Supplementary Environmental Information Volume 1: Written Text November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text
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Energiekontor UK Ltd Supplementary Environmental Information Volume 1: Written Text November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text Former RAF Fulbeck Airfield, Stragglethorpe Lane, Fulbeck, Lincolnshire Regulation 22 Supplementary Environmental Information November 2016 Page 1 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text www.energiekontor.co.uk Page 2 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A planning application has been submitted to South Kesteven District Council and North Kesteven District Council by Energiekontor UK Ltd. The application seeks consent under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 for the construction, operation and decommissioning of the Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm, a proposal for up to 10 wind turbine generators and associated infrastructure at Fulbeck Airfield. The application was accompanied by an Environmental Statement. This Supplementary Environmental Information report has been prepared to support additional assessment work that is being submitted under Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 for the proposed Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm. The additional assessment work relates to cultural heritage, noise, landscape and transport. This report summarises the content of the additional assessment work and identifies any changes in effects from the original EIA as a result of the additional information submitted. Page 3 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 5 2 SEI SCOPE 7 3 CULTURAL HERITAGE 8 4 NOISE 31 5 LANDSCAPE 33 6 TRANSPORT 36 Figures Included in separate volume Appendices Appendix 6.1 – Location of trees subject to Tree Preservation Orders in Stragglethorpe Appendix 6.2 – Photographs of trees on Stragglethorpe Lane Page 4 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text 1 INTRODUCTION Supplementary Environmental Information 1.1 This report has been produced for the purpose of providing additional environmental information for the proposed Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm, consisting of up to ten wind turbines and associated infrastructure (“the Proposed Development”), located within the local authority areas of South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) and North Kesteven District Council (NKDC). 1.2 Energiekontor UK Ltd (“the Applicant”) submitted a planning application for the proposed Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm on 17 June 2015. The planning application was accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES) as required under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (“the EIA Regulations”). 1.3 This Supplementary Environmental Information (SEI) has been prepared in relation to issues identified by SKDC and NKDC arising from their evaluation of the Fulbeck Airfield planning application. The SEI seeks to present the most up-to-date environmental information on the proposed development, and incorporates any updated legislation, guidance or changes in circumstances since the application was submitted. No design amendments to the Proposed Development, as set out in the planning application, have been made. 1.4 This SEI should be read in conjunction with the ES and identifies those parts of the ES that have been updated, supplemented or amended. All other parts of the ES not discussed in this SEI remain current and relevant. All methodology and terminology used in the SEI reflect that used in the ES. 1.5 This SEI is submitted under the EIA Regulations and should be advertised and made available for consultation under the terms of Regulation 22 of the EIA Regulations. Structure of the SEI 1.6 This SEI is structured as follows: Section 2 identifies the scope of the SEI based on the issues raised by SKDC, NKDC and consultees; Section 3 (cultural heritage) summarises the key findings of the supplementary cultural heritage assessments undertaken; Page 5 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text Section 4 (noise) provides responses to noise issues that have been raised by the councils; Section 5 (landscape) provides details of additional landscape and visual assessment work that has been undertaken; and Section 6 (transport) provides details of additional transport assessment work that has been undertaken. The Applicant – Energiekontor UK Ltd 1.7 Energiekontor UK Ltd is a wind energy development company with offices in Leeds and Glasgow. The company was formed in 1999 and develops onshore wind farms throughout the United Kingdom. The company has built seven wind farms in the UK with many more in the development process. 1.8 Energiekontor UK Ltd is part of the Energiekontor Group. The parent company, Energiekontor AG, was established in 1999 in Bremerhaven in Northern Germany. It has since grown to become one of the leading wind energy companies in Europe, having built more than 100 wind farms across the continent. Contact for Further Information 1.9 A hard copy of this SEI will be available for viewing during normal office hours at both SKDC and NKDC. SKDC’s offices are Council Offices, St Peter’s Hill, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6PZ. NKDC’s offices are District Council Offices, Kesteven Street, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 7EF. 1.10 For additional copies, a charge of £10 will be made for a full electronic copy of this SEI on CD. Costs for paper copies are as follows: Written text - £10 Figures - £100 Page 6 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text 2 SEI SCOPE Introduction 2.1 The scope of this SEI responds to a number of issues raised by SKDC, NKDC and consultees in relation to cultural heritage and noise. The information relating to these topic areas has been collated into one comprehensive report with all the issues being addressed in this document. Key Issues 2.2 The key issues which form the scope of this SEI are as follows: Cultural heritage – Additional assessment work has been requested relating to a number of listed buildings and Conservation Areas. Illustrative material, including photowires and Ventus images, has been prepared to accompany this section. Noise – Issues raised include providing a justification for the choice of noise monitoring locations assessed, together with information on the appropriate level at which noise limits should be set. Landscape – Additional landscape and visual assessment of the Viking Way has been requested, focussing on the section of the footpath between Coleby and Wellingore. Transport – Issues raised include a request to provide a cumulative assessment of the wind farm together with a proposed straw storage facility on Fulbeck Airfield, together with information on the potential for works to be carried out to protected trees within Stragglethorpe. Page 7 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text 3 CULTURAL HERITAGE Introduction 3.1 Following submission of the planning application and supporting Environmental Statement (ES) for Former RAF Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm (LPA reference: S15/1764/EUAFP), North Kesteven District Council, South Kesteven District Council and Historic England requested further information relating to a number of designated heritage assets. In summary, the further information requested was some additional assessment of the potential effects supported by photomontages/photowires and/or Ventus images for the following heritage assets: I. Westborough, All Saints Church – Ventus photowire has been prepared from Marshall Way to the south of Westborough. II. Long Bennington, St Swithun’s Church – Ventus photowire for All Saints Church, Westborough to be used to provide additional assessment of this church. III. Dry Doddington, St James’s Church – Ventus photowire image has been produced. IV. Claypole, St Peter’s Church – Ventus photowire image has been produced. V. Stubton, Stubton Hall – a photowire/montage has been produced from within the grounds of the Hall. VI. Stubton, St Martin’s Church – Ventus photowire image has been produced. VII. Fenton, All Saints Church – a photowire/montage has been produced from within the church grounds. VIII. Brandon, Brandon Old Hall – Ventus photowire image has been produced. IX. Brandon, Brandon Chapel – Ventus photowire image has been produced. X. Stragglethorpe, Stragglethorpe Hall – A photowire/montage was planned to be prepared from within the southern grounds of the Hall but access was denied by the owner. A Ventus photowire image has been produced from land to the south/south west of the hall. A computer-generated image from within the grounds of the Hall based on digital surface model information has also been produced with the agreement of SKDC. XI. Stragglethorpe, Stragglethorpe Church – Ventus photowire image has been produced. Page 8 Energiekontor UK Ltd | November 2016 Fulbeck Airfield Wind Farm Supplementary Environmental Information Vol 1: Written Text XII. Beckingham, All Saints Church – Ventus photowire image has been produced. XIII. Barnby in the Willows, Parish Church of All Saints – Ventus photowire image has been produced from within the