BARLOCKHART MOOR WIND DEVELOPMENT · Figure 1.3 Typical Wind Turbine Detail ... Please describe the proposed development including any change of use: ... Biodiversity and Geological

Prepared By

West Coast Energy Limited Mynydd Awel

Mold Business Park Maes Gwern

Mold CH7 1XN

SALDEN WIND FARM PLANNING APPLICATION

PLANNING APPLICATION FORMS

CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Application 1.2 Structure of the Documents 1.3 Pre-Application Consultation

CHAPTER TWO – SITE SELECTION & PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Site Selection 2.3 Site Design 2.4 Project Description 2.5 Construction 2.6 Site Reinstatement 2.7 Decommissioning

CHAPTER THREE – DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT 3.1 Design & Access – Legislative Provision 3.2 Appraising the Context 3.3 Design Component 3.4 Access Component

CHAPTER FOUR – PLANNING APPRAISAL 4.1 Introduction 4.2 National Planning Policy 4.3 The Development Plan 4.4 Local Planning Policy 4.5 Local Impacts 4.6 Public Perception & Tourism Impacts 4.7 Benefits of Salden Wind Farm 4.8 Conclusions

FIGURES & PLANS Figure 1.1 Site Location & AIL Transportation Route Figure 1.2 Site Layout & Application Boundary Figure 1.3 Typical Wind Turbine Detail Figure 1.4 Typical Access Track, Cable Trench, Turbine Foundation &

Installation Area Figure 1.5 Typical Substation Building Figure 1.6 Site Entrance Detail

SALDEN WIND FARM

Planning Application Forms

Ref: 04: 4692 Planning Portal Reference:

Application for Planning Permission. Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Publication of applications on planning authority websites. Please note that the information provided on this application form and in supporting documents may be published on the Authority’s website. If you require any further clarification, please contact the Authority’s planning department.

1. Applicant Name, Address and Contact Details

Title: Mr First name: Neil Surname: Foxall

Company name North Bucks Wind Energy Ltd

Street address: Mynydd Awel

Mold Business Park

Maes Gwern

Town/City Mold

County: Flintshire

Country: United Kingdom

Postcode: CH7 1XN

Are you an agent acting on behalf of the applicant? NoYes

Country Code

National Number

Extension Number

Mobile number:

Telephone number:

Fax number:

Email address:

2. Agent Name, Address and Contact Details

Title: Mr First Name: Neil Surname: Foxall

Company name: West Coast Energy Ltd

Street address: Mynydd Awel

Maes Gwern

Mold Business Park

Town/City Mold

County: Flintshire / Sir y Fflint

Country: United Kingdom

Postcode: CH7 1XN

01352

Country Code

Extension Number

757604

National Number

07771 663980

[email protected]

Mobile number:

Telephone number:

Fax number:

Email address:

3. Description of the Proposal

Please describe the proposed development including any change of use:

Construction of four wind turbines up to a maximum height of 115 metres (to vertical blade tip) with ancillary infrastructure including substation, access tracks and crane hardstandings and temporary storage compound for a temporary period of 25 years.

Has the building, work or change of use already started? NoYes


4. Site Address Details

Description of location or a grid reference (must be completed if postcode is not known):

Full postal address of the site (including full postcode where available)

House: Suffix:

House name: Land at Cowpastures Farm

Street address: Drayton Road

Newton Longville

Town/City: Milton Keynes

County:

Postcode: MK17 0BU

Easting: 483854

Northing: 230293

Description:

5. Pre-application AdviceHas assistance or prior advice been sought from the local authority about this application? NoYes

If Yes, please complete the following information about the advice you were given (this will help the authority to deal with this application more efficiently):

Officer name:

Title: Mr First name: Bill Surname: Nicholson

Reference: Various

Date (DD/MM/YYYY): Various (Must be pre-application submission)

Details of the pre-application advice received:

Various pre application advice including no. of EIA copies and scoping opinion.

