Public Document Pack Please Contact Jo Holmes/Karen Hood
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Public Document Pack Please Contact Jo Holmes/Karen Hood Extension 310/386 Date of Publication 30 May 2014 E Mail [email protected]; [email protected] PLANNING COMMITTEE Tuesday 3 June 2014 at 6.00 pm Council Chamber, Ryedale House, Malton Agenda 23 Late Observations (Pages 2 - 95) Ryedale District Council, Ryedale House, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 7HH Tel: 01653 600666 Fax: 01653 696801 www.ryedale.gov.uk working with you to make a difference Agenda Item 23 Please Contact: Mrs Karen Hood Extension 386 Email: [email protected] All Members of the Planning Committee Ref: Agendas/Planning/2014/2015 Council Solicitor Head of Planning & Housing Development Manager Managing Development Team Leader 30 May 2014 Dear Councillor Meeting of the Planning Committee - 3 June 2014 With reference to the above meeting I enclose for your attention the late observations received since despatch of the agenda. Yours sincerely Mrs Karen Hood Managing Development Team Leader Enc Page 2 ITEM NO. 7 Application No: 14/00312/MFUL Proposal: Change of use of agricultural land to form a 50 pitch touring caravan site to include erection of a single storey service building, formation of new vehicular access to the north and excavation of 300m x 90m lake (maximum dimensions) Site: Land at Westfield Farm, Westfield Lane, Normanby, Kirkbymoorside I write to confirm that we would like to withdraw planning application number 14/00312/MFUL which was due for consideration by the planning committee on 3rd June 2014. Peter Rayment (Agent) Page 3 Ms S Grange Our Ref: APP/Y2736/A/13/2201109 Eversheds LLP 70 Great Bridgewater Street Manchester 27 May 2014 M1 5ES Dear Madam TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (SECTION 79) APPEAL BY RWE NPOWER RENEWABLES LTD: LAND AT EAST HESLERTON WOLD, EAST HESLERTON, RYEDALE, NORTH YORKSHIRE APPLICATION REF: 11/00270/MFULE 1. I am directed by the Secretary of State to say that consideration has been given to the report of the Inspector, Paul Jackson B Arch (Hons) RIBA, who held a public local inquiry between 19 and 22 November into your client’s appeal against a decision of Ryedale District Council to refuse planning permission for: erection of 10 no. wind turbines with a maximum height of 126m to blade tip to include micrositing and associated infrastructure including access tracks, 1 no. sub- station and control building with transformers and grid connection infrastructure, underground cabling, turbine foundations, crane hardstandings, construction compound, 2 no. new and 2 no. upgraded site access points and 1 no. 80m high permanent meteorological mast, in accordance with application ref 11/00270/MFULE dated 18 March 2011. 2. On 11 October 2013, the appeal was recovered for the Secretary of State's determination, in pursuance of section 79 of, and paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, because the appeal relates to proposals of major significance for the delivery of the Government’s climate change programme and energy policies. Inspector’s recommendation and summary of the decision 3. The Inspector recommended that the appeal be allowed and planning permission be granted subject to conditions. For the reasons given below, the Secretary of State disagrees with the Inspector’s recommendation, dismisses the appeal and refuses planning permission. A copy of the Inspector’s report (IR) is enclosed. All references to paragraph numbers, unless otherwise stated, are to that report. Department for Communities and Local Government Tel: 0303 444 1634 Planning Casework Division, Email: [email protected] 1/H1, Eland House Bressenden Place Page 4 London SW1E 5DU Procedural matters 4. In reaching this position, the Secretary of State has taken into account the Environmental Statement (ES) and Supplementary Environmental Information (SEI) which was submitted under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (IR3). The Secretary of State considers that the ES and SEI along with Further Environmental Information submitted in September 2013 (IR4) comply with the above regulations and that sufficient information has been provided for him to assess the environmental impact of the proposals. Matters arising after the close of the inquiry 5. Following the close of the inquiry, on 18 March 2014 the Secretary of State wrote to the main parties to seek their views on the planning practice guidance which was published on 6 March 2014 and on a recent Court of Appeal judgment relating to proposals affecting the protection of heritage assets under section 66 and 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 1. 