Section 36 Electricity Act 1989 VWP/DB/1 Statement of Case prepared by David C Bell BSc (Hons) DipUD MRTPI M CIHT in respect of an application under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for a proposed 17 turbine wind farm at Llanbadarn Fynydd, Powys, Wales. in relation to: Energy and Planning Policy for Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd May 2013 Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd – Llanbadarn Fynydd Wind Farm Statement of Case COPYRIGHT © JONES LANG LASALLE IP, INC. 2013. All Rights Reserved 1 Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd – Llanbadarn Fynydd Wind Farm Statement of Case Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Scope of Evidence ................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 The Statement of Matters ........................................................................................................................................ 3 2 Background to the Application ............................................................................................................................. 7 2.1 The Application ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Summary of Description of Proposed Development ................................................................................................ 7 2.3 Consideration at Committee .................................................................................................................................... 7 3 Statutory and Regulatory Framework ................................................................................................................ 11 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 3.2 Statutory Duties ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.3 The Role of the Development Plan in this Case .................................................................................................... 11 3.4 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................... 12 4 Energy Policy Context ......................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 4.2 UK Renewable Energy Policy Context ................................................................................................................... 13 4.3 Welsh Renewable Energy Policy Context .............................................................................................................. 18 5 National Planning Policy ..................................................................................................................................... 21 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 21 5.2 National Policy Statements .................................................................................................................................... 21 5.3 National Planning Policy – Wales .......................................................................................................................... 22 5.4 Planning Policy Wales: Technical Advice Note 8: ‘Planning for Renewable Energy’ (2005).................................. 23 5.5 Refinements to SSA C ........................................................................................................................................... 23 5.6 Consideration of SSA Capacity Matters in Section 36 and NSIP Decisions .......................................................... 25 5.7 Reference to Policy and SSAs in the Cabinet Report for Llanbadarn Fynydd ....................................................... 27 5.8 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................... 28 6 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................................... 30 6.2 The Electricity Act 1989 ......................................................................................................................................... 30 6.3 Energy Policy Context ............................................................................................................................................ 30 6.4 National Planning Policy ........................................................................................................................................ 30 7 Appendix 1: Representation at Hearing ............................................................................................................. 32 7.2 Qualifications ......................................................................................................................................................... 32 7.3 Experience ............................................................................................................................................................. 32 COPYRIGHT © JONES LANG LASALLE IP, INC. 2013. All Rights Reserved 2 Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd – Llanbadarn Fynydd Wind Farm Statement of Case 1 Introduction 1.1 Scope of Evidence 1.1.1 The purpose of the opening session of the Public Inquiry to be held on 4 – 7 June 2013 is to deal with planning and energy policy: specifically its interpretation and application. This Statement of Case sets out the evidence which will be presented at the Hearing session on behalf of Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd (“VWP”). It has been prepared by Mr David C Bell BSc (Hons) Dip UD MRTPI MCIHT of Jones Lang LaSalle. Mr Bell’s qualifications and experience are set out at Appendix 1 to this Statement of Case. 1.1.2 The Planning Inspectorate (“PINS”) letter to all Applicants to the conjoined Public Inquiry dated 10 April 2013, states that the Inspector has confirmed that the session on interpretation and application of energy and planning policy can best be dealt with as a structured hearing. It adds that as the context on the hierarchy of international, European, UK and Welsh energy obligations, and the policies to implement those obligations (including local policies) is well understood and has been dealt with at many inquiries, it is expected that a great deal of common ground can quickly be reached on these matters. 1.1.3 The letter adds: “It is however, likely that there will be differences between the parties on the inter-relationship and application of the relevant policies to the specific application sites. In particular it would be helpful to explore any differences of view there might be about the inter-relationship between national energy policy statements NPS EN-1 and NPS EN-3, and Welsh policy, including the spatially specific approach and finite environmental capacities for the Strategic Search Areas set out in TAN8 (as clarified in the Minister’s letter of July 2011). In this regard it would also be helpful to explore any differences of view there might be about whether the Llandinam site should be regarded as being within or without SSA C, for the purposes of TAN8 ”. 1.1.4 The Inspector has also requested that evidence should be set out in the format of a Statement of Case rather than a formal proof of evidence. The letter places emphasis on the role of a Statement of Common Ground (“SCG”) and in this regard, Mr Bell has participated in the preparation of a SCG and he has drawn upon it for the purposes of this Statement. 1.1.5 Whilst the PINS letter of 10 April summarises the scope for the first session of the Inquiry, it should be noted that this reflects to a large extent the first three matters, as set out in the Statement of Matters to be considered at the Inquiry, set out by the Secretary of State (“SoS”). These are referred to in more detail in the next section. 1.1.6 The structure of this Statement of Case is as follows: • In Section 2, background information on the Application and its consideration by Powys County Council are referred to. • In Section 3, an overview of the relevant statutory and regulatory framework applicable to the application is set out. • Section 4 addresses relevant national energy policy. • Section 5 addresses the relevant national planning policy context with particular reference to the applicable National Policy Statements. • Section 6 provides overall conclusions for this stage of the Inquiry. 1.2 The Statement of Matters 1.2.1 The Secretary of State has determined that a Public Inquiry should be held into the unresolved objection by Powys County Council (referred to as “PCC” or “the Council”) to the Application. COPYRIGHT © JONES LANG LASALLE IP, INC. 2013. All Rights Reserved 3 Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd – Llanbadarn Fynydd Wind Farm Statement of Case 1.2.2 The Notice from the Secretary of