Agenda Item Committee Date Application Number A18 15 March 2010 09/01068/FUL Application Site Proposal Land At Claughton Quarry Claughton Moor Claughton Renewable Energy project comprising the erection of Lancashire 20 wind turbine generators, each with a maximum Farleton Old Road height of 126.5 metres, together with associated Claughton access track, hard standing areas, control and Lancashire substation building, borrow pits, meteorological mast and temporary construction and site storage compounds on Claughton Moor and Whit Moor near Lancaster Name of Applicant Name of Agent Community Windpower Ltd Mrs Gillian Cropper Decision Target Date Reason For Delay 24 February 2010 Committee cycle Case Officer Mr Andrew Drummond Departure No Summary of Recommendation Refusal 1.0 The Site and its Surroundings 1.1 The 338 hectare application site is located across the highest sections of Whit Moor, Caton Moor and Claughton Moor, with a small section of the site extending out to the A683 between the settlements of Claughton and Farleton in the River Lune valley. The centre point of the site falls c11km east of the Lancaster City Centre. The land is predominantly covered with boggy grassland and is currently used for rough grazing for sheep and cattle. 1.2 The surrounding land is classified as moorland hills and moorland fringes with some areas of wooded rural valleys. Access to Whit Moor is generally by foot or horse along the local footpath or bridleway network. Vehicular access is restricted as far as Claughton Hall to the north west and Caton Moor wind turbines (via Quarry Road) to the south west. A further track, which serves a property named Winder, runs parallel to the southern boundary. 1.3 The site falls within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the District’s Countryside Area and part of Claughton Moor County Biological Heritage Site (BHS). The south west boundary of the site is shared with Caton Moor BHS. The access track runs along the boundary of Faithwaite Wood for 2 short sections and across grassland adjacent to these woods, both of which are designated as BHSs. The track also runs close to a Scheduled Monument. The becks and gills that form the natural drainage across the application site flow into the River Lune to the west, which is a BHS, and to the River Roeburn in the east, which flows through a series of BHSs and Outhwaite Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). 2.0 The Proposal 2.1 The application seeks planning permission for 20 wind turbines across the tops of Whit Moor, Claughton Moor and Caton Moor, with associated infrastructure. This associated infrastructure includes: • 80m meteorological mast • c2km of access track from the A683 • c9km of further tracks connecting from the access track to all 20 wind turbines • c9km of cable trenches from the turbines to the sub-station • 8 borrow pits • Crane hardstanding areas • Construction compound (to be removed post construction) • Site storage compound (to be removed post construction) • Sub-station • 13km of underground cabling from the sub-station to the nearest grid connection point 2.2 The 20 wind turbines would measure up to 126.5m in height from their base to the top of the blade. The columns would be 80m high and 5.5m wide with the blades having a rotor diameter of up to 93m. Their colour would be pale matt grey and constructed of fibreglass reinforced epoxy and carbon fibres. They would each require an octagonal concrete base measuring 16m in width (across flats) and 3.5m in depth, requiring approximately 300m3 of concrete and c45 tonnes of steel reinforcement. However, these are typical foundations, not necessarily the type to be used on this proposal. The wind turbines would generally be laid out along 6 west-east lines with 3 or 4 turbines per line, and would be no closer than 300m from the nearest turbine. They would be adequately separated from the existing Caton Moor wind turbines so the turbines do not interfere with the aerodynamics of one another. The fencing around the substation compound would measure 28m by 24m. It would compromise a containerised system of units made from powder coated steel and be located on the edge of Kirkby Gill Wood towards the top of the access track. The construction compound would be located adjacent to the substation compound, and have a land takeoff 0.275 hectares (50m by 55m). No further details are provided within the submission. The site storage compound would be situated at the top of the ridge on the eastern boundary between wind turbines 7 and 10, and would have a land take of 0.5 hectares (50m by 100m). The application does not provide any further detail. The 8 borrow pits would differ in size from 50m by 40m to 200m by 150m, and be scattered around the edge of the northern half of