6. Pedestrian and Vehicle Access, Roads and Rights of Way

Is a new or altered vehicle access proposed to or from the public highway? NoYes

Is a new or altered pedestrian access proposed to or from the public highway? NoYes

Are there any new public roads to be provided within the site? NoYes

Are there any new public rights of way to be provided within or adjacent to the site? NoYes

Do the proposals require any diversions/extinguishments and/or creation of rights of way? NoYes

If you answered Yes to any of the above questions, please show details on your plans/drawings and state the reference of the plan(s)/drawings(s)

Vehicular access - please refer to Figure 1.6, ES Volume 3 and Chapter 9, ES Volume 9 for further details.

7. Waste Storage and Collection

Do the plans incorporate areas to store and aid the collection of waste? NoYes

Have arrangements been made for the separate storage and collection of recyclable waste? NoYes

8. Authority Employee/Member

With respect to the Authority, I am: (a) a member of staff (b) an elected member (c) related to a member of staff (d) related to an elected member Do any of these statements apply to you? NoYes

9. Materials

Please state what materials (including type, colour and name) are to be used externally (if applicable):


9. (Materials continued)

Walls - description:Description of existing materials and finishes:

N/A

Description of proposed materials and finishes:

Substation - materials to be agreed with LPA

Roof - description:Description of existing materials and finishes:

N/A


Substation - materials to be agreed with LPA

Vehicle access and hard standing - description:Description of existing materials and finishes:

Existing tracks consist of crushed stone


New and upgraded tracks to use crushed stone

Are you supplying additional information on submitted plan(s)/drawing(s)/design and access statement? NoYes

If Yes, please state references for the plan(s)/drawing(s)/design and access statement:

Substation - please refer to Figure 1.5, ES Volume 3 Tracks - please refer to Figure 1.4, ES Volume 3 Design and Access statement available within Chapter 3, Planning Application

10. Vehicle Parking

Please provide information on the existing and proposed number of on-site parking spaces:

Type of vehicle Existing number of spaces

Total proposed (including spaces retained)

Difference in spaces

Cars 0 0 0

Light goods vehicles/public carrier vehicles 0 0 0

Motorcycles 0 0 0

Disability spaces 0 0 0

Cycle spaces 0 0 0

Other (e.g. Bus) 0 0 0

Short description of Other

11. Foul Sewage

Please state how foul sewage is to be disposed of:

Mains sewer

Septic tank

Package treatment plant

Cess pit

Unknown

Other

Are you proposing to connect to the existing drainage system? NoYes Unknown

12. Assessment of Flood Risk

Is the site within an area at risk of flooding? (Refer to the Environment Agency's Flood Map showing flood zones 2 and 3 and consult Environment Agency standing advice and your local planning authority requirements for information as necessary.) NoYes

If Yes, you will need to submit an appropriate flood risk assessment to consider the risk to the proposed site.

Is your proposal within 20 metres of a watercourse (e.g. river, stream or beck)? NoYes

Will the proposal increase the flood risk elsewhere? NoYes

How will surface water be disposed of?

Sustainable drainage system

Existing watercourseSoakaway

Main sewer Pond/lake


13. Biodiversity and Geological Conservation

Having referred to the guidance notes, is there a reasonable likelihood of the following being affected adversely or conserved and enhanced within the application site, OR on land adjacent to or near the application site:

Yes, on the development site Yes, on land adjacent to or near the proposed development No

a) Protected and priority species

To assist in answering the following questions refer to the guidance notes for further information on when there is a reasonable likelihood that any important biodiversity or geological conservation features may be present or nearby and whether they are likely to be affected by your proposals.

b) Designated sites, important habitats or other biodiversity features


c) Features of geological conservation importance


14. Existing UsePlease describe the current use of the site:

Agricultural

Is the site currently vacant? NoYes

Does the proposal involve any of the following? If yes, you will need to submit an appropriate contamination assessment with your application.

Land which is known to be contaminated? NoYes

Land where contamination is suspected for all or part of the site? NoYes

A proposed use that would be particularly vulnerable to the presence of contamination? NoYes

15. Trees and Hedges

Are there trees or hedges on the proposed development site? NoYes

And/or: Are there trees or hedges on land adjacent to the proposed development site that could influence the development or might be important as part of the local landscape character? NoYes

If Yes to either or both of the above, you may need to provide a full Tree Survey, at the discretion of your local planning authority. If a Tree Survey is required, this and the accompanying plan should be submitted alongside your application. Your local planning authority should make clear on its website what the survey should contain, in accordance with the current 'BS5837: Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction - Recommendations'.

