SPONSORS OF TYNE & TEES FEATURE
PLANNING PROCESS... • Assessment of the potential for a turbine on the landholding followed by selecting the most appropriate turbine for the site in terms of output and scale in the landscape
• Identification of constraints – ecology, archaeology, aviation and Ministry of Defence radar, telecommunications, and visual impact issues – the site is near the historic town of Hexham, in the Green Belt and less than 2km from the North pennines Area of outstanding Natural beauty (AoNb)
• pre-application consultations with Northumberland County Council, followed by EIA screening resulted in a decision that an EIA was not required, but detailed survey and assessment of impacts was. the NCC planning team were open-minded to the proposal
• Maps showing Zone of theoretical Visibility produced by North Energy and viewpoints agreed with NCC for photomontages
• photomontages prepared by North Energy were discussed with NCC
• A year of surveys and research found no overriding reason why there should not be a turbine in the area selected at the east end of the racecourse
• technical assessments by North Energy and other local specialists were written up to accompany the planning application, including Landscape and Visual Impact, Ecological, and Aviation Radar impacts. A comprehensive planning Statement prepared by North Energy’s planning policy expert, showed how the project fitted local and national planning policy
• planning application pulled together and submitted along with specialist reports, plans, site layout map and copies of consultation responses
CONSULTATION
Following internal and external consultation by the NCC planning team the planning officer‘s report to planning Committee concluded that the application should be approved.
The application was however refused by the planning Committee on grounds of visual impact on the AoNb, Hadrian’s Wall and the historic core of Hexham and because the committee considered that not enough evidence had been presented to demonstrate a special case for the turbine to be sited in the Green Belt. This was a huge disappointment to the client and the North Energy team as the signs had been good up to that point.
NEXT STEPS – PLANNING APPEAL A meeting with a planning lawyer, experienced with wind projects, was set up and concluded that there was a very good case to fight. It was clear that the NCC reasons for refusal did not stand up to scrutiny, particularly as they went against the professional advice of the Council’s own planning, landscape and heritage teams and even national protection bodies such as English Heritage and Natural England had not objected to the proposal.
REPRESENTATIONS Written representations were prepared, background reports updated and additional work on visual impact proved that it was impossible to see the turbine from Hexham’s historic core or from Hadrian’s Wall, apart from minute glimpses.
More evidence was provided on the special case why the benefits of the turbine both in terms of carbon saving and also of economic benefit to the racecourse, outweighed the local impacts on the Green belt and AoNb. the whole process was guided by the planning lawyer from Squire Sanders of Leeds and the submission was made by them.
STATE OF PLAY
The council’s response is awaited and if necessary North Energy will provide responses to their arguments. The Inspector will then weigh up the case and make a site visit.
Finally he will report with a decision, probably in Autumn 2013.
Dr Garry Jenkins
North Energy Associates Ltd
www.northenergy.co.uk
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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