Case Officer: Sarah Kay File No: CHE/14/00644/FUL Tel. No: 345786 Plot No: 2/3037&1562&3456&3274 Ctte Date: 23rd February 2015 ITEM 3 PROPOSED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC FARM WITH ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD FO 27 YEARS AT LAND TO THE WEST OF DUCKMANTON AND NORTH OF TOM LANE, CHESTERFIELD, DERBYSHIRE FOR RES UK & IRELAND LTD Local Plan: Open countryside and other open land Ward: Hollingwood and Inkersall 1.0 CONSULTATIONS DCC Highways Referred on 22/09/2014 – response received dated 29/10/2014 – see report DCC Planning Consulted on 17/09/2014 – response received dated 10/11/2014 stating DCC Officers were not able to provide comment due to their officer workload DCC Archaeology Consulted on 26/09/2014 – response received dated 08/10/2014 – see report DCC Rights of Way Consulted on 25/09/2014 – response received dated 25/09/2014 – see report Environmental Services Consulted on 17/09/2014 – responses received dated 19/09/2014 – see report Design Services Consulted on 17/09/2014 – response received dated 30/09/2014 – see report Environment Agency Consulted on 17/09/2014 – response received dated 09/10/2014 raising no objections Yorkshire Water Services Consulted on 17/09/2014 – response received dated 22/09/2014 stating their observation are not req’d as no public sewer infrastructure is recorded to cross the site North East Derbyshire DC Consulted on 17/09/2014 – no response received Bolsover DC Consulted on 25/09/2014 – response received dated 14/10/2014 raising no objection in principle however concerns are raised about the visual impact assessment upon Bolsover Castle English Heritage Consulted on 25/09/2014 – response received dated 30/09/2014 – see report Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Consulted on 25/09/2014 – response received dated 02/12/2014 – see report Natural England Consulted on 25/09/2014 – response received dated 30/09/2014 – see report Coal Authority Consulted on 25/09/2014 – responses received dated 06/10/2014 and 05/11/2014 – see report Ward Members Consulted on 16/09/2014 – no response received Neighbours / Site Notice Two representations received 2.0 THE SITE 2.1 The site the subject of the application comprises of land at the former Arkwright open cast mine, off Tom Lane Duckmanton. The majority of the open cast site has since been reclaimed and the fields specific to the application are currently utilised for arable farming. The site extends to approximately 19.5ha. 2.2 Access to the site is from Tom Lane to the south via a track which originally served the open cast workings. The residential settlements of Duckmanton, Inkersall and Staveley / Poolsbrook are situated to the east, west, and north of the site respectively. 2.3 The M1 motorway is approximately 1km to the east of the proposal and links to Tom Lane via Markham Road. The A632 Chesterfield Road runs approximately 1.2km to the south and the Staveley Road/Inkersall Road runs approximately 450m to the west. In addition there are 400kW overhead transmission lines adjacent the west and north of the site towards Inkersall and Poolsbrook Country Park. Footpath 10 also runs alongside the eastern boundary and partially through the northern half of the application site from Tom Lane to Poolsbrook. 2.4 To the immediate west of the application site boundary stands an 85m high wind turbine, which became operational towards the end of 2014. 3.0 SITE HISTORY 3.1 CHE/14/00060/EIA - screening opinion under regulation 5 of the town and country planning (EIA) regulations 2011 for the locating of a temporary (27 year period) solar voltaic farm capable of generating 6.5mw. Screening direction issued by LPA on 07/02/2014 confirming the proposals were not EIA development. 3.2 CHE/13/00420/FUL - installation of one (1) mid scale wind turbine of maximum height to tip of 84m and including: upgraded and new access track, a hardstanding area, a small substation enclosure, temporary guyed meteorological mast and associated infrastructure. Approved conditionally on 19/11/2013. 3.3 North East Derbyshire DC - 14/00563/FL - Construction of 4.9 MW Solar Farm with ancillary buildings, deer fence, cctv, access tracks and landscaping on land NE of Arkwright Town, Cherry Tree Farm, Chesterfield Road Duckmanton, Chesterfield, S44 5JG. Approved conditionally 11/09/2014 but not yet implemented. 4.0 THE PROPOSAL 4.1 The application as submitted details a proposed solar voltaic farm comprising a 7-8MW PV module array. The proposals also detail incidental works including electrical control cabinets, embedded substations, areas of hardstanding for craneage, a grid connection building, cabling, site access and internal access tracks, fencing, cctv and infra red lighting system, a pyranometer mast and construction compound. The application seeks consent for a period of 27 years, which allows for up to a year for construction; a 25 year operational period and up to a year thereafter for decommissioning. 