16. Trade Effluent

Does the proposal involve the need to dispose of trade effluents or waste? NoYes

17. Residential Units

Does your proposal include the gain or loss of residential units? NoYes

18. All Types of Development: Non-residential Floorspace

Does your proposal involve the loss, gain or change of use of non-residential floorspace? NoYes

19. Employment

If known, please complete the following information regarding employees:

Full-time Part-time Equivalent number of full-time

Existing employees 0 0 0

Proposed employees 0 0 0

20. Hours of Opening

If known, please state the hours of opening for each non-residential use proposed:

Use Monday to Friday Start Time End Time

Saturday Start Time End Time

Sunday and Bank Holidays Start Time End Time

Not Known

Other

21. Site Area

hectares09.43What is the site area?


22. Industrial or Commercial Processes and Machinery

Please describe the activities and processes which would be carried out on the site and the end products including plant, ventilation or air conditioning. Please include the type of machinery which may be installed on site:

Construction and operation of four wind turbines and ancillary infrastructure.

Is the proposal for a waste management development? NoYes

23. Hazardous Substances

NoYesIs any hazardous waste involved in the proposal?

24. Site Visit

Can the site be seen from a public road, public footpath, bridleway or other public land? NoYes

If the planning authority needs to make an appointment to carry out a site visit, whom should they contact? (Please select only one)

The applicantThe agent Other person

25. Certificates (Certificate B)

Certificate of Ownership - Certificate B Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010 Certificate under Article 12

I certify/ The applicant certifies that I have/the applicant has given the requisite notice to everyone else (as listed below) who, on the day 21 days before the date of this application, was the owner (owner is a person with a freehold interest or leasehold interest with at least 7 years left to run) and/or agricultural tenant (“agricultural tenant” has the meaning given in section 65(8) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) of any part of the land or building to which this application relates.

Owner/Agricultural Tenant Date notice served

Street: Cowpasture Farm

Town: Newton Longville

Postcode: MK17 0BU

Suffix:Number:

Locality:

Name Brian and Valerie Wood

03/12/2013

Person role: Agent

Title: Mr First name: Neil Surname: Foxall

Declaration date: 28/11/2013 Declaration made

26. Declaration

I/we hereby apply for planning permission/consent as described in this form and the accompanying plans/drawings and additional information. I/we confirm that, to the best of my/our knowledge, any facts stated are true and accurate and any opinions given are the genuine opinions of the person(s) giving them. Date 28/11/2013

SALDEN WIND FARM

Chapter One

Introduction


CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

NORTH BUCKS WIND ENERGY LTD INTRODUCTION Page 1 - 1

1.1 THE APPLICATION 1.1.1 This Planning Application and accompanying Environmental Statement

(ES) have been submitted by North Bucks Wind Energy Ltd (NBWEL). Consent is sought under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, for the construction of a four turbine wind farm and associated ancillary development on land forming part of Cowpasture Farm, Newton Longville. The proposal will be referred to as Salden Wind Farm.

1.1.2 The Salden application seeks consent for the installation of four, up to

2.5MW wind turbine generators and associated ancillary development. The maximum base to vertical blade tip height of the turbines will be up to 115m. Further details on the project are set out in Chapter 2 of this document.

1.2 STRUCTURE OF THE DOCUMENTS 1.2.1 In total, five documents are submitted, collectively comprising of the

Planning Application and accompanying Environmental Statement.

1. Planning Application and Supporting Information (this document) - includes the planning application forms, a project description, a design and access statement, a planning appraisal statement and site location plans and relevant drawings.

2. Volume 1: ES - Written Text - contains the written text of the Environmental Impact Assessment studies. The structure of Volume 1 is as follows:

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Site Selection & Project Description

Chapter 3 Need, Benefit & Socio-Economic Impact

Chapter 4 Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment

Chapter 5 Cultural Heritage

Chapter 6 Geology, Hydrology & Hydrogeology

Chapter 7 Ecology & Ornithology Assessment

Chapter 8 Noise Assessment

Chapter 9 Safety & Infrastructure

3. Volume 2: ES Technical Appendices - contains the Appendices

associated with the Environmental Impact Assessment Volume 1;

4. Volume 3: ES Figures and Visual Representations – contains the various maps and figures that support the assessments presented in Volumes 1 and 2;

5. Non-Technical Summary (NTS) - an executive summary of the Environmental Statement, summarising the proposed development, its potential environmental effects and proposed mitigation measures.


