EEC/08/14/HQ Development Control Committee 23 January 2008 Planning/Highway Consultation Mid Devon District: Proposed Installation of 4 Wind Turbine Generators (110m Tip Height) with Associated Crane Pads, Access Tracks, Anemometer Mast, Electrical Control Building and Associated Infrastructure, Land at Bickham Moor, Oakford Application No: 07/02262/MFUL Date Consultation received by County Council - 5 December 2007 Report of the Director of Environment, Economy and Culture Please note that the foll owing recommendations are subject to consideration and determination by the Committee before taking effect. Recommendation: It is recommended that Mid Devon District Council be advised that Devon County Council: (a) as the Strategic Planning Authority, recognising the possible renewable energy and economic benefits of the proposed development, (not withstanding the location of the application site outside of the Area of Search for Strategic Wind Farm based energy production as identified in the Devon Structure Plan), considers that the impact of the development on the local Landscape Character Zones and the adjoining Exmoor National Park is not such that it outweighs the benefits and raises no strategic planning objection to the proposed development subject to the requirements referred to in (c) below; (b) as the Local Highway Authority indicates that at present insufficient information has been submitted in respect of the vertical and horizontal alignment of the minor road leading to the site and the layout and configuration of the major junctions in respect of their ability to accommodate large loads (approx 50m in length). If this information is supplied and it is confirmed that appropriate highway works can be secured to enable the abnormal loads to reach the site then subject to the imposition of appropriate conditions to secure temporary off-site works required for the management of construction traffic as the first phase of the development there would be no highway objection in the proposed development. An agreement under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980 with the Local Highway Authority, subsequent to the grant of planning consent, would ensure the appropriate design, specification, construction and drainage of the engineering works; and (c) should the District Council be minded, to grant planning permission, this should only be subject to the prior completion of a Section 106/278 agreement and the imposition of planning conditions to secure these matters summarised in Appendix III to this Committee report. 1. Summary 1.1 This report relates to a proposal for 4 wind turbines, each typically up to 3 Megawatts (MW) in capacity, ancillary equipment and on site infrastructure for a period of 25 years for the purposes of generating electricity through wind power. The proposed development is located at Bickham Moor, Oakford. The County Council has been consulted as both Strategic Planning Authority and Local Highway Authority. 2. The Proposal/Background 2.1 The application site is situated in the Mid Devon District approximately 12 km north west of Tiverton, 12km east of South Molton, 4km south east of Knowstone, and 1.2 km south east of Roachill. Nearby in the North Devon District other wind farm proposals have also been submitted. These include proposals for 2 turbines at Cross Moor (which were considered by the Committee on 14 March 2007 - (Report EEC/07/73/HQ refers); 9 turbines at Three Moors some 5 km to the North West of Bickham Moor (which is the subject of a separate report to this Committee) and; 9 turbines at Batsworthy Cross some 5 km to the West which was considered by the Committee on 14 February 2007 - (Report EEC/07/38/HQ refers). These have still not been determined by North Devon District Council. 2.2 The wind turbine design detailed in the Environmental Statement (ES) comprises a three bladed rotor, nacelle and tower with a maximum tip height of 110 metres above ground level. A 60 metre fixed lattice anemometry mast to monitor the existing wind speeds and to optimise the future performance of Bickham Moor Wind Farm wind turbines is currently on site. In addition, site access tracks will be required from the Kirton Lane to access the wind turbines which themselves will require permanent crane pads, along with a small on-site substation and temporary construction compound. As the generating capacity of this scheme does not exceed the threshold of 50 MW, in accordance with the provisions of Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, the application falls to be determined by Mid Devon District Council as the Local Planning Authority. 