DECC REFERENCE: LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION ELECTRICITY ACT 1989 (Sections 36, 37, 62(3) & Schedule 8) TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (Section 90) and THE ELECTRICITY GENERATING STATIONS AND OVERHEAD LINES (INQUIRIES PROCEDURE (ENGLAND AND WALES) RULES 2007 APPLICATION BY SCOTTISH POWER ENERGY NETWORKS (SPEN), DATED 7th DECEMBER 2009, FOR CONSENT UNDER SECTION 37 OF THE ELECTRICITY ACT 1989 TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE A 132KV OVERHEAD ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION LINE BETWEEN BRYN DADLAU SUBSTATION AND WELSHPOOL SUBSTATION, POWYS, MID WALES (“LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION”) DECC REFERENCE: LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION BERR/2009/0005 SUMMARY PROOF OF EVIDENCE of Mr John Campion BA(Hons) BLD MSc CMLI MCIEEM On behalf of Natural Resources Wales Anthony Jellard Associates Pear Tree Cottage Grosmont Abergavenny Monmouthshire NP7 8LG Tel. 01600 750475 Fax 01600 750545 e-mail: [email protected] POWYS CONJOINED WIND FARMS PLANNING INQUIRY LANDSCAPE SUMMARY PROOF OF EVIDENCE – NATURAL RESOURCES WALES - LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION INTRODUCTION 1.1 My name is John William Campion. I am a Chartered Landscape Architect, having been qualified in both the Landscape Architecture and Landscape Management Divisions of the Landscape Institute since September 1982 and January 1989, respectively. I am also a full Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. 1.2 In my main Proof I set out my qualifications and experience and provide details of my commission which lies within the remit of Natural Resources Wales, including the involvement I have had in connection with this proposal. I set out Natural Resources Wales' purpose and functions and their support for government's energy policy and the need to minimise environmental harm. 1.3 The evidence which I have prepared and provide for this Planning Inquiry in this Proof of Evidence is true, and has been prepared and given in accordance with the guidance of my professional institution, and I confirm that the opinions expressed are my true and professional opinions. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 2.1 In Section 2 of my Proof of Evidence I describe the proposed development. POLICY CONTEXT 3.1 In Section 3 of my Proof of Evidence, deal with relevant policy matters. I confirm that my evidence does not address the matter of planning need or any alternative proposals for a grid connection route. I set out the National policies and guidance for England and Wales, and the adopted local planning policies, which are relevant to the landscape and visual amenity issues under consideration at this Inquiry, including the relevant provisions of NPS EN-1, NPS EN-5 -with specific reference to the Holford Rules in the design of electricity lines - PPW and TAN8. I comment on how the proposed 132kV Llandinam Grid Connection would relate to these various policies and guidance. THE LANDSCAPE CONTEXT OF THE APPLICATION SITE 4.1 In Section 4 of my Proof of Evidence, I describe the landscape context of the Application Site. 2 Landscape Summary Proof of Evidence (FINAL 20th Dec 2013) POWYS CONJOINED WIND FARMS PLANNING INQUIRY LANDSCAPE SUMMARY PROOF OF EVIDENCE – NATURAL RESOURCES WALES - LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION DEFINITIONS 5.1 In Section 5 of my Proof of Evidence, I begin by providing definitions of technical terms used in landscape character assessment, with particular reference to practice in Wales and the use of the LANDMAP hierarchical classification system for landscape assessment. I also refer to the term 'Historical Landscape Characterisation' where this has been used to provide additional detailed information about the local landscape character within the Vale of Montgomery Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales. LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENT 5.2 I go on to describe landscape character, included within the scope of the ELC definition, which is an important concept to enable our understanding of landscapes. Technical approaches to identifying and assessing landscape character have evolved over recent decades and in Wales the collection of information on the underlying influences that make up landscape character has been structured through a national assessment programme known as LANDMAP. I also note that Registered Historic Landscapes are based on professional academic consensus, backed by specialist Historic Landscape Characterisation. Commentary on the Landscape Character and Sensitivity Assessments by the Applicant 5.3 I then provide a commentary on the Landscape Character and Sensitivity Assessments undertaken by the Applicant. I conclude that the presence of the Vale of Montgomery Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales underlying part of the route is a very significant landscape receptor. I conclude that the landscape sensitivity analysis undertaken by the Applicant is at too coarse a level to be reliable in fully understanding the sensitivity of the landscape through which the route will pass across the Vale of Montgomery and in the lower Severn