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PART 2

LANDSCAPE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT

CUMBRIA WIND ENERGY SUPPLEMENTARY

PLANNING DOCUMENT

CONSULTATION DRAFT

Contents

C O N T E N T S

1. Introduction

Background 1 The Brief 1 Application and Limitations of the Study 1

2. Methodology

Approach 2 Definition of Landscape Capacity and Key Factors to Consider 4 Wind Energy Development Typology 8 Establish Baseline Character and Value 8 Assessment of Sensitivity and Value 9 Evaluation of Capacity 10 References 10

3. Landscape Capacity Assessment Sheets 11-52

FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Methodology Overview 3

TABLES

Table 1 Landscape Sensitivity Assessment Criteria 5 Table 2 Landscape Value Assessment Criteria 7 Table 3 Development Typology 8

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Key Characteristics Sensitive to Wind Energy Development 53 Appendix 2: Threshold Criteria for Landscape Importance and Rarity 56 Appendix 3: Baseline GIS Information 57

INTRODUCTION

Background

1.1 Cumbria County Council commissioned Coates Associates to an evaluation of the capacity of different types of landscape to accommodate wind energy development. The primary purpose of this study is to inform a joint Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which is to be incorporated into the District Councils’ and Lake District National Park Authority’s Local Development Framework. The study has been steered by officers from the Council’s Environment and Spatial Planning Units who in turn have reported to a working group of planning officers representing the SPD partners. The study area encompasses the whole of Cumbria outside the National Parks totalling 4,637 km². The work was carried out between October 2004 and August 2006.

The Brief

1.2 The SPD will replace previous supplementary planning guidance entitled ‘Wind Energy Development in Cumbria – A Statement of Planning Guidance’ (WESPG) published by the County Council in 1997. The new SPD is intended to assist in the interpretation and application of Development Plan policies by providing local planning authorities and developers with broad locational guidance for wind energy development in Cumbria.

1.3 The objectives of this study were to:

i. Develop a new approach to judging landscape capacity to accommodate wind energy development as a crucial element in developing strategic locational guidance on wind energy development.

ii. Develop clearly defined landscape sensitivity and value criteria as a basis for judging landscape capacity.

iii. Through application of these criteria assess and evaluate the strategic landscape capacity of Cumbria’s landscape types (as defined in the Cumbria Landscape Classification and Structure Plan Technical Paper 5) to accommodate wind energy development.

Application and Limitations of the Study

1.4 The study provides strategic guidance on the landscape factors influencing the location of wind turbines within Cumbria (outside the national parks) and is intended to set out a positive approach to guide development. It seeks to articulate the specific landscape characteristics that are sensitive to wind turbine development and from this together with an appreciation of how these are valued provide an overall understanding of capacity. The results should help guide the right type and size of development to the right location to ensure that the key characteristics of the landscape are not adversely affected. Additional work will be carried out as necessary following the landscape characterisation work of land within the Lake District National Park.

1.5 It is envisaged that it will have several applications:

• Inform planning policies and decision making in relation to