AGENDA PLANNING COMMITTEE 2.00 PM - TUESDAY, 13 JANUARY 2015 COMMITTEE ROOMS 1/2 - PORT TALBOT CIVIC CENTRE PART 1 1. To receive any declarations of interest from Members. 2. To receive the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 2nd December, 2014 (Pages 1 - 2) 3. To request a Site Visit(s) from applications presented. Report of the Head of Planning SECTION A MATTER FOR DECISION 4. Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) : Power Generation Enhancement Scheme at Port Talbot Steel Works, Margam Local Impact Report and Written Representations (Pages 3 - 188) SECTION B MATTERS FOR INFORMATION 5. Appeals Received (Pages 189 - 190) 6. Delegated Applications Determined between 24th November 2014 and 5th January 2015 (Pages 191 - 208) 7. Any urgent items at the discretion of the Chairman pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972. S.Phillips Chief Executive Civic Centre Port Talbot Wednesday, 7 January 2015 Committee Membership: Chairman: Councillor R.G.Jones Vice Chairman: Councillor E.E.Jones Members: Councillors Mrs.A.Chaves, D.W.Davies, Mrs R.Davies, Mrs.J.Dudley, S.K.Hunt, D.Keogh, Mrs.S.Paddison, Mrs S.M.Penry, R.Thomas and Mrs L.G.Williams Cabinet UDP/LDP Councillor A.J.Taylor Member: Agenda Item 2 PLANNING COMMITTEE Members Present: 2nd December, 2014 Chairman: Councillor R.G.Jones Vice Chairman: Councillor E.E.Jones Councillors: Mrs.A.Chaves, D.W.Davies, S.K.Hunt, D.Keogh, Mrs.S.Paddison, Mrs.S.M.Penry, R.Thomas and Mrs.L.G.Williams LDP/UDP Member: Councillor A.J.Taylor Officers In Attendance S.Ball, D.Adlam, I.Davies and Miss.G.Cirillo 1. CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT The Chairman reminded Members of the Procedure Note for Members of the Public/Applicants Right to Speak at Planning Committee, which would be adhered to at the Planning Committee Meetings from hereon, when appropriate. 2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the Planning Committee held on the 11th November, 2014, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record. Report of the Head of Planning PLANNING APPLICATION RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL 3. APPLICATION NO: P2014/0788 Siting of demountable buildings for use as classrooms, staffrooms and toilets for a temporary period not exceeding 24 months. (Phase 1 of which was approved under P2014/0294) (Amended sewerage details) at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera, Glan Yr Avon, Ystalyfera SA9 2JJ. Page 1 In accordance with the Council’s approved Public Speaking Protocol, Mr. S. Davies (Objector) and Mr. J. Davies, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (Appellant - Right of Reply) addressed the Planning Committee. RESOLVED: that the above mentioned Application be approved, in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation, and subject to the Conditions, as detailed in the circulated report. 4. DELEGATED APPLICATIONS DETERMINED BETWEEN THE 14TH OCTOBER AND 2ND NOVEMBER, 2014 Members received a list of Delegated Applications which had been determined between the 14th October and 2nd November 2014, as detailed within the circulated report. RESOLVED: that the report be noted. CHAIRMAN 21214 Page 2 Agenda Item 4 SECTION A – MATTERS FOR DECISION 3. NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT (NSIP): POWER GENERATION ENHANCEMENT SCHEME AT PORT TALBOT STEEL WORKS, MARGAM - LOCAL IMPACT REPORT AND WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS Report Background Members will be aware that Tata Steel Works Ltd proposes to design, construct and operate an electricity generating station located at Port Talbot Steel Works. The scheme is. The project (described below) is defined as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for determination, and has been accepted for consideration. The process for the determination of such applications is set out within The Planning Act 2008 (as amended). In accordance with the Regulations, as a relevant Local Authority Neath Port Talbot Country Borough Council (NPT) has been invited to submit a Local Impact Report (LIR). Section 60(3) of the Act specifically relates to the requirements in regard to a LIR and defines the document as ‘A Report in writing giving details of the likely impact of the proposed development on the authority’s area (or any part of that area)’ . In the production of this document the Authority has had regard to the Planning Inspectorate’s Advice Note One: Local Impact Reports (April 2012). Note One states that ‘It is intended that the LIR should be used by the Local Authorities as the means by which their existing body of local knowledge and evidence on local issues can be fully and robustly reported to the examining Authority... The document should not replicate the information within the EIA.’ Nor should it replicate any of the supporting information submitted with the application. It continues on to state that ‘Rather it should draw on existing local knowledge and experience. Examples might be local evidence of flooding, local social or economic issues or local knowledge of travel patterns to community facilities’ . Page 3 The note states that the report should consist of positive, neutral and negative local impacts, stating a clear evaluation of the importance of these impacts in a structured document, together with an assessment of the development’s compliance with local policy and guidance. The report should also detail the Authority’s views on the Development Consent Order (DCO). However the LIR should not weigh or state opinions on the development itself. In addition to the LIR, the Authority may also submit Written Representations (WR). It is within this document that the Authority can state its views and opinions on the proposed development, providing evidence to support their case. As well as the LIR and WR the Authority is also required to agree a Statement of Common Ground (SoCG) with the developer. During the course of the examination process the Authority may be required to answer written questions posed by the examiners, requests for further information or to submit written comments on the proceedings as required by the Examining authority. The Examination itself is predominately a written-led process, but there are a number of hearings that will take place, including an open floor event, a site visit and topic specific hearings. So far the Examiners have scheduled 4 dates for such hearings with provision for an additional 1 day if required. Brief Description of Proposal The proposed development comprises a new power station and associated infrastructure including a new 66Kv electrical connection to the existing substation located close to Margam to the south west of the larger steel works site. The Applicant proposes to enhance the existing onsite capacity (presently 117 MW) by installing up to two new boilers (nominally 164 Mega Watt thermal (MWth) each) and up to two new steam turbines with a gross capacity of up to 150 Mega Watt electrical (150 MWe). The turbines will be housed in a new building adjacent to existing power generation facilities and will be connected to the existing Blast Furnace Gas distribution network in order to receive gases through a new pipe network. It is intended that the power generation will be powered by waste gases produced during the blast furnace process which is presently flared to the atmosphere. Page 4 Three turbo alternators (nominally 8MWe each, total of 24Mwe), four boilers and up to three stacks from the existing power generation facilities will be decommissioned. The Applicant is not seeking to demolish these under this application but should the Development Consent Order (DCO) be granted the applicant will apply to the local planning authority for the necessary consents once the proposed development is fully commissioned and in reliable and continuous operation. The proposed development would result in the total onsite power generation capacity at the Port Talbot site increasing to a maximum of 245MWe. The development comprises of several major components as well as ancillary buildings as follows (indicative dimensions): • Turbine hall and a boiler house turbine hall up to 25m high x 55m long x 85m wide, boiler house up to 35m high (at apex) x 60m long x 65m wide • Cooling Towers up to 22m high x 160m long x 25m wide • Up to two stacks (80m in height). • Electrical connection 66kv, approximately 2.8km in length to be run underground, off existing above ground infrastructure or a combination of both an electricity transformer compound including a building for housing electrical switchgear; • Switchgear station building up to 35 m long and 55 m wide. • A condensate storage tank and additional condensate polishing units for an existing water treatment plant; • An extension to existing utility connections (water, nitrogen, natural gas and compressed air) from the existing on site utilities pipe work infrastructure to the generating station; • Security infrastructure, including perimeter fencing and site lighting infrastructure, including perimeter lighting columns; • Modifications to the existing internal road layout for the provision of site vehicular access, roads, pedestrian network, parking and cycle storage; Page 5 Report The Council’s Local Impact Report and Written Representations are appended to the Committee Report as Appendices A and B respectively. The appendices referred to in the LIR are available to view electronically and online but are not attached in hard copy to this report as they are lengthy documents. The LIR indicates that whilst the Authority is generally supportive of the proposal in principle it is acknowledged that there are a number of concerns in particular the final design of the proposed buildings bearing in mind the location in a prominent position close to Harbour Way. Providing these concerns are overcome the Authority would be minded to support the proposed development. This would also be conditional upon the concerns identified with the DCO being addressed. RECOMMENDATION To accept the Local Impact Report and Written Representations and to delegate powers to the Head of Planning and Development Manager – Planning to allow any appropriate amendment or alteration to them as maybe necessary prior to their submission.