(VIP) Peak District (East) Project Planning Statement
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Visual Impact Provision Peak District (East) Project, Planning Statement Visual Impact Provision (VIP) Peak District (East) Project Planning Statement National Grid National Grid House Warwick Technology Park Gallows Hill Warwick CV6 3DA July 2019 1 Visual Impact Provision Peak District (East) Project, Planning Statement Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Background and Context ......................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Environmental Impact Assessment .......................................................................................... 4 1.3 Schedule of Supporting Documents and Drawings .................................................................. 5 1.4 Structure of the Statement ....................................................................................................... 6 2 PROJECT NEED .................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 The VIP Project ....................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 The Peak District (East Project ................................................................................................ 8 3 LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ........................... 10 3.1 The Existing Site ................................................................................................................... 10 3.2 Development Proposals ........................................................................................................ 10 4 POLICY CONTEXT ............................................................................................................... 13 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 National Grid’s Environmental Sustainability Policy ............................................................... 13 4.3 National Grid’s Environmental Guidance ............................................................................... 13 4.4 National Grid’s Stakeholder, Community and Amenity Policy ................................................ 13 4.5 The Holford and Horlock Rules .............................................................................................. 13 4.6 Approach to Options Appraisal .............................................................................................. 15 4.7 Planning Policy ...................................................................................................................... 15 4.8 National Planning Policy Framework (2019) .......................................................................... 16 4.9 National Planning Practice Guidance .................................................................................... 18 4.10 Barnsley Local Plan (2019) ................................................................................................... 19 4.11 Barnsley Trees and Hedgerows SPG (2012) ......................................................................... 19 4.12 Barnsley Walls and Fences SPG18 (2003) ............................................................................ 20 4.13 Peak District National Park Authority Local Development Framework Core Strategy Development Plan Document (2011) ................................................................................................ 20 4.14 Peak District National Park Authority Development Management Policies: Part 2 of the Local Plan (2019) ....................................................................................................................................... 20 4.15 Emerging Policy .................................................................................................................... 21 5 PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS........................................................................................... 22 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 22 5.2 Principle of Development ....................................................................................................... 22 5.3 Design and Sustainability ...................................................................................................... 24 5.4 Flood Risk and Climate Change ............................................................................................ 24 5.5 Nature Conservation ............................................................................................................. 25 5.6 Landscape and Visual Character ........................................................................................... 26 5.7 Ground Conditions ................................................................................................................ 26 5.8 Pollution Control and Protection ............................................................................................ 26 5.9 Historic Environment ............................................................................................................. 27 5.10 Highways and Accessibility ................................................................................................... 28 6 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 29 APPENDICES APPENDIX A NATIONAL GRID ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY POLICY APPENDIX B PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT 2 Visual Impact Provision Peak District (East) Project, Planning Statement 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background and Context 1.1.1 This planning statement has been prepared on behalf of National Grid. It supports a full planning application that has been made to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Peak District National Park Authority for the following development: • Construction of a new sealing end compound, including permanent access; • Construction of a temporary haul road from Brook Hill Lane including widened bellmouth; • Construction of a temporary Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) diversion to be used for approximately 12-18 months; following construction approximately 410m of said diversion surface would be retained permanently; and • Erection of two bridges (one temporary and one permanent) along the TPT diversion 1.1.2 This application forms part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project which represents a major opportunity to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and environmental heritage within Great Britain’s most protected landscapes. The VIP project will make use of a £500m allocation by Ofgem to carry out work to help reduce the impact of existing transmission lines in English and Welsh Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and National Parks. 1.1.3 Following the results of a landscape and visual impact assessment undertaken in 2014, covering 571km of overhead line (overhead line) within the scope of the VIP, twelve transmission lines in eight AONBs and National Parks were identified as having the most significant visual impact. In September 2015, the VIP’s Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) considered a wide range of factors and recommended four projects to be taken forward for potential engineering work, one of which falls partly within the Peak District National Park, referred to as the Peak District (East) Project. 1.1.4 National Grid is proposing to underground a 2km section of existing 400kV overhead line that runs from the eastern entrance of the Woodhead Tunnel in Dunford Bridge, to Wogden Foot on the boundary of the Peak District National Park. The project is referred to as the Peak District (East) Project (hereon referred to as the Proposed Project) and forms part of the wider VIP Project. 1.1.5 The Proposed Project is discussed in detail within Chapter 2 of the Environmental Assessment Report but briefly comprises: • Removal of the existing Sealing End Compound (SEC) at Dunford Bridge, eight pylons and 2km of 400kV overhead line; • An underground XLPE cable of approximately 1.8km along the Trans Pennine Trail from the entrance of the Woodhead Tunnel to the proposed new SEC; • Construction of a new SEC and replacement tension pylon including a permanent access off the Trans Pennine Trail; • Temporary laydown areas and access tracks to facilitate construction activities; and • Construction and removal of a temporary Trans Pennine Trail diversion for use during the construction phase of the Proposed Project (the diversion will include construction of a permanent Bridge 1 and a temporary Bridge 2). 1.1.6 While National Grid is seeking to secure full planning permission for those elements described in paragraph 1.1.1, all other works related to the Proposed Project constitute ‘Permitted Development’ under Schedule 2, of the Town and Country (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (the GPDO), subject to the conditions in the order, are 3 Visual Impact Provision Peak District (East) Project, Planning Statement covered by an exemption under the Electricity Act or are considered not development as shown on the Consents overview drawing (Planning Drawing PKD_660952_001) . 1.1.7 The Electricity Act 1989 sets out that, with certain exceptions, consent must be obtained for installing and maintaining any electric