Valley between Powis Castle and Leighton. In my opinion, this has led to an understatement of the value placed upon parts of the landscape, which has then been used as part of the basis for reaching their conclusions as to the significance of the predicted landscape and visual effects. Their assessment of sensitivity is therefore unreliable. Unlike the Applicant's assessor, I consider that the Vale of Montgomery Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales should be classified for landscape and visual assessment purposes as being of high landscape sensitivity, since it is of acknowledged national importance. In 3 Landscape Summary Proof of Evidence (FINAL 20th Dec 2013) POWYS CONJOINED WIND FARMS PLANNING INQUIRY LANDSCAPE SUMMARY PROOF OF EVIDENCE – NATURAL RESOURCES WALES - LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION addition, Offa's Dyke National Trail passes through the same area of landscape as the proposed line route, within 1 km to the east. This is one of only 3 National Trails in Wales. I also conclude that the characteristics of the landscape in Section H and of the adjacent Leighton Hall estate are such that they warrant an increase in landscape sensitivity to high rather than medium-high, as ascribed by the Applicant's assessor. Therefore this increase in sensitivity leads to an increase in the significance of the effects on this area. Landscape Character Assessment based upon LANDMAP Data and Historic Landscape Characterisation 5.4 Continuing in Section 5 of my Proof of Evidence, I then examine the Landscape Character along the route for the proposed 132kV Llandinam Grid Connection and its landscape context referring to the most recent LANDMAP data for all five Aspects. I then draw the following conclusions in respect of Landscape Character Assessment. Conclusions in respect of Landscape Character Assessment 5.5 The Applicant's landscape assessor has undertaken an assessment of landscape character which is at too coarse a level to identify and describe accurately the underlying landscape character along sections F, G and H of the route for the proposed 132kV Llandinam Grid Connection. 5.6 By undertaking a more detailed assessment for Sections F, G and H, I conclude that there are high overall evaluations of the Visual & Sensory Aspect Areas within Section F (the Camlad Valley) and at the northern end of the route at Section H, where there is high evaluation both where the line would run (Severn Valley Cilcewydd to Leighton) and in an area immediately adjacent to the east (Leighton Hall Estate Parkland). LANDSCAPE CAPACITY 5.7 In the final part of Section 5 of my Proof of Evidence, I deal with the matter of assessing the capacity of the landscape to accept changes resulting from the construction and operation of the line without detriment to landscape character, using published national guidance. 5.8 I conclude that the Applicant's landscape assessor has not carried out a Landscape Capacity Study in strict accordance with current guidance. In my opinion, the landscape through which Sections F and G of the proposed 132kV Llandinam Grid 4 Landscape Summary Proof of Evidence (FINAL 20th Dec 2013) POWYS CONJOINED WIND FARMS PLANNING INQUIRY LANDSCAPE SUMMARY PROOF OF EVIDENCE – NATURAL RESOURCES WALES - LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION Connection would run across the Camlad valley between Court Calmore and the A490 near Fron has a low capacity to accept change in the form of the proposed 132kV Llandinam Grid Connection. Section H is identified by the Applicant's assessor as that part of the route which runs northwards from Cilcewydd to terminate at the operational substation adjacent to the B4381 east of Welshpool. I also conclude that this landscape has a low capacity to accept change in the form of the proposed 132kV Llandinam Grid Connection. LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED LLANDINAM GRID CONNECTION 6.1 In Section 6 of my Proof of Evidence, I draw conclusions as to the predicted landscape and visual effects of the proposed grid connection. Effects on the Vale of Montgomery Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest In Wales Landscape Effects on the Registered Landscape 6.2 From my analysis of the SEI, I conclude that the Applicant's assessor's subdivision of the route of the proposed 132kV Llandinam Grid Connection in relation to the Vale of Montgomery Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest does not appear to be based upon the identified and mapped boundaries of the underlying LANDMAP Visual & Sensory Aspect Areas (Level 3). Since the Applicant has not gone to the more detailed Level 4 Visual & Sensory LANDMAP Assessment to provide any supporting visual and sensory information, I can see no Visual & Sensory evidence basis as justification for the identified line route subdivisions in the October 2013 SEI. 6.3 There is also no correspondence between the identified Level 3 Historic Landscape Aspect Area boundaries and the Applicant's assessor's line route subdivisions. There is also no correlation between the HLCA boundaries identified by the Historic Landscape Characterisation work for the Vale of Montgomery Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest.