Application Number: 2015/0112 Application Type: FULL Proposal: Scout Moor Wind Location: Scout Moor Wind Farm Extension - 16 Farm, Rochdale wind turbines up to 115m to blade tip (14 of which are in Rossendale) and associated ancillary infrastructure Report of: Enplan / Planning Status For Publication Manager Report to: Development Control Date: 1st September 2015 Committee Applicant: Scout Moor Wind Determination Expiry 15th September 2015 Farm Expansion Ltd Date: Agent Turley, 1 New York Street, Manchester, M1 4HD Contact Officer: Mr Andrew Metcalfe Telephone: 01892 545 460 Email: [email protected] REASON FOR REPORTING Outside Officer Scheme of Delegation Yes Member Call-In No Name of Member: Reason for Call-In: 3 or more objections received: Yes Other (please state): Major application with Environmental Assessment Human Rights The relevant provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights have been taken into account in the preparation of this report, particularly the implications arising from the following rights:- Article 8 The right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence. Article 1 of Protocol 1 The right of peaceful enjoyment of possessions and protection of property. Report Structure 1. THE SITE ..........................................................................................................................................................3 2. SITE PLANNING HISTORY ................................................................................................................................4 3. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................................4 4. LEGAL & POLICY CONTEXT..............................................................................................................................6 Local Planning Policy .................................................................................................................................6 National Planning Policy ............................................................................................................................8 Other national & regional energy policy & guidance ............................................................................. 11 5. CONSULTATION RESPONSES ....................................................................................................................... 12 Statutory Consultees .............................................................................................................................. 12 Objection...................................................................................................................................... 12 No objection but comments made .............................................................................................. 12 No objection ................................................................................................................................ 15 Responses from groups/organisations .................................................................................................. 15 Objection...................................................................................................................................... 15 No objection but comments made .............................................................................................. 17 No Objection ................................................................................................................................ 18 Independent Specialist Advice ............................................................................................................... 18 Hydrogeology (JBA Consulting – JBA) .......................................................................................... 18 Noise/Acoustics (Hepworth Acoustics Ltd) .................................................................................. 19 Ecology (Greater Manchester Ecology Unit - GMEU) .................................................................. 20 Cultural Heritage (Grover Lewis Associates Ltd - GLA) ................................................................ 20 Archaeology (Greater Manchester Archaeology Advisory Service - GMAAS) ............................. 22 Landscape and Visual (Land Use Consultants - LUC) ................................................................... 22 Responses from Members ..................................................................................................................... 23 Matters raised by the public .................................................................................................................. 23 Consultation on original application documents ......................................................................... 23 Consultation on Further Environmental Information .................................................................. 36 6. CONSIDERATION OF IMPACTS ..................................................................................................................... 41 Climate change & principle of development ......................................................................................... 41 Landscape & Visual ................................................................................................................................ 42 Cultural Heritage .................................................................................................................................... 46 Ecology and Ornithology ........................................................................................................................ 49 Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Geology ................................................................................................. 50 - 1 - Noise, Vibration & Amplitude Modulation ............................................................................................ 51 Public Rights of Way / Open Access Land .............................................................................................. 52 Green Belt .............................................................................................................................................. 55 Highways / Transportation ..................................................................................................................... 55 Socio Economic ...................................................................................................................................... 56 Aviation .................................................................................................................................................. 57 Telecommunications .............................................................................................................................. 58 Shadow Flicker ....................................................................................................................................... 59 Concerns of Local Communities ............................................................................................................. 59 7. OVERALL PLANNING BALANCE .................................................................................................................... 60 8. RECOMMENDATION .................................................................................................................................... 62 - 2 - 1. THE SITE 1.1. A detailed description of the application site (site) can be found at Section 4 of the Environmental Statement (ES). 1.2. The site occupies an area of moorland that straddles the administrative boundaries of Rossendale Borough Council (RBC) and Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC). The majority of the site is located within the Borough of Rossendale. 1.3. The site is located within a wide expanse of open moorland. The western part of this area is known as Scout Moor whilst the eastern area is known as Rooley Moor. These two moors are bordered by a series of roads; the A56/A680 to the west and south, the A671 to the east and the A681 to the north. A number of settlements are located along this road network and include Edenfield to the west, Rawtenstall and Bacup to the north and north-east, Whitworth to the east and Norden to the south- east. There are further settlements that are situated within this circular road network including Boarsgreave and Cowpe which lie north east of the site. There are also settlements further afield such as Ramsbottom to the west. 1.4. Historically, some of the site has been used for quarrying and as a result of this, piles of quarry waste can be found, primarily along the northern edge of the moorland plateau. The highest point of the plateau is Top of Leach at 470m. 1.5. The application site is located c.2.7km to the east of the M66 motorway. 1.6. The site extends to 410.85ha. The area required for the development of the wind farm is 57.72ha and the remaining 353.13ha is land proposed for the Moorland Habitat Restoration Plan (MHRP). 1.7. The site consists of land adjacent to tracks on the existing Scout Moor Wind Farm (SMWF), some existing tracks and an area of land to the north. The SMWF was commissioned in 2009 and comprises 26 wind turbines each with a hub height of 80 metres and height to blade tip of 100 metres. The existing turbines are located generally to the south and east of the proposed turbines. There are tracks providing access to each of the existing turbines.