6. Responses were received from Mr P Stephens dated 20 March, from the Council dated 27 March and from yourself on behalf of the appellant dated 2 April. The Secretary of State has taken account of these responses in his consideration of the appeal before him. As the responses were copied to the main parties, he does not consider it necessary to summarise their responses here or attach them to this letter. Copies of the correspondence can be obtained upon request to the address at the bottom of the first page of this letter. Policy considerations 7. In deciding the appeal the Secretary of State has had regard to section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 which requires that proposals be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 8. In this case the development plan consists of the Ryedale Local Plan Strategy (LPS) adopted on 5 September 2013 and saved policies in the Yorkshire and Humber Plan and Ryedale Local Plan 2002 (IR13). The Secretary of State considers that the policies identified in IR15-21 are the most relevant policies to this appeal. 9. Other material considerations which the Secretary of State has taken into account are those outlined in IR22-28. The Secretary of State has also taken into account the planning practice guidance published in March 2014; the National Policy Statements (NPS) for Energy (EN-1) and Renewable Energy (EN-3); and Ministerial Written Statements on renewable energy published in June 2013 by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. 10.In accordance with section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (the LBCA), the Secretary of State has paid special regard to the desirability of preserving those listed structures potentially affected by the scheme and their settings. 1 Barnwell Manor Wind Energy Ltd v East North Hants DC, national Trust and SSCLG [2014] EWCA Civ 138, 18 Feb 2014 Page 5 Main Issues Renewable energy and other benefits 11.The Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector’s assessment of the renewable energy, economic and other benefits of the scheme at IR228-230. He agrees that there is no dispute that the proposal would make a very significant and useful contribution to renewable energy in Ryedale. He also agrees that the contribution it would make to renewable energy production and CO 2 savings attract very significant weight in favour of the proposal (IR229). Landscape and visual impact Yorkshire Wolds Area of High Landscape Value and the Vale of Pickering 12.The Secretary of State has given careful consideration to the Inspector’s assessment at IR185-190 of impacts on the Wolds Area of High Landscape Value and the Vale of Pickering. He agrees that beyond 3-3.5 km of the development the effect on the Wolds would be moderate/minor, declining with distance (IR187). However, given that the Wolds is a highly valued landscape and that the area along the farmed crest, which forms a conspicuous skyline, has high landscape sensitivity (IR185), he places significant weight on the high magnitude of landscape change leading to a moderate adverse effect within about 3.5 km of the development (IR187). 13.Though none of the turbines would be on the highest ground on the crest of the Wolds scarp, all of the turbines would be visible to varying degrees from within the Vale of Pickering, depending on distance. The Secretary of State accepts that the turbines would affect only a small part of the scarp and, in the context of the Vale as a whole, would be of only medium landscape significance (IR188). However partial views of revolving turbine blades would appear as a distracting element above the horizon from many parts of the Vale (IR188) and he places moderate weight on this impact. North Yorkshire Moors National Park 14.The National Planning Policy Framework states that great weight should be given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks. The planning practice guidance advises that renewable energy proposals in areas close to National Parks where there could be an adverse impact on the protected area will need careful consideration. 15.When viewed from parts of the South-Eastern edge of the North York Moors National Park almost all of the turbine hubs and blades would be visible above the crest of the Wolds scarp, albeit they would be sufficiently far back from the crest to avoid being seen at full height from any location in the National Park. Nevertheless they would be a distracting element on the horizon visible from areas of the National Park that extend southwards at Hutton Buscel and Thornton-le-Dale (IR191). The Secretary of State has had regard to the facts that the turbines would be at least 9 km away from the Park, the angle of view occupied by them would be small and there are no specifically identified special qualities of the National Park which comprise distant views toward the Wolds specifically (IR191-192).