viability with regards to fuel costs, plant life and environmental requirements. 2.10 The final detailed design of the proposed CCGT plant would not be completed until a construction contract is in place. The details submitted are therefore effectively illustrative, indicating the maximum extent and height of the physical development of the proposal. 2.11 Of the total site area, around 5.5 hectares is to be used for the construction of the CCGT plant. The remainder would be used for landscaping purposes and a constructors’ lay down area, which would be held for the future use for CCS. 2.12 The main plant to be situated on the application site would include: 3 x gas turbines 1 x gas conditioning building 3 x heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) 3 x stacks 3 x transformers 3 x air cooled condenser units (ACC) Administration building Water treatment plant Workshop and store 3 x water storage tanks 1 x Open cycle gas turbine hall (OCGT) 1 x auxiliary boiler Car parking 2.13 In addition to the above it is proposed to incorporate both landscaping and biodiversity provision. 2.14 The approximate layout and dimensions for the CCGT power station structures are shown in the table shown in Appendix 1 - Figures 5 and 6. 2.15 The ground height of the proposed power station will be around 7.5 metres AOD, but this will be increased to 9 metres AOD for sensitive equipment as well as to provide a safe refuge for site staff as part of the proposed flood risk mitigation. 2.16 Construction of the proposed power station is expected to take approximately 27 months. The construction workforce will peak at approximately 600 personnel. However, the average numbers are expected to be in the order of around 400. The target date for full operation, subject to DECC approval, is 2017. 2.17 The application site is bounded to the north by relic railway sidings and other derelict former power station infrastructure, immediately beyond which is an operational freight railway line. It is proposed to reinstate these sidings for delivery of construction materials to the site and in so doing removing a large fraction of HGV’s from the local road network. Rural fields and the hamlet of Thorpe-In-Balne lay further to the north. 2.18 To the south lies derelict former power station land, beyond which are two operational high voltage National Grid substations. Approximately 300m south and south west of the site beyond the substation are a number of settlement ponds associated with the former power station. Further to the south lie the River Don and the village of Kirk Sandall (approximately 1.8 km). 2.19 To the east is Thorpe Bank, beyond which lies the River Don and the village of Barnby Dun. 2.20 To the west is a disused roadway associated with the former power station, beyond which lies undeveloped wasteland comprising low level scrub (the former ash tip associated with the former power station), with Thorpe Marsh Drain and further to the west the Thorpe Marsh Nature Reserve. 2.21 The application site area comprises mainly the remnants of the original infrastructure of the former coal-fired power station. The former power plant has been demolished, but the cooling towers remain but are to be demolished prior to the construction of the CCGT power station. 2.22 The closest residential property is White House farm, located approximately 400m to the east in Barnby Dun, followed by Sickle Croft Farm, approximately 500m west of the site. The villages of Thorpe In Balne and Kirk Sandall are located further to the north and southeast, respectively. 3.0 Relevant Planning History 3.1 99/0345/P - Change of use of disused power station to car storage and distribution facility. Refused on 20th May 1999 due to the fact that the highway network is totally unsuitable for the size of vehicles to be used on the proposed development. The site is also too far away from trunk roads, `B' roads and the motorway for its intended use. The decision was subsequently appealed and accordingly dismissed. 4.0 Representations 4.1 Circular 14/90 ‘Electricity Generating Stations and Overhead Lines’ states that it is the applicant’s responsibility to formally advertise the application. 4.2 The applicant has confirmed that they have posted 20 site notices in the settlements of Arksey, Kirk Sandall, Barnby Dun, Thrope-in-Balne, Braithwaite, Kirk Bramwith and South Bramwith, as well as at the site entrance itself. In addition, notices have been placed on two separate occasions (i.e. following the initial submission and again following the amendment to the ES) in the following newspapers: The London Gazette (7th April 2010) The Times (7th April 2010) The Yorkshire Post (7th April & 14th April) The Doncaster Star (7th April & 14th April) The Doncaster Free Press (8th April & 15th April) The Thorne and District Gazette (8th April & 15th April) The London Gazette (23rd Sept 2010) The Yorkshire Post (23rd Sept & 30 Sept 2010) The Doncaster Star (23rd Sept & 30 Sept 2010) The Doncaster Free Press (23rd Sept & 30 Sept 2010) The Thorne and District Gazette (23rd Sept & 30 Sept 2010) The Doncaster Advertiser (24th Sept & 1st Oct 2010) 4.3 In addition to the above publicity requirements there have been a number of public meetings held in both Arksey and Barnby Dun.