Alnwick Local Development Framework Planning for Renewable Energy Draft Supplementary Planning Document Regulation 17 Statement Statement of pre production consultation Head of Planning Strategy Northumberland County Council County Hall Morpeth Northumberland NE61 2EF Tel: 01665 510505 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.northumberland.gov.uk Planning for renewable Energy Draft Supplementary Planning Document Regulation 17 Statement 1 Introduction 1.1 This statement has been prepared to accord with Regulation 17 (1) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008. 1.2 It is a record of the consultation undertaken during the pre-production stage of the Draft Planning for Renewable Energy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). 1.3 The draft SPD expands on Policy S21 of the Alnwick Core Strategy adopted in October 2007. The purpose of the Supplementary Planning Document is to provide detailed guidance to support the positive implementation of the LDF Core Strategy Policy S21 in relation to renewable energy. 1.4 The SPD covers the whole of the former Alnwick district excluding the area within the Northumberland National Park. 1.5 The Landscape Sensitivity Technical Paper (March 2009) accompanying this draft forms the main part of the evidence base for the SPD. 2 Context 2.1 On 1 April 2009 Alnwick District Council along with the five other Northumberland district or borough councils and the former Northumberland County Council became one unitary authority retaining the name ‘Northumberland County Council’. The new authority considered the draft SPD and sustainability appraisal at a meeting of the Executive on 20 April 2009. It was agreed that the recommendations of the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitat Regulations Assessment would be fully integrated into the SPD and that consultation on the draft SPD should be undertaken generally in accordance with the councils draft Statement of Community Involvement. Page 1 of 15 Planning for renewable Energy Draft Supplementary Planning Document Regulation 17 Statement 3 Background 3.1 The former Alnwick District Local Development Scheme February 2007 stated that the council would prepare an ‘Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development SPD’ in support of the Core Strategy. During the Examination of the Core Strategy it was established that this SPD would consider renewable energy and specifically provide guidance on the areas of least constraint for wind energy development as identified in the key diagram. Policy S21 of the adopted Core Strategy (Oct 2007) details that: ‘the landscape capacity for the areas of least constraint is established in the supplementary planning document on planning for renewables’. 3.2 The Council commissioned Glasgow based ‘Land Use Consultants’ to undertake the SPD, this required an additional piece of work ‘A landscape sensitivity study to windfarm development’, of the then Alnwick District, to inform the preparation of the section of the SPD specific to on-shore wind energy development. 3.3 Edinburgh based consultants ‘Natural Capital’ were commissioned to independently undertake the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitat Regulation Assessment. Both of these documents have informed the preparation of the SPD. 3.4 Regulation 17 (1) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 sets out that before a local planning authority adopt an SPD they must: (a) Make copies of the SPD documents and a statement of the SPD Matters available for inspection during normal office hours – (i) At their principal office, and (ii) At such other places within their area as the authority consider appropriate: and (b) Prepare a statement setting out – (i) The names of any persons whom the authority consulted in connection with the preparation of the SPD, (ii) How those persons were consulted, (iii) A summary of the main issues raised in those consultations. (iv) How those issues have been addressed in the SPD Page 2 of 15 Planning for renewable Energy Draft Supplementary Planning Document Regulation 17 Statement 3.5 The Statement of Matter Regulation 17 (a) is seen in Appendix A and clearly sets out the availability of the draft SPD. This document is the ‘statement’ referred to in Paragraph 3.2 (b) above. 4 Consultation 4.1 The purpose of this ‘Statement of Pre Production Consultation’ is to summarise the following: • Who was consulted during the previous informal consultation • How they were consulted • The main issues raised; and • How these issues have been addressed in the revised draft SPD 4.2 The brief for the consultants to produce the draft SPD, had regard to national guidance and examples of best practice. An officer focus group, including officers from development management, considered the objectives of the SPD and has provided feed back at key stages of production. 4.3 In November 2008 a letter was issued to notify key stakeholders and interested bodies that the council had commissioned ‘Land Use Consultants’ to undertake the preparation of the Planning for Renewable Energy SPD and to seek their views on issues that should be included, the letter and distribution list are detailed in APPENDIX B along with a summary of the responses received. 4.4 In response to this early engagement the council held a stakeholder meeting on 16 January 2009 where the consultants explained and demonstrated their work to date and stakeholders had the opportunity to raise and discuss issues. A list of those attending is included at APPENDIX C. Further informal consultations were undertaken with key stakeholders during March 2009 which informed the production of the final draft SPD for consultation. Page 3 of 15 APPENDIX A Planning for renewable Energy Draft Supplementary Planning Document Regulation 17 Statement Alnwick Local Development Framework Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 The Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 Statement of Matter Alnwick Planning for Renewable Energy – Draft Supplementary Planning Document Subject matter and area covered: The purpose of the Supplementary Planning Document is to provide detailed guidance to support the positive implementation of the LDF Core Strategy Policy S21 in relation to renewable energy. It covers the whole of the former Alnwick district excluding the area within the Northumberland National Park. Availability of documents: The SPD documents and response form are available at the following locations: • The Council offices, Allerburn House and Greenwell Lane, Alnwick, and County Hall, Morpeth, during normal opening hours. • Libraries located at the following addresses: Green Batt, Alnwick, Middleton Street, Amble, Front Street, Rothbury, during normal opening hours. • They can also be viewed and downloaded from the Council’s website: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=3731 or made available as a CD ROM. Copies can be made available in large type or other formats by contacting our customer services team on 01665 510505. Consultation period: The draft SPD is available for comment from Friday 15 May 2009. Representations: Any comments should be made on the appropriate forms, which are available with the document, or can be downloaded from the Council’s website. The forms should be returned no later than 10.00am on Thursday 25 June 2009. • by email to: [email protected] • or posted to: Gordon Halliday Head of Planning Strategy Northumberland County Council Morpeth Northumberland NE61 2EF The Council will have regard to representations received, before adopting the SPD. Notification of Adoption: Any representation may be accompanied by a request to be notified at a specified address of the adoption of the SPD. If you wish to be notified of the adoption, please complete the box on the representation form. The Council’s Planning Policy Team can provide more information about the SPD. You can contact a member of the team on (01665) 510505 or by email on [email protected] Page 4 of 15 APPENDIX B Planning for Renewable Energy Draft Supplementary Planning Document Regulation 17 Statement Page 5 of 15 APPENDIX B Planning for Renewable Energy Draft Supplementary Planning Document Regulation 17 Statement List of stakeholders sent above letter on November 20, 2008 Organisation Type of Organisation Axis Developer/agent British Wind Energy Association Developer/agent Coronation Power Developer/agent David Stewart Associates Developer/agent Entec Developer/agent GL Hearn Planning and Development Developer/agent H J Banks & Co Ltd Developer/agent Howick Estate & Howick Trustees Ltd Developer/agent Hyett-Brewis Ltd Developer/agent In Business Developer/agent iNovem Developer/agent Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Developer/agent Natural Capital Ltd Developer/agent Neighbourhood Services Directorate, Newcastle City Council Developer/agent novera energy plc Developer/agent Npower - Renewables Developer/agent PMSS Developer/agent Scott Wilson Developer/agent Signet Planning Developer/agent Smiths Gore Developer/agent Strutt & Parker Developer/agent The Northumberland Estates Developer/agent W A Fairhurst & Partners Developer/agent Ward Hadaway Developer/agent Alnwick & District Citizen's Advice Bureau General consultation body Alnwick Area Friends of the Earth General consultation body Alnwick Community Development Trust General consultation body Alnwick District Local Strategic Partnership General consultation body Ancient Monuments Society General consultation