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OTHER SPG CONSIDERATIONS
LANDSCAPE/VISUAL ASSESSMENTS
63. Impacts on landscapes and communities are recognised as criteria for assessing applications in paragraph 25 of SPP6. PAN 45 provides advice on landscape and visual impact issues. The assessments will have to be based on an assumed turbine size and may indicate how policy might need to respond to the interaction between size and impact. While visual and landscape assessments, including work on Landscape Character and Capacity Assessments, are not specifically identified in Annex A as a discrete stage in the process of preparing a spatial framework they will provide important information for the consideration of several issues and the development of policy for them, including:
- green belts;
- cumulative impacts;
- areas of regional and local natural heritage value;
- historic environment;
- tourism and recreational interests;
- communities; and
- other natural heritage interests.
Sources of Information
(This also references and has hyperlinks to Topic Papers on practice, methods and techniques)
CRITERIA-BASED POLICIES
64. Paragraph 25 of SPP6 says that in all instances applications should be assessed in relation to criteria-based policies. Generally, the broad criteria for assessing all proposals are likely to include those set out below and they should therefore be addressed in the SPG, either through the spatial framework or separately as appropriate. It is likely that the more fully they are addressed during the preparation of the spatial framework the easier it will be to assess specific applications.
- impacts on landscapes,
- impacts on the historic environment,
- ecology (including birds),
- biodiversity and nature conservation;
- the water environment,
- communities,
- aviation,
- communications,
- noise,
- shadow flicker, and
- cumulative impacts.
65. The SPG may also include a reminder of the other regulatory controls that will apply to proposals. For example, the requirement for a consent to be sought from SNH if an activity is covered by an "Operation requiring Consent" on a SSSI. For example the requirement to have the written approval of the planning authority (competent authority) if it is felt likely that a development will have a significant effect on a European site
FORESTRY
66. The Scottish Forestry Strategy (see below) has an indicative target of increasing woodland cover from 17% to 25% of the land area by the middle of the century in a way which fully integrates it with other land uses and contributes positively to other agendas such as energy policy. Woodland removal (see policy below) should achieve significant and clearly defined public benefits and one of the reasons it is most likely to be appropriate is when it would contribute significantly to climate change mitigation or adaptation. Forestry is not however a topic identified in Annex A of SPP6 as relevant to preparing spatial frameworks. Forestry Commission Scotland ( FCS) serves as the forestry directorate of the Scottish Government, advising on and implementing forestry policy and managing the national forest estate. It has a statutory duty to promote sustainable forestry and can advise on deforestation issues associated with wind farm proposals.
The Scottish Forestry Strategy can be seen at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/SFS2006fcfc101.pdf/$FILE/SFS2006fcfc101.pdf
The Scottish Forestry Implementation Plan 2008 - 2011 can be seen at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/impplan0811.pdf/$FILE/impplan0811.pdf
The Forestry Commission policy on woodland removal can be seen at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/Policywoodlremovpdf.pdf/$FILE/Policywoodlremovpdf.pdf
Circular 9/1999 Indicative Forestry Strategies is under review and updated advice is to be prepared.
APPLICATIONS OF 20 MW AND BELOW
67. Annex A to SPP6 applies to preparing a spatial framework for wind farms over 20 MW. The SPP also says "the extent to which considerations set out in Annex A are relevant to proposals below 20 megawatts will be dependent on the scale of development proposed whilst recognising that the design and location of any development must reflect the scale and character of the landscape. This should be recognised in development plans…"(paragraph 24)
68. Bearing in mind the scale of many proposals below 20 MW and taking into account the range of sizes which such proposals may have, it is likely that the considerations which are relevant will only be identifiable in the context of a specific case and not in the SPG. The areas that will be afforded significant protection are however likely to be a consideration. The SPG should also contain general policies for proposals below 20 MW so that the wind farm design, including the number and height of turbines, and location reflect the scale and character of the landscape. .
SINGLE TURBINES
69. Single turbines of a similar size to those on wind farms are likely to be of increasing interest to developers in urban and rural areas where the power can be used on-site or can be exported to the grid. One turbine is likely have a far smaller impact than a wind farm, other things being equal, but if several single turbines are constructed in the same area, cumulative impact may be an issue. The height of the hub and the length of the blades, the scale and character of the landscape and impacts on amenity are likely to be some of the important considerations. SPG may therefore seek to address the issues including:
- securing information from the applicant if an EIA is not required;
- describing when a landscape study (see below) will be required;
- possible cumulative impacts including those on the landscape;
- encouraging co-ordination between applicants where cumulative impact is an issue;
- maintaining public safety and appropriate distances from nearby development;
- local amenity and
- radar, aviation and broadcasting issues.
70. SNH has published new guidance for developments of up to 3 turbines where an EIA is not required. See:
Natural heritage assessment of small scale wind energy projects which do not require formal Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA) SNH 2008 http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/strategy/Assofsmallscalewindenergyprojects.pdf
IN-SHORE PROPOSALS
71. Planning authorities will be consulted by the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit on Electricity Act applications which are located below low water mark, even though they are outwith planning control. In this context, under the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2000, authorities will be consulted as interested public bodies rather than as planning authorities. Authorities are therefore advised to include policies in their SPG which will provide the basis for comment, including on conditions, regarding in-shore S36 applications. The advice elsewhere in this PAN can be applied as appropriate. NPPG 13 Coastal Planning does not specifically address planning for renewable energy developments below the low water mark. The issues and considerations which may be relevant include:
- Managing effects on recreational interests, land, water and air based;
- visual impact from the shoreline and from further inland;
- visual impact when seen from off-shore against the backdrop of the land;
- impact on seascape and landscape;
- effects on nature conservation interests;
- effects on the marine and coastal historic environment
- method of attaching the turbine to the sea bed;
- existing uses of the sea bed, though it is for applicants to consult the Crown Estates Commissioners; and
- on-shore connections and related development.
Sources:
NPPG 13 Coastal Planning. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/1997/08/nppg13-coastal
NPPG 14 - Natural Heritage. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/1999/01/nppg14
Designated Wrecks and marine historic environment http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/wrecksites.htm
"An Assessment of the Sensitivity and Capacity of the Scottish Seascape in Relation to Windfarms", SNH Commissioned Report No: 103, 2005
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