DIN RGH. Itemno 10 • Report no THE CITV 01' EDINBURGH COUNCIL . Scottish Government Consultation 12/00471/SGC at ~and At 4km To South Of West Calder, West Lothian Development Management Sub-Committee of the Planning Committee DEPARTURE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN This development proposed by this application is a departure from the development plan. 1 Purpose of report To consider application 12/00471/SGC, submitted by Arcus. Renewable Energy Consulting Ltd. The application is for: Application for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. It is recommended that Committee Raise objections to this Application. 2 The Site and the Proposal Site description The site is located at Harburnhead Hill, approximately 4 Km to the south of West Calder, in West Lothian, at approximate National Grid Reference NT035585. The 87008 and A70 run some 500m to the east and south of the site respectively. The western edge of the site adjoins Cobbinshaw Reservoir. The boundary of the City of Edinburgh Council is approximately 10 km along the A70 to the northeast of the site. Site History The site is currently used for commercial forestry. 1 Description Of The Proposal This is a consultation about a wind farm in West Lothian. The operational wind farm will comprise the following components: 22 wind turbines of up to 126 m height to blade tip (turbines 8 and 9 will be restricted to 119 m overall height); Crane hard standings for each turbine; Substation/control compounds and buildings; A permanent meteorological mast; On-site access tracks and watercourse crossings; and On-site underground electrical cables. In addition, the construction phase will involve the construction, use and restoration of two temporary construction compound/laydown areas. 3. Officer's Assessment and Recommendation Determining Issues Do the proposals comply with the development plan? If the proposals do comply with the development plan, are there any compelling reasons for not approving them? If the proposals do not comply with the development plan, are there any compelling reasons for approving them? ASSESSMENT Background Applications for renewable energy developments that have capacity to generate in excess of 50 MegaWatts (MW) of electricity are made to and determined by the Scottish Ministers in accordance with the provisions of Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. An application for consent under Section 36, includes an application for deemed planning permission under section 57(2) of the Town and County Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as amended). 2 The application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES) required under the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2000. The City of Edinburgh Council has been consulted by the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit because it is a neighbouring authority. Landscape and Visual Effects Wind farms have significant benefits in terms of providing renewable energy. However, they can give rise to negative landscape and visual effects due to their structural form, size, location, colour, movement, grouping and scale in relation to the surrounding topography. The western edge of the Pentland Hills Regional Park (PHRP) is located just over 1 km to the east of the site boundary and northern edge of the Pentland Hills AGLV, just under 0.5 Km to the south. The principal significant environmental effects identified in the ES are upon landscape character and visual amenity. The proposal will result in significant adverse effects on landscape character and visual amenity across the western edge of the PHRP and within the Pentland Hills AGL V. The ES does not consider that the proposals will have significant landscape and visual effects on the majority of the Regional Park or within the City of Edinburgh Council's administrative boundary. However, this Council disagrees with these findings given the value of the Pentland Hills, as an area of regionally unique topography, which provides important opportunities for countryside recreation for residents of Edinburgh and the Lothians. The Pentland Hills will form an integral part of the strategic green network across the SESplan area. It will also contribute to the Central Scotland Green network, which is identified as a National Development in National Planning Framework 2. The Hills' combination of flanking farmland and woodland, rising to rugged upland summits is of locally important scenic value. Those visiting the Regional Park to appreciate views of the wider landscape will be highly sensitive to changes to the character and scenic value of views, for the following reasons: 1. The prominent location and scale of the proposal, extends the footprint and influence of large wind farm development eastwards, along the upland fringe to the boundary and immediate setting of the Regional Park and AGL V; 2. The vertical form, scale and movement of 22 wind turbines of approximately 126m height, contrasts with the modest elevation, simple vegetation cover and remote, upland character of the Pentland Hills; 3 3. When viewed from the Park's eastern summits, the proposal displays an awkward relationship to the scale and profile of East Cairn Hill, a feature which marks and important transition between the upland and lowland landscape. This is notable from Allermuir Hill, located 19.7 km from the proposal within the City of Edinburgh Council's boundary. Similar effects are observed from the hilltop viewpoints of Scald Law and West Kip in Midlothian. From these elevated vantage points, the proposal also intrudes upon views towards the secluded, interior scenery of the Hills; 4. At the Harlaw gateway to the Park, the proposal would be viewed as a new focal feature on the western skyline, set across the naturalistic shoreline of Threipmuir reservoir. Though a modified environment, the combination of open water, backed by upland hills, is considered to have locally important scenic value. This viewpoint is located within the City of Edinburgh Council's boundary at a distance of 16.1 km from the proposal; and 5. A prolonged duration and sequence of viewing opportunities will therefore be afforded to highly sensitive visual receptors from elevated path circuits and summits, and not solely from static viewpoints. In addition to the individual effects of the development, the ES reports that the scale and proximity of further wind energy developments, in conjunction with the proposal, may give rise to cumulative effects upon landscape character and visual amenity on the western edge of the PHRP. This Council considers that the proposal at Harburnhead, in conjunction with several application and scoping stage wind farms (Harrows Law, Fauch Hill, Pearie Law and Pates Hill 2), raises significant issues with regard to cumulative impacts upon the landscape character and scenic value of the Pentland Hills and its immediate setting. Conclusion In light of the above considerations, it is recommended that the City of Edinburgh Council raises objections to the application on the grounds of the detrimental impact to the integrity of the landscape, visual and recreational resource of the Pentland Hills Regional Park and Area of Great Landscape Value. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy ENV 1 D (Regional and Local Natural and Built Environment Interests) of the Edinburgh and Lothians Structure Plan 2015. 4 John Bury Head of Planning c·······-·-··-----_- .... -.-.... - .................... - .................... --.-~-.-.---...... -.-....................................... I Contact/tel: Andrew Smith on 0131 4693762 __ ._.Ji i Ward affected . WLC - West Lothian Council ,i -..... --.-................-.------t.----- .. -.--... - ... --............ ---.---...... - ........ --. .-.... -.~ i Local Plan I '"._._.. _---- --+-__.. _. __.. _........... _ ............. _.. _______. ____... _____ ._. ___ .... _..... _..1 i Statutory I : Development Plan I Provision r-·-···---·-··········-····-·· . I Date registered I 17 February 2012 I i r=D-ra-w----::-in-g-n-u-m--c:-b-e-rs-'c--· ----_... _... _._._ ... _ .... _-.. Scheme , •. __ ... __.. _ ........ _..... _--_... _-- ---------_. ..-.-...... -... -----.. -.--~ Advice to Committee Members and Ward Councillors The full details of the application are available for viewing on the Planning and Building Standards Portal: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/planning. If you require further information about this application you should contact the following Principal Planner, If this application is not identified on the agenda for presentation and you wish to request one at the Committee meeting, you must contact Committee Services by 9.00a.m. on the Tuesday preceding the meeting. Contact details can be found in the Committee agenda papers. 5 Appendix A ·EDINBVRGH· THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL CITY DEVELOPMENT Application Type Scottish Government Consultation Application Address: Land At 4km To South Of West Calder, West Lothian Proposal: Application for consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Reference No: 12/00471/SGC Consultations, Representations and Planning Policy Consultations No consultations were carried out for this inter-authority consultation. Representations No representations were received for this consultation. Planning Policy ENV 1 D: Regional and Local Natural and Built Environment Interests, Edinburgh and the Lothian's Structure Plan 2015 Development affecting the following regional or local areas of natural heritage and built environmental interest, or their settings, will only be permitted where it can be