Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Study Maslen Environmental Addendum Pendle Borough Council: January 2011 Following Pendle Council’s six-week public consultation1 on the findings of the Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Study (Maslen, 2010) the following comments should be noted when reading the study: Section 2.1.1 National Policy and European Context (Page 3) The planning Inspectorate will assume the role of the Infrastructure Planning Commission, following changes introduced in the Decentralisation and Localism Bill, 2010. Section 2.1.3 Local Policy Context (Page 10) In addition to Policy 19, the emerging Rossendale Core Strategy also includes Policy 20: Wind Energy, which sets out the criteria against which wind energy proposals will be assessed. Section 4.1.2 General Constraints (Page 21) The list under ‘Cultural Sensitivies’ should include a reference to ‘Historic Parks and Gardens’. Section 4.1.3 Considering Suitable Locations (Page 22) It should be noted that national policy on heritage assets is set out in Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment (PPS5) (Communities & Local Government, March 2010). Section 4.1.3 Considering Suitable Locations – Local Designations (Page 23) Consideration should also be given to ‘non designated heritage assets’ i.e. locally important, but not nationally designated, heritage resources. In some instances satisfactory mitigation of the impact of a proposal, on an environmental or cultural designation, may not be possible. In such cases an application may be refused. Section 4.2.3 Landscape – Wind Energy (Page 31) The Lancashire County Council Landscape Character Assessment has been informed by the historic landscape assessment of Lancashire carried out by the County Archaeology Service, which commenced in January 1999. The project characterised the distinctive, historic dimension of Lancashire’s urban and rural environment and is complementary to this landscape character assessment. Section 4.3 RLC Potential – Energy derived from biomass (Page 42) The Environment Agency advise that there may also be waste licensing considerations for anaerobic digestion and biomass. Section 4.3.2.1 Potential Biodegradable Municipal Waste Streams (Page 45) The Leyland Waste Technology Park (as referred to on page 46) is now known as Farington Waste Recovery Park. 1 17th September to 1st November 2010. Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Study Maslen Environmental Section 4.3.11.2 Technology – Anaerobic Digestion (Page 56) Under ‘Siting and Location’ Constraints, there should be an additional bullet point: • Heritage assets e.g. historic farmsteads Section 4.6.7 Licensing and Consents (Open Loop systems) (Page 73) Discharge consents are now called Environmental Permits. Section 4.7.5 Landscape Sensitivity – Hydropower (Page 85) Land drainage consents are now called Flood Defence Consents. The study states that the “EA are responsible for all main rivers in England” (Page 86). This in incorrect. The responsibility for designated main rivers or ordinary watercourses lies with the riparian landowner. The EA have a right of access and permissive powers to undertake works to main rivers. In relation to works to a watercourse, under the terms of the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Land Drainage Byelaws prior written consent from EA is required for any proposed works or structures in, under, over or within 8 metres of the top of the bank of a designated main river watercourse. For ordinary watercourses consent is required for works which affect the flow of the watercourse. References (Page XIV) Lovejoy, 2005, Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development in Lancashire, available at http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/landscape/landscapewind/index.asp Maslen Environmental Salts Mill Saltaire Shipley BD18 3LF Maslen Environmental Project Manager Susan Wagstaff Revision History Revision Ref / Date Issued Amendments Issued to Initial draft interim Report, Neil Watson, Pendle BC. February 2010 Draft Final Report, April 2010 Neil Watson, Pendle BC. Draft Report May 2010 Addressed feedback comments Neil Watson, Pendle BC Final Report September 2010 Addressed feedback comments Neil Watson, Pendle BC Contract This report describes work commissioned by Pendle Borough council, Planning and Building Control, Town Hall, Market Street, Nelson, BB9 7LG, on behalf of the Partnership of: Pendle Borough Council, Rossendale Borough Council, Burnley Borough Council, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council and Kirklees Metropolitan Council, by an email dated 14-12- 2009. Pendle Borough Council’s representatives for the contract were Christine Galvin and Neil Watson. Rossendale Borough Council's representative for the contract was Adrian Smith. Burnley Borough Council's representative for the contract was David Hortin. Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council's representative for the contract was John Houston. Kirklees Metropolitan Council's representative for the contract was John Buddle. Alex Jones, Tom Hudson, David Gooch, Andy Wood, Jessica Kennedy, Stephanie Hughes and Susan Wagstaff of Maslen Environmental carried out this work. Technical review was provided by Jo Adlard of CO2 Sense. Prepared by .................................................. Alexander Jones BSc MSc Analyst Prepared by .................................................. David Gooch MA CMLI Senior Analyst Prepared by .................................................. Susan Wagstaff MA MSc C.Geol EurGeol FGS Technical Director Reviewed by ................................................. Steve Maslen BSc MPhil MLI Technical Director 2009s0647 Renewable Energy Strategyv40 i Purpose This document has been prepared as a final draft report for Pendle Borough Council on behalf of the Partnership. Maslen Environmental accepts no responsibility or liability for any use that is made of this document other than by the Client for the purposes for which it was originally commissioned and prepared. Maslen Environmental has no liability regarding the use of this report except to the Partnership Councils. 2009s0647 Renewable Energy Strategyv40 ii Acknowledgments Maslen Environmental would like to thank the representatives of the councils for assistance in obtaining data. Copyright © Jeremy Benn Associates Limited 2010 Carbon Footprint 627g A printed copy of the main text in this document will result in a carbon footprint of 627g if 100% post-consumer recycled paper is used and 798g if primary-source paper is used. These figures assume the report is printed in black and white on A4 paper and in duplex. JBA is a carbon neutral company and the carbon emissions from our activities are offset. 2009s0647 Renewable Energy Strategyv40 iii Executive Summary Maslen Environmental were commissioned to undertake a study on the capacity for renewable and low carbon energy in the Partnership councils: Burnley Borough Council, Pendle Borough Council, Rossendale Borough Council, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council and Kirklees Metropolitan Council, situated in the South Pennines. In particular it was to identify the opportunities for delivering energy from renewable and low carbon (RLC) sources, including micro and district scale technologies, in order to meet both local and site specific targets. The UK has signed up to the EU Renewable Energy Directive, which includes a UK target of 15% of energy from renewable sources by 2020. This is equivalent to a seven-fold increase in the UK renewable energy consumption from 2008 levels. Indicative percentages as to how the government envisages that the 15% target could be fulfilled are: 30% of electricity; 12% heat and 10% transport energy from renewables. This study considers the production of electricity and heat. Since the recent revocation of Regional Spatial Strategies, there are currently no standing regional and sub-regional renewable energy targets. This study has therefore developed local notional targets based on national targets. The notional electricity target is based on 30% of local electricity demand; however contributions from off-shore wind generation could reduce, on-shore local authority electricity generation targets and may lead to future South Pennine Local Authority RLC generation targets being lower than suggested by the notional targets developed in this study. The potential technologies and sources of renewable energy which are assessed through a capacity assessment are summarised in the following table. 2009s0647 Renewable Energy Strategyv40 iv Types of Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Category Sub - category Sub -category level 2 Comment Level 1 Electricity and CHP Large scale (>50 Wind MW) Biomass combustion Municipal solid waste, virgin and recycled timber, energy crops, solid recovered fuel, all biomass co-firing with coal and other wastes. Medium scale (50 Wind kW to 50 MW Biomass combustion Municipal solid waste, virgin and recycled timber, solid recovered fuel. Biomass anaerobic digestion Agricultural waste, food waste, energy crops. Hydro PV Natural Gas CHP Heat use from CHP. Micro scale (<50 Wind kW) Hydro PV Heat only Medium scale (50 Biomass combustion Municipal solid waste, virgin kW to 50 MW) and recycled timber, solid recovered fuel. Biomass anaerobic digestion Injection to gas grid or local use. Solar thermal Water or space heating. Heat pumps (heating and cooling) Ground source, air source, water source. Micro scale (<50 Biomass combustion Virgin and recycled timber. kW) Solar thermal Water or space heating Heat pumps Ground source, air source, water source. Notes. Combined