4.2 The PV module array will be erected on a supporting racking system and will cover an area approximately 12ha which will include spacing between the rows and perimeter. The PV modules (solar panels) will be typically 1m x 1.6m x 500mm thick and will be mounted to a maximum height above ground level of 2.5m. The array will be arranged in rows on an east / west axis across the site with the modules mounted 30 degrees from the horizontal facing south to maximise solar gain. 4.3 The installation will require up to 80 small electrical cabinets (1m x 1m x 500mm) which will be positioned near or underneath the array racking to house the cable system that gathers energy from the panels and inverters; and 6 embedded substations are also proposed which will house the transformers and inverters whose function converts DC to AC and up-rate voltage as required by the grid. The substations will be 9m x 3m x 3m. 4.4 The entire installation will be reliant upon various cabling which is to be buried in trenching throughout the site. Trenching will be 1.5m deep and 600mm / 1.5m wide stretching between the array, cabinets, substations to the grid connection building and will contain DC and AC cables as well as communications cabling. 4.5 The grid connection building will house switch gear and metering equipment and is located at the point of connection with the electricity grid (the southern end of the site). The building measures 12m x 6m x 4.5m. 4.6 The proposals will be served by the existing highway access point off Tom Lane and the access track will be upgraded in part by the laying of compacted stone and a geotextile grid. In addition 6 no. hardstanding areas will be formed adjacent each embedded substation measuring 12m x 12m to allow for craneage. 4.7 The site boundary will be secured by 2m high deer fencing which will be sited within field boundaries and a CCTV system (with infra red lighting) will be installed comprising 15 no. 3.5m high columns. The installation also comprises the siting of a pyranometer mast which is a 3m high lattice mast which supports equipment to measure irradiation levels on site. 4.8 The application is supported by the submission of the following documentation: Planning Application Drawing Schedule Planning Statement Design and Access Statement Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (inc. Visuals) Flood Risk Assessment Heritage Statement Statement of Community Involvement Phase I Habitat Survey 4.9 Additional information was submitted by the applicant on 06/01/2015 which comprised: Revised Heritage Statement (further updated on 20/01/2015) Site Selection Appraisal Revised Infrastructure Layout Revised Landscape Mitigation Strategy Schedule of Clarifications 5.0 CONSIDERATIONS 5.1 National/Local Planning Policy 5.1.1 The application site is situated on open countryside / other open land as defined in the Chesterfield Local Plan: Core Strategy 2011 - 2031. Having regard the nature of the application proposals the National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Policy Guidance (NPPF and PPG); and Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy apply. 5.1.2 The NPPF (paragraph 98) directs that when determining planning applications for renewable energy development, Local Planning Authorities should: not require applicants for renewable energy development to demonstrate the overall need for renewable or low carbon energy and also recognise that even small-scale projects provide a valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions; and approve the application if its impacts are (or can be made) acceptable. Once suitable areas for renewable and low carbon energy have been identified in plans, LPAs should also expect subsequent applications for commercial scale projects outside these areas to demonstrate that the proposed location meets the criteria used in identifying suitable sites. 5.1.3 Policy CS5 of the Core Strategy states the Council will support proposals for renewable energy generation particularly where they have wider social, economic and environmental benefits, provided that they: minimise adverse impact on the historic environment including designated heritage assets; minimise adverse impact on the natural landscape and townscape character; minimise adverse impact on nature conservation; minimise adverse impact on amenity - in particular through noise, dust, odour and traffic generation; reduce impact on the open countryside by locating distribution lines below ground where possible; and include provision to reinstate the site if the equipment is no longer in use or has been decommissioned. 5.1.4 Renewable energy developments are widely accepted and solely having regard to the location of the solar farm being proposed, the principle of the development in policy terms is acceptable. Detailed assessment of the local potential impacts of the development must however be considered and in this regard the sections of the report that follow look at each issue in turn.