NEATH PORT TALBOT COUNCIL TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (as amended) The Developments of National Significance (Wales) Regulations 2016 LOCAL IMPACT REPORT Application by Peak Gen Power 5 Limited Land to the rear of Unit 6A Coed Darcy Business Park, Llandarcy NPT Reference: P2019/5207 Planning Inspectorate Reference: DNS/3213487 Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Site and Surroundings 3. The Proposed Development 4. Planning History 5. Local Designations Relevant To The Site / Surroundings 6. Local Development Plan 7. Publicity of the Development National Significance Application 8. Impact of the Development on the Area 9. Summary 10. Proposed conditions Appendices 1. Planning permission ref. P2012/1061 - Copy of the decision notice and approved plans. 2. LDP Policies 3. Supplementary Planning Guidance a. Pollution (October 2016) b. Biodiversity and Geodiversity (May 2018) 4. Evidence of publicity including photographs / OS plan of site notice locations 5. RAMSAR and NATURA2000 information – Crymlyn Bog 6. NPT Constraints Plan Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This Local Impact Report (LIR) has been prepared to meet the requirements of Section 62K of the 1990 Act, and Regulation 25 of the Developments of National Significance (Procedure) (Wales) Order 2016. The LIR has been prepared to inform the Planning Inspectorate of the likely impact of the proposed development on the area. The report is based on existing local knowledge and evidence of local issues. In accordance with Section 62K the LIR will set out at a minimum: - • The likely impact of the development on the area • Planning history of the site • Local designations relevant to the site / surroundings • The likely impact of any application in relation to a secondary consent being granted • Any relevant local planning policies, guidance or other documents • Draft conditions or obligations which the LPA considers necessary for mitigating any likely impacts of the development • Evidence of the Publicity undertaken by the LPA in accordance with the Procedure Order, i.e. a copy of the Site Notice, a photograph of the Site Notice on display and a map showing the location of the Site Notice. 1.2 This LIR is reliant upon information available within the submitted documents and prior knowledge of the site, and has regard to the relevant procedural guidance contained at Appendix 5 of the Welsh Government’s ‘Guidance on Developments of National Significance’. 1.3 The LIR is a factual document that should not weigh evidence or make recommendations. Accordingly, this LIR will not qualify impacts other than stating whether impacts are anticipated to be positive, negative or neutral, since to do otherwise would be to apply weighting which is expressly excluded in the relevant advice. Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report 2. SITE AND SURROUNDINGS 2.1 The site and its surrounding context are as set out and agreed in section 2.1 of the Statement of Common Ground (SOCG – Applicant’s Document D2). 3. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 3.1 The Applicant is seeking partially-retrospective, and partially-prospective planning permission for the following development: “Electricity generation operating reserve compound to support the National Grid, together with associated switchgear, access, boundary treatments and ancillary equipment” 3.2 The full description and details of the development are as set out and agreed in section 2.3 of the Statement of Common Ground (SOCG). 4. PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The planning history has been set out and agreed in section 2.2 of the Statement of Common Ground (SOCG). 4.2 As referred to at section 2.2.2 of the SOCG, it is of note that planning permission has previously been granted for the retrospective element of the development in question on 21st January 2013 (application reference P2012/1061). A copy of the decision notice and approved plans are provided at Appendix NPT1. 4.3 As the development was commenced without compliance with some of the pre- commencement planning conditions included within permission P2012/1061, the development now has to be regularised under the DNS Regulations. 4.4 The prospective proposal for the installation of additional plant and ancillary equipment that is required to be installed on site to meet the statutory requirements of the new Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 has not been considered previously by the Local Planning Authority. Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report 5. LOCAL DESIGNATIONS RELEVANT TO THE SITE / SURROUNDINGS 5.1 The site lies within the ‘Coed Darcy Strategic Regeneration Area’ (SRA) identified by Policy SRA1 of the Local Development Plan, the extent of which is identified on Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Coed Darcy Strategic Regeneration Area (Blue Hatched Area = Extent of SRA : Policy SRA1) 5.2 Outline permission is in place for the development of an urban village which should in time comprise approximately 4,000 dwellings, 41,200 sqm of business use, up to 3,000 sqm of retail floorspace, other commercial development, education and community facilities and associated infrastructure. The residential development completed on the site to date is shown on the aerial photograph above from 2017), with the nearest residential property some 320m away. Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report 5.3 The application site (circled) is located in an area partially-developed as and identified for further commercial purposes by the current ‘Coed Darcy Urban Village Development Masterplan’ (see Figure 2 below). Figure 2: Coed Darcy Urban Village Masterplan Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report 5.4 The Masterplan identifies residential land uses (in yellow) to the north (across the main railway line at a distance of approximately 60m and separated by landscaping) and to the west (approximately 150m, beyond additional proposed commercial development). 5.5 Nearby sites / designations are referred to in the SOCG (2.1.4 - 2.1.7). 5.6 There are no Public Rights of Way in proximity to the site which would be affected by the proposal or from which views of the site can be attained. 6. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 6.1 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, requires that all planning applications are determined in accordance with the relevant development plan policies, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 6.2 The Development Plan for the area comprises the Neath Port Talbot Local Development Plan which was adopted in January 2016, and within which the following policies are of relevance: Strategic Policies • Policy SP1 Climate Change • Policy SP2 Health • Policy SP15 Biodiversity and Geodiversity • Policy SP16 Environmental Protection • Policy SP18 Renewable and Low Carbon Energy • Policy SP20 Transport Network • Policy SP21 Built Environment and Historic Heritage Topic Based Policies • Policy SC1 Settlement limits • Policy EC1 Employment Allocations (EC1/3 Land within Coed Darcy SRA (4Ha B1)) • Policy EC3 Employment Area Uses • Policy EN6 Important Biodiversity and Geodiversity Sites • Policy EN7 Important Natural Features • Policy EN8 Pollution and Land Stability Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report • Policy RE1 Criteria for the Assessment of Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Development • Policy RE2 Renewable and Low Carbon Energy in New Development • Policy TR2 Design and Access of New Development • Policy BE1 Design • Policy SRA1 Coed Darcy Strategic Regeneration Area 6.3 The relevant LDP Policies can be viewed online using the above links but are also provided at Appendix NPT2. Supplementary Planning Guidance: 6.4 The following approved SPG is also considered to be of relevance:- • Pollution (October 2016) • Biodiversity and Geodiversity (May 2018) 6.5 The SPG can be viewed online using the above links but are also provided at Appendices NPT3a and 3b. 7. PUBLICISING THE DNS APPLICATION 7.1 By letter dated 15th July 2019 PINS confirmed that the DNS application had been accepted by them as valid and the application process had commenced. 7.2 Neath Port Talbot Council (NPT) hereby confirm that, in compliance with Regulation 20 of The Order, the documents required to be placed on the planning register, and described in the PINS validation letter, were placed on the Council’s online planning register https://planningonline.npt.gov.uk within the required 5 working days. 7.3 NPT also hereby confirms that the Site Notices issued to the Authority were displayed on site on Monday 15th July 2019, in compliance with Regulation 19 and Regulation 25 (2) (c) of The Order. Photographic evidence of the display of the site notices, together with an ordnance survey based plan identifying the location of the site notices, is provided at Appendix NPT 4. Neath Port Talbot Council Local Impact Report 8. IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE AREA Landscape and Visual Impact 8.1 A Landscape and Visual Amenity Statement Assessment has been provided with the application (Document A17) and considered by the LPA. 8.2 Consideration should be given to the effects of the proposal on local character and visual amenity, having regard to its location within the Coed Darcy Regeneration Area (where future commercial and/or residential development may come forward in future years). 8.3 It is noted that the facility is in situ and operational, although the additional infrastructure/ equipment proposed under this application would increase the highest point of the units by 1.1m (from 3.8m to 4.94m). This would not unacceptably increase the impact of the development on the area now or as part of future development proposals. 8.4 It has been agreed in the SOCG that should retrospective planning permission be granted for the development, a landscape scheme would not be required. 8.5 The Council considers that the Landscape & Visual Impact of the proposal would be neutral. Highway Impacts 8.6 As the development is largely constructed the highway impacts relate only to installation of the additional plant and equipment and the ongoing operation.