Dear Ms Townson,
TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACTS
SCREENING OPINION UNDER THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) REGULATIONS 2011
PROPOSED ERECTION OF TWO WIND TURBINES WITH HUB HEIGHT OF 30 METRES
I refer to the above request for a screening opinion pursuant to Regulation 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/1824), received by the local planning authority on 14thNovember 2014. The request letter was accompanied by five appendices: (1) Design and Access Statement (2) Location Plan (3) Ecological Appraisal (4)
This letter constitutes the formal screening opinion of the local planning authority in respect of the above development based on the information provided. In accordance with the Regulations and having regards to the National Planning Practice Guidance Annex: Indicative Screening Thresholds (Paragraph 057 Reference ID: 4-057-20140306) the Local Planning Authority has adopted the screening opinion that the proposal is not EIA development, the reasoning for which is set out below.
Reasoning:
The development proposals fall within part 3 (i) of Schedule 2 of the Regulations, Installations for the harnessing of wind power for energy production (wind farms) and the height of the hub exceeds the threshold in column 2 (ii). This therefore requires an assessment of the proposal in relation to Schedule 3. The selection criteria for screening Schedule 2 development requires the following to be assessed:
- Characteristics of development;
- Location of development; and,
- Characteristics of the potential development.
The turbines would not be located in a sensitive area as defined by the regulations. The wind turbines would not be a major development of more than local importance and would not impact on any particularly environmentally sensitive or vulnerable locations, nor would they result in unusually complex or hazardous environmental effects. The generating capacity of the turbines would be significantly below the 500kW threshold noted in the National Planning Practice Guidance Annex: Indicative Screening Thresholds (Reference ID: 4-057-20140306). The ecological report, in line with Natural England guidance TIN051, recommends that turbine 1 be re-sited further to the north to comply with minimum stand off distances. Subject to this mitigation, the Local Planning Authority is of the opinion that the development is notdevelopment requiring environmental impact assessment.
Advisory Comments
A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment should be submitted with any subsequent planning application. This should include:
a)Detailed description of the full extent of the proposed wind turbine works,
b)Zone of Theoretical Visibility Map - This should cover an area of up to 5km radius and show the zone of theoretical visibility (ZTV) of the proposed turbine at full height (this may not be a requirement however I have not had confirmation from the LCC AONB Officer),
c)Visualisations - Approximately 8 photomontages from a range of viewpoints within a 3km radius of the proposed turbine.
d)Assessment of the site and wider landscape's sensitivity and capacity to wind energy development. The Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development in Lancashire studyshould inform any assessment.
e)Assessment of impacts on landscape character, landscape value, landscape amenity and landscape fabric.
f)Assessment of visual impacts.
g)Assessment of cumulative impacts with operational and consented wind energy development.
h)Possible mitigation of impacts.
i)Assessment of the proposals against the key tests of planning policy.
I trust that these additional comments are helpful, however should you wish to seek formal pre-application advice as to the likely acceptability or otherwise of this proposal, the Council do offer this service. Forms are available on our website and there is a charge for the service.
Should you wish to discuss the above, or require further clarification on planning application submission requirements, please contact my planning officer, Daniela Ripa, on the direct line number at the head of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
John Macholc
Head of Planning
Chief Executive: Marshal Scott CPFA
Directors: John Heap B.Eng. C. Eng. MICE, Jane Pearson CPFA