the hilltop section of the application site. The total surface area of the 8 borrow pits combined would be 48,100 sq m (4.81 hectares). Though it is anticipated by the applicant that not all of these pits may be required, the potential volume of stone to be removed and then crushed for the construction of the access roads would be 61,000 m3. The meteorological mast would be constructed from a dark grey, galvanised steel pipe lattice tower, which would be held erect by high tensile steel guy wires at approximately 12 metre intervals. The guy wires would be set at 30m and 60m from the base and secured by iron ground anchors. The triangular tower with sides of 0.35m would be set upon a foundation frame measuring 1.2m by 1.2m, and 1.2m in depth. It would located on the eastern boundary, close to Warm Beck Gill. The permanent land take is calculated by the applicant to be less than 3% of the total application site area of 338 hectares (in other words, 10 hectares). This is using the area of the turbine columns (not foundations), the crane hardstandings, substation, meteorological mast and the access tracks. 2.3 A new track is proposed to gain access to Claughton Moor. This new track would be created from a stretch of the A683 between the villages of Claughton and Farleton, though would seek to utilise parts of existing tracks. The existing tracks would need to be widened, improved and strengthened to accommodate construction traffic. It would be used for the sole purpose of constructing and maintaining the wind turbines, with unauthorised vehicular access being restricted by use of locked gates. Pedestrian access would be provided with the use of stiles and kissing gates where necessary. The access from the A683 would be constructed using a 10m wide tarmac section set between concrete kerbstones that would splay to a width of 25m on the south edge of the adopted highway. The tarmac section would give way to an access track set back 10.5m from the edge of the highway, a line also delineated by a set of double lockable gates. The track would remain 10m wide for 15.5m beyond the gates before narrowing to 5m some 11m further back. The track would remain at this 5m width up the hillside with the exception of an undefined number of passing places along its length. Where existing tracks require widening, local stone will be used to a depth of 0.4m, with the existing tarmac sections of the track strengthened with tarmac where necessary. The hedgerow along the A683 would be cutback to retain the necessary sightlines from the junction. In addition, further tracks will be required to access all 20 turbines. These would be constructed up to 6m in width and would require trenches to be dug up to 2m away from the tracks to accommodate the underground cables. These cables would be buried to a depth of about 1m. 2.4 The site would remain open, with the exception of the track to prevent unauthorised vehicular access and the various compounds that would be secured by fencing (though the means of enclosure has not been described in detail). It is proposed to provide natural screening along the access track, though this landscaping scheme has not been detailed. 3.0 Site History 3.1 2 relevant applications relating to this site have previously been received by the Local Planning Authority: Application Number Proposal Decision 09/00222/FUL Improvements to existing private access road leading to Withdrawn Claughton Hall, Manor Lodge Farm and surrounding farmland and creation of new access from A683 09/00886/FUL Erection of a temporary (3 year) 50m high meteorological Permitted mast 3.2 2 relevant applications relating to the adjacent site (Caton Moor) has previously been received by the Local Planning Authority: Application Number Proposal Decision 01/92/0165 Erection of 10 wind turbines to be used for supplying Approved following a electricity energy to the grid system Public Inquiry 02/01331/FUL Erection of 8 replacement wind turbines with associated Approved following tracks, underground cabling, switchgear housing and a Written Representations picnic area appeal 4.0 Consultation Responses 4.1 The following responses have been received from statutory and internal consultees: Statutory Consultee Response County Planning The proposed development would provide a significant contribution to meeting the Lancashire renewable energy target in RSS and would make a positive contribution to targets for reducing green house gas emissions. Furthermore it would provide wider economic and social benefits. However, the visual impact of the proposed development would result in substantial harm to the landscape. On balance it is considered that the benefits arising from the proposed development are outweighed by the visual impact of the proposed development on the landscape.