Planning Application: 07/02375/Eia
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PLANNING APPLICATION: 07/02375/EIA In the event that a recommendation on this planning application is overturned the Committee is reminded of the advice contained on the front page of the agenda for Reports on Applications The Proposal To construct a windfarm consisting of 13 turbines, one at 90m and the remaining twelve at 110m in height. Turbines to have a blade diameter no greater than 80m. The 90m turbine (turbine No. 8) will have a hub height of 64m and rotor diameter of 52m. One permanent wind monitoring mast (70m in height). Each turbine to be placed upon 16m x 16m reinforced concrete foundation pads, which will be backfilled with earth. A permanent area of hardstanding will also be required adjacent to each turbine location also. A 70m x 70m electricity substation compound which will a electrical switchgear, control building, workshop and welfare provision. Two temporary borrow pits to the west end of the site. Approximately 22km of access road, of which 17km is existing or upgraded forestry tracks. A temporary 50m by 50m temporary site compound and concrete batching plant will be required during construction. Export of the power from the substation will be via poles leading approximately 1.5km westward to link into the existing pylons which lie on the west side of the B9018. The Site Occupying a raised plateau of land across several flat topped summits within Aultmore Forest. The site lies between the summits identified as Old Fir Hill (260m), Hill of Clashmadin (259m) and Leomond Hill (268m). Access to the site from the B9016 to the west travels along existing and proposed forestry tracks (and proposed tracks) leading to the site. A secondary access to the site from the B9018 to the east at Balnamoon would utilise an existing forestry track (non heavy vehicles only). The site is almost entirely occupied by existing or felled forestry plantation. The site is not covered by any national or local environmental designations. The site lies within the Moray Onshore Wind Energy guidance 'Area of Search' for medium turbines (50m to 80m) but outwith the search area for larger wind turbines. Policy / Objections-Representations / Consultations - See Appendix History Planning history for this site 03/02383/S36 - Original proposal for 31 wind turbines at Aultmore stretching westward to include an area also covering the Hill of Stonyslacks. The size of the application meant it was a Section 36 application determined by the Scottish Government Energy Consents and Deployment Unit (under the Electricity Act) rather than a planning application to Moray Council. The Moray Council were therefore consultees and following consideration by Committee the Council objected to the proposal to the Scottish Government in 2004. The Section 36 application was subsequently withdrawn prior to public enquiry and a revised and reduced proposal submitted to the Moray Council in 2007. 11/001491/APP - Renew previously planning application to erect one 70m wind monitoring masts at Old Fir Hill Aultmore Forrest Deskford Buckie Moray. Temporary consent which expired on 7th December 2013. This mast has now been removed but was located on the current application in the middle of the current grouping of turbines proposed. 06/01854/FUL - Renewal of previous temporary permission for a 40m guyed, steel tubular wind monitoring mast at Millstone Hill, Aultmore, Keith. Expired and removed in 2008. To the south 10/02092/EIA - Formation of windfarm comprising of 6 wind turbines (125m in height total capacity up to 21mW) and associated infrastructure including access tracks, control building housing switchgear equipment and buried cables at Edintore, Keith. Located approx 13km south of the Aultmore, this application was approved at Appeal by the DPEA in 2012. 02/02099/EIA - Planning approval allowed on appeal for the erection 21 wind turbines (100m to tip) and 2 wind masts at Hills of Towie, Knockan and McHattie's Cairn, Drummuir on 2nd Feb 2005. These have been erected and are located 16km south west of Aultmore. 12/01388/APP - Erection of 1 no. wind turbine (48m rotor diameter) with a maximum blade tip height of 79 metres and ancillary infrastructure including crane-hardstanding, substation, temporary construction compound and new and upgraded access track at Drodland, Newmill, Keith, Moray, AB55 6UJ. This application was refused by the Council but allowed at appeal. Yet to be constructed, this turbine would lies approx 2km south west of the current application. 12/01194/APP - Installation of meteorological mast for 3 year period at Drodland, Newmill. Permitted. 11/01509/APP - Planning application to erect 4 no. wind turbines (110 tip heights) at Mains of Bodinfinnoch. Located adjacent to Hill of Towie (02/02099/EIA) this windfarm was dismissed at appeal in November 2013. 