2.3 At the time of writing this report, planning permissions for the erection of wind farms have been obtained on four sites in Devon: (a) A cluster of 3 x 1 MW wind turbines at Stowford Cross, Bradworthy, (75 metres high to the tip of the blade). Planning permission was granted on appeal in August 2003 and the development is now operational. (b) A cluster of 3 x 1.2 MW wind turbines at Higher Darracott, Great Torrington, (81 metres high to the tip of the blade). This application was granted planning permission on appeal in May 2004 but has not yet been built. (c) A cluster of 9 x 2.5 MW wind turbines (120m to tip of blade) at Denbrook, near North Tawton. This application was granted planning permission by the Planning Inspectorate on appeal in February 2007 but has not yet been built. (d) A group of 22 x 3 MW wind turbines (110m to tip of blade) at Fullabrook near West Down near Braunton. This application was granted planning permission by the Secretary of State in November 2007 under the Section 36 procedures of the Electricity Act 1989. It has not yet been built. 2.4 A fuller summary of the status of grid connected renewable energy projects in Devon both existing and proposed is set out in Appendix I to this report. 2.5 The Committee will recall considering its response to the application for 9 wind turbines at Batsworthy Cross some 4 km west of the current application site at its meeting in February 2007 and resolving conditionally not to raise any objection to this proposal (Minute *135 refers). Nine Members of the Committee, who conducted the Site Visit to the Batsworthy proposal on 14 February 2007 also took the opportunity to view the location of the Bickham Moor and the Cross Moor proposals, and were able to observe the possible cumulative effect of the developments. 2.6 At the meeting in March 2007, members will recall resolving to object to the proposed 2 turbines at Cross Moor, on the basis that the benefits of the development were outweighed by the impact of a development of this scale on the local Landscape Character Zones and the adjoining Exmoor National Park and that as such would conflict with the provisions of Devon Structure Plan Policies CO1, and CO2; (Report EEC/07/73/HQ and Minute* 142(b) refers). 2.7 The current Bickham Moor application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement under the requirements of the EIA Regulations. This addresses amongst other issues, Geology, Ecology, Landscape, Noise, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage. 3. Consultations 3.1 As the determining Local Planning Authority, Mid Devon District Council has carried out the statutory consultations on this application (the County Council being one of these consultations). The County Council, has however been made aware of the consultation responses received from the following organisations. 3.2 Exmoor National Park Authority - objects to the proposal because of its adverse impact on the landscape, the setting and the special quality of the National Park, and it is contrary to the statutory National Park proposals; and intrusion into views of the National Park and concern at possible cumulative impact with other proposed wind farms nearby. 3.3 Council for National Parks - objects to the proposal for the same reason as the ENPA. 3.4 Two Moors Way Action Group - Objects to the proposal. 3.5 Exmoor Society - Objects to the proposal on the basis of the negative landscape impact/proximity to the Exmoor National Park. 3.6 Campaign to Protect Rural England (Devon) - has commissioned landscape consultants to review the Environmental Statement who conclude that this does not meet the required level of accuracy in order to make an informed decision. Objects for the following reasons: • The proposed development would have an adverse impact on the landscape, setting and special qualities of Exmoor National Park. • The proposal would be intrusive in views towards the National Park from the south, particularly from the A361 and the Two Moors Way long distance route. • The proposal would have an unacceptable visual impact upon surrounding villages and individual properties. • The proposal would conflict with many development plan policies, in particular Structure Plan policies CO1, CO2 and CO12. 3.7 Mid Devon Group of the CPRE - additionally objects to the planning application for the following reasons: • Such structures by their very nature are large industrial intrusions in the countryside and landscape. • The effect of these applications as well as two other applications in North Devon, Batsworthy Cross and Cross Moor, would create a gross cumulative visual impact compromising the Exmoor National Park and its environs, especially West Anstey Common which has extensive views over these areas. • There would be detrimental effects upon the lifestyles and incomes of local inhabitants and because of the threat to tourism, impact upon the revenues of both Mid Devon and North Devon as a whole. The tourism industry is extremely important to both areas. • The turbines with their moving blades and any noise emitted would destroy the peace and tranquillity of the countryside in a unique unspoilt area of Devon, while delivering no positive benefits.