to 29 August 2006 Development Panel Will meet on Thursday, 7 September 2006 at 10.00 a.m. in Oval Centre, Salterbeck, Workington Membership: Councillor Gerry Sewell (Chairman) Councillor John (Binky) Armstrong Councillor Lillian Baldry Councillor Peter Bales Councillor Michael Davidson Councillor Ian Francis Councillor Ivor Humes Councillor John Hunter Councillor Margaret Jackson Councillor Richard Jones Councillor Jean Macleod Councillor Pat McCracken Councillor Kenneth McDonald Councillor Joan Minto Councillor Jacqueline Mounsey Councillor Ron Munby Councillor George Scott Councillor Margaret Snaith Councillor Derek Thompson Councillor Martin Wood Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting. If you have any questions or queries simply contact Paula McKenzie on 01900 702557. Site visits Please be advised that there will be THREE site visits on WEDNESDAY 6th SEPTEMBER 2006. 2/2006/0398 – Phase 1 Silage Pit, Allerby Hall, Allerby, Wigton. (Ward and Parish reps please be on site by 10.55am). 2/2006/0399 – Phase 2 Portal Frame & Silage Pit, Allerby Hall, Allerby, Wigton. (Ward and Parish reps please be on site by 11.05am). 2/2006/0332 – Erection of 88 dwellings, Land off Bellaport Gardens, Harrington, Workington. (Ward and Parish reps please be on site by 11.40am). Members of the Development Panel will be picked up from ALLERDALE HOUSE at 10.30am prompt. 1. Minutes To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 6th July 2006. 2. Apologies for absence 3. Declaration of Interest 4. Questions 5. Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document (Pages 1 - 138) To seek Committee approval for the Draft Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document to be put out for public consultation. (Wards Affected: All Wards) 6. Statement of Community Involvement (Pages 139 - 186) To seek approval of the Statement of Community Involvement for submission to the Secretary of State (Wards Affected: All Wards) 7. Planning Applications (Pages 187 - 206) 8. Design & Access Statement (Pages 207 - 212) Borough Solicitor DATE OF NEXT MEETING Thursday, 5 October 2006 at 10.00 a.m. Oval Centre, Salterbeck, Workington Agenda Item 5 ALLERDALE BOROUGH COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT PANEL : 7 SEPTEMBER 2006 CUMBRIA WIND ENERGY SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING DOCUMENT Purpose of Report To seek Committee approval for the Draft Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document to be put out for public consultation. Recommendation (i) To agree the Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal for the purpose of joint public consultation, in partnership with the relevant Cumbrian Local Planning Authorities. (ii) To agree that any area specific or other changes to the text that are sought by Cumbria County Council or the relevant Cumbrian Local Planning Authorities are recorded and considered with all other representations following public consultation. The revised documents to be then considered again by each authority prior to adoption. Environmental Implications The SPD seeks to protect the local environment from damaging development whilst at the same time enabling appropriate wind energy schemes, thereby making a contribution to mitigating the effects of climate change. Community Safety Implications None direct. Financial/Resource Implications There will be a small financial cost in carrying out Allerdale’s part of the consultation process which can be met from Planning Delivery Grant. Human Rights Implications No significant implications. Employment Implications No significant implications. Health & Safety & Risk Management Implications There is a risk that, if no SPD on this subject is adopted, inappropriate wind energy developments will be allowed and Planning Delivery Grant may be reduced. Wards Affected All Page 1 The Contribution this Decision would make to the Council’s Key Aims The SPD could make a significant contribution to the Council’s aims of protecting the environment and enabling sustainable development. Is this a Key Decision No Portfolio Holder Cllr Carni McCarron-Holmes Lead Member of Staff Richard Evans 01900 702765 [email protected] (A detailed list of implications is appended to the report) 1.0 Introduction 1.1 In 1997 Cumbria County Council, in partnership with the district councils of Allerdale, Barrow, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden, South Lakeland and the Lake District National Park Authority, produced ‘Wind Energy in Cumbria, A Statement of Supplementary Planning Guidance’. The guidance was prepared to provide local planning authorities and developers with detailed guidance on wind energy development in Cumbria. It focussed on the landscape and visual impacts of such development as experience has shown that these were often the most significant impacts arising from wind energy development. 1.2 The Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) has been well used over the past 9 years; however there have been a number of changes that have prompted the need to review it. These include: • New provisions in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. • Changes in national and regional energy policy and guidance. • A new Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan (2001-2016). • Increases in the scale of wind energy development. • Increases in the size and capacity of individual turbines. • Increasing Public concern about the potential scale of development. 1.3 Renewable energy, including wind energy, will continue to need to be generated in Cumbria. Local Planning Authorities are being encouraged by Government to support well designed renewable energy schemes through their development plans and emerging Local Development Frameworks. Although a range of renewable energy sources are being exploited in Cumbria, onshore wind turbines are currently the preferred technology Page 2 being proposed by developers. Offshore wind schemes are covered by a different regulatory regime and are outside the scope of the draft SPD. 1.4 The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (January 2006) provides a framework for sustainable energy and suggests renewable energy targets for Cumbria. Policies in the Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan 2001-2016, support renewable energy, including wind, providing a number of criteria are met. These seek to ensure that renewable energy schemes do not cause significant adverse harm. 1.5 The attached consultation draft has been developed in partnership with each of the Cumbrian Local Planning Authorities (except the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority whose area it does not cover). It has been included in their Local Development Schemes and should be adopted as part of their Local Development Frameworks in due course. Four maps which go with the consultation draft will be available at the Panel meeting. 1.6 An option to form a Joint Planning Committee to agree and adopt joint supplementary planning documents has been explored by each local authority. As the option has not been supported by all the local authorities it will not be set up for this purpose. Instead all local authorities have agreed to continue joint working. Under the joint working arrangements the content of the Draft Supplementary Planning Document and Sustainability Appraisal need to be endorsed by the relevant committee from each local authority for public consultation purposes. This is statutorily required. It is emphasised that at this stage, Committee cannot change the Draft Supplementary Planning Document. What follows in this report is some background to the process for information. 2. The New Guidance 2.1 The new guidance will be in the form of a SPD which is the equivalent of the old SPG concept in the new Local Development Framework system. As such the document will supplement policy in our LDF and we must ensure that, in due course, our LDF contains appropriate policy. 2.2 Over the past decade the need to tackle climate change has risen on the Government’s agenda. A key way to do this is through a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other green house gas emissions. This can best be achieved by minimising the demand for energy and increasing energy efficiency, and through the development of cleaner energy sources. Cleaner energy sources can be achieved through renewable energy technology and through cleaner fossil and other fuels. 2.3 Targets are being set to help reduce CO2 emissions and the need to support renewable energy sources in Cumbria is set out in national and regional planning guidance and reflected in County policy. As wind energy continues to be the preferred renewable energy option for developers it is important to have clear up to date policies and advice to guide such development in the future. 2.4 This Guidance aims to do this and replaces the previous supplementary planning guidance for wind energy issued in 1997. This focused on the landscape and visual impacts of schemes. It has been prepared to provide local planning authorities and developers with guidance on the preparation and assessment of proposals for wind energy Page 3 development in Cumbria. It draws on guidance set out in the Government’s Planning Policy Statement 22. Renewable Energy, and its Companion Document. It supports policies set out in the Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure plan 2001-2016, existing local policies and emerging Development Plan Documents for the entire County, (excluding the part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in Cumbria). 2.5 The guidance is divided into three parts: • Part 1 – guidance on addressing landscape, visual and other environmental and social