Planning, Design and Access Statement for a Single Wind Turbine at Manor Farm, Newton, Staffordshire Report by: Adam Shepherd Checked by: Alison Parker Date: February 2013 Prepared for: Prepared by: Caddick Renewables ADAS UK Ltd 4205 Park Approach Thorpe Park Leeds LS15 8GB Copyright The proposed approach and methodology is protected by copyright and no part of this document may be copied or disclosed to any third party, either before or after the contract is awarded, without the written consent of ADAS. 0936648 4001349 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................1 1.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................1 1.2. Summary of Proposal ....................................................................................1 1.3. The Applicant.................................................................................................1 1.4. Form and Content of the Planning Application...............................................2 2. SITE DEVELOPMENT DESCRIPTION: DESIGN AND ACCESS ....................5 2.1. Site Location ..................................................................................................5 2.2. Development Description...............................................................................7 2.3. Site Selection...............................................................................................10 2.4. Turbine Siting...............................................................................................11 2.5. Planning History...........................................................................................12 3. PLANNING AND ENERGY CONTEXT...........................................................16 3.1. International Renewable Energy Drivers......................................................16 3.2. UK Renewable Energy Drivers ....................................................................16 3.3. National Planning Policy ..............................................................................18 3.4. East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Development Plan: Introduction........20 3.5. West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy....................................................21 3.6. East Staffordshire Local Plan 2006..............................................................24 3.7. Preferred Option East Staffordshire Local Plan: Planning for Change.........26 3.8. Stafford Borough Local Plan: Designations .................................................29 4. PLANNING APPRAISAL OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.................31 4.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................31 4.2. Renewable Energy and Climate Change Mitigation.....................................31 4.3. Local Economy, Farm Diversification and Rural Development ....................33 4.4. Noise............................................................................................................36 4.5. Ecology ........................................................................................................36 4.6. Transportation..............................................................................................39 4.7. Aviation and Telecommunications ...............................................................40 4.8. Water and Hydrology ...................................................................................42 4.9. Landscape and Visual Impact......................................................................43 4.10. Shadow Flicker.........................................................................................48 4.11. Archaeology and Cultural Heritage...........................................................48 5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS..................................................................50 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Introduction 1.1.1. This Planning, Design and Access Statement has been prepared by ADAS UK Ltd to accompany the planning application for a single wind turbine and ancillary development at Manor Farm, Newton, Staffordshire, WS15 3PE. It provides an assessment of the compliance of the proposed development with the planning policy framework. 1.2. Summary of Proposal 1.2.1. The wind turbine would have three blades rotating on a horizontal axis, with a maximum height to blade tip of 74m. 1.2.2. Ancillary development would include a crane hardstanding pad, a collector substation and equipment housing cabinet, one temporary anemometry mast, a temporary plant and equipment storage compound and works to upgrade and extend parts of the existing access road from Newton Lane to the turbine site. 1.2.3. The wind turbine would generate renewable, carbon-free electricity to supply the electrical distribution grid. The wind turbine would generate approximately 1314MWh per annum, equivalent to the electricity requirements of approximately 398 households. This would save 1 approximately 670t of CO 2 per annum . 1.3. The Applicant 1.3.1. The applicant is Caddick Renewables Ltd, a developer and operator of small and medium-scale renewables projects delivered in partnership with farmers and landowners. The partnership approach means that Caddick Renewables’ schemes deliver economic benefits to the local area in addition to renewable electricity and CO 2 emission reductions. 1.3.2. This turbine would be operated by Caddick Renewables Ltd under a lease and revenue share agreement with the landowners. 1 This calculation is based on the DECC 2011 Conversion Factors assuming that electricity obtained from the national grid results in emissions of 0.525kg CO 2/kWh. 1.4. Form and Content of the Planning Application 1.4.1. The Town and County Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 state that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a discretionary requirement where a wind development: • involves the installation of more than two turbines; or • includes a structure where the height exceeds 15 metres. 1.4.2. As the hub height of the turbine would be above 15 metres, an EIA Screening Opinion was requested from East Staffordshire Borough Council and received on 2nd August 2012. The Screening Opinion is appended to the Environmental Appraisal and states that: ‘I confirm that the Local Planning Authority has considered the information submitted, and in accordance with Regulation (5) of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 has concluded that the development does not constitute EIA development and as such a formal Environmental Statement will not be required in this instance’. Therefore, an EIA is not required for the development. 1.4.3. In order to inform decision-making, environmental and technical information has been compiled on noise, ecology, landscape, cultural heritage, shadow flicker, hydrology, aviation, telecommunications and transport. Details on the majority of the above are provided in the Environmental Appraisal, with transport information provided in the Transport Note. A summary of findings and an evaluation of what this means for the acceptability of the development is provided in section 5 of this Statement 1.4.4. Table 1.1 provides a summary of key documents and plans provided to accompany this planning application. This Statement should be read alongside these documents. Table 1.1: Key documents submitted with this planning application Ref. Title Includes N/A Environmental Details on landscape, visual impact, Appraisal cultural heritage, ecology, hydrology, noise, aviation, telecommunications and shadow flicker. CEN4029/ Existing Tree Location of existing trees, the existing and Existing Tree Plan proposed field gates and an existing water Plan pipe. N/A Transport Note Assessment of proposed delivery route, enabling works and access arrangements. CEN4029/ Location Plan Location of the site Location/V1 CEN4029/ Site Site Plan Layout of the turbine, crane pad, sub- Plan station and access from the existing track to the turbine. CEN4029/ V2 Substation Section of the substation building Substation Section Section CEN4029/ V2 Substation Substation elevations and floor plan Substation Elevation Section Candidate Candidate Elevation for the Enercon 48 turbine, the Turbine Turbine candidate turbine for the application. Elevation Elevation Indicative Indicative Indicative elevation for a 50m Anemometry Anemometry anemometry mast. If installed, the mast Mast Elevation Mast Elevation would be erected for a maximum of 2 years. 1.4.5. The wind turbine will have a maximum height of 74m to blade tip. The make, model and specification of the wind turbine will depend on the turbine purchased. As with any technology, particular makes and models of turbines can go out of production and the technology is continually being improved to increase the efficiency of the turbine and minimise the impact on the surrounding area. Therefore, the following information should be treated as indicative and may vary depending on the final model purchased: • information on the ‘candidate turbine’, namely the Enercon 48 (E48); and • information on the final electricity output and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (these factors are likely get better as the technology improves). 1.4.6. The Environmental Appraisal assessed constraints against the maximum blade tip height of 74m and used the E48 to assess opportunities and constraints. Given that different turbines can produce different levels