12/01694/APP - Planning approval (allowed on appeal by Scottish Ministers) to erect 1 no. 800kw wind turbine (74m to tip) at Garralhill, Newmill. This lies check 2.8km to the south west and has yet to be constructed. 04/02472/FUL - Planning approval to construct 1 no. wind turbine (70m to tip height) at Balnamoon, Crossroads, Keith. This is operational and lies 3.5km to the south (allowed on appeal by Scottish Ministers). To the west 11/01384/APP - Erection of 1 no. wind turbine (56m rotor diameter) with a maximum height of up to 78 metres and ancillary infrastructure at Followsters, Newmill, Keith, Moray, AB55 6UY. Approved 6.5km west of the current application has yet to be constructed. To the east 12/00928/APP - Planning approval to erect 1 no. 400kw wind turbine (51m to tip) at Langlanburn, Deskford. This lies 1.5km east of the current application. A further application 13/01790/APP to amend the approved turbine model (48m to tip) was approved in October 2013. 07/01102/FUL - Planning approval to install 1 no. 750kw wind turbine (79 m to tip) at Myreton, Crossroads, Keith. This is operational and lies 4km to the east of the current proposal and forms part of the Lurg Hill grouping. 09/00763/FUL - Planning approval to erect 2 no. 2.3 MW wind turbines (92.5m to tip height) at Netherton of Windyhills, Grange Crossroads, Keith. These have yet to be erected and would be located 3km to the east of the current proposal and form part of the Lurg Hill grouping. 09/00247/FUL - Planning approval (allowed on appeal by Local Review Body) to install 2 no. 800kw wind turbines (79m and 89m to tip heights) at Myreton, Crossroads, Keith. These are operational and lie 4km to the east of Aultmore and also form part of the Lurg Hill grouping. 12/01165/APP - Planning approval (allowed on appeal by Scottish Ministers) to erect 1 no. turbine (80m to tip) at Edingight, Grange, Keith next to Knock Hill. This lies 6.5km to the east and has yet to be constructed. There are a number of small domestic scale wind turbines surrounding Aultmore, to the north, east and south, but while they are not specifically listed, their presence and cumulative effect have been taken into consideration. There are also a number of larger wind turbines to the east within Aberdeenshire, which the applicant has identified within the applicants original Environmental Statement and updated Supplementary Environmental Information, which have been taken into consideration. Pending consideration 12/01507/APP - Planning application for 1 no. 2.3MW wind turbine (99.5m to tip) at Netherton of Windyhills (and would in effect create a 6th turbine at the Lurg Hill grouping 3-4km east). Application currently under consideration and is to be considered at the same committee as the proposal subject of this report. 13/02057/S36 - Erect 16 wind turbines at Hill Of Towie II Wind Farm Drummuir Keith Moray (adjacent to and associated with the operational Hill of Towie Windfarm 02/02099/EIA) Section 36 application currently under consideration and is to be considered at the same committee as the proposal subject of this report. This site is located 18km south west of Aultmore. 13/00638/APP - Erection of 1no Enercon E-48 800Kw 79m wind turbine (Rotor 48m) access road and associated infrastructure on Broomhill Farm, Newmill, Keith, Moray. Application currently under consideration and is to be considered at the same committee as the proposal subject of this report. This site is located 3.5km south west of the current site towards Newmill. 13/00615/EIA Erection of eight wind turbines (Rotor diameter 80m) 110m turbines high and associated infrastructure at Kellas House, Kellas, Elgin. Application still pending consideration and is located west of Elgin. Observations The main planning considerations are: Section 25 of the 1997 Act as amended requires applications to be determined in accordance with the development plan i.e. the approved Moray Structure Plan 2007 and the adopted Moray Local Plan 2008 unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In this case the main planning issues are considered below. In compliance with The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 the application is supported by an Environmental Statement. The Environmental Statement, Supplementary Environmental Information and other supporting information have been taken into consideration. As part of the original submission and scoping consultation was carried out with various community councils and associations. Public consultation events were also carried out prior to submission of the application in 2007. Policy ER1outlines that wind energy development should be located within a "preferred search area" as originally defined within the Council's Supplementary Planning Guidance Wind Energy Planning Guidance (WEPG) (2005) but now superseded by the Council's Supplementary Planning Policy Guidance: Moray Onshore Wind Energy (MOWE) (March 2013) where "preferred search areas" are now referred to as "Areas of Search" (see below).