NORTH BUCKS WIND ENERGY LTD INTRODUCTION Page 1 - 2

1.3 PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATION

1.3.1 The EIA Regulations provide for obtaining a ‘Scoping Opinion’ from the planning authority on the information to be provided in the ES. The authority is then obliged to consult other statutory consultation bodies before issuing their opinion.

1.3.2 WCE requested a scoping opinion from Aylesbury Vale District Council on

6th November 2012. A scoping opinion was issued by the Council dated 26th February 2013, which set out key issues to be addressed by any Environmental Impact Assessment.

1.3.3 Copies of the full ES and application documentation can be purchased for

£250.00 in hard copy and £10 for CD copy. The Non-Technical Summary is available free of charge, on request. Alternatively the documents are available to download on the West Coast Energy website.

1.3.4 Please contact West Coast Energy at; Mynydd Awel, Mold Business Park,

Maes Gwern, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1XN. Tel: 01352 757604. Email: [email protected].

SALDEN WIND FARM

Chapter Two

Site Selection & Project Description


CHAPTER TWO: SITE SELECTION & PROJECT DESCRIPTION

NORTH BUCKS WIND ENERGY LTD SITE SELECTION & PROJECT DESCRIPTION Page 2 - 1

2.1 INTRODUCTION 2.1.1 This Chapter describes the site selection process that was undertaken,

provides an overview of the project (full details are contained within Chapter 2, ES Volume 1).

2.1.2 While some engineering-related and technical detail will only be finalised upon award of construction contracts, and may vary according to the specific turbines and contractors used, this would not have a material impact on the EIA undertaken. The descriptions used allow for an assessment of the maximum potential effect of the development within each assessment area. The final project layout and design is not expected to be significantly different from that described in this chapter.

2.2 SITE SELECTION 2.2.1 The national energy policy framework provides that renewable energy

resources can only be developed where they occur, and where it is economically viable to harness them. The selection of an appropriate site with the potential to support a wind development is a complex and lengthy process. It involves examining and balancing a number of technical, environmental and planning issues. Only when it has been determined that a site is not subject to major known technical, economic or environmental restrictions is the decision made to invest further resources in carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and developing the detailed design of the proposed project.

2.2.2 The strategic selection process adopted to identify potentially suitable

sites for a wind farm initially involves the use of a sieving exercise to eliminate areas that are unsuitable for any number of reasons and to identify sites that may be appropriate, subject to further assessment. The site evaluation process begins with a desk-based analysis and review of documentary evidence, which give an indication of the long-term mean annual wind speeds within a particular area.

2.2.3 Following on from this, a range of factors are then considered, which might affect the suitability of an area for a wind farm and which might potentially constrain development. Prospective sites are thus considered against the following criteria:

The wind resource - the electrical power output of a wind turbine, and hence the financial viability of a wind farm project, is fundamentally determined by the power of the wind;

Whether a connection to the local electricity distribution system can be secured.

Potential impact on any designated areas of national and local importance, and all aspects of landscape, nature conservation, archaeology and cultural heritage;

Hydrology, geology and general ground conditions;

Proximity of residential properties;

Potential impact on Ministry of Defence or Civil Aviation Authority operations and safeguarding zones;



Potential impacts on telecommunications and microwave links;

Access from the site to the public highway;

Suitability of transportation routes to the site;

Landowner participation i.e. availability of the land.

2.2.4 Following the desk-based analysis, a number of site visits are then

undertaken to verify information. Salden was identified as a potential site because of the following primary attributes:

The mean annual wind speed across the majority of the site is commercially viable;

The site is not considered to adversely affect any statutory landscape designations;

The site does not directly affect any cultural heritage or archaeological interests;

The site is not considered to have significant adverse effects upon statutory nature conservation interests;

The development would not adversely affect any civilian or military aviation operations or safeguarding zones;

The site is sufficiently distant from properties for potential noise not to have a detrimental impact upon residential amenity;

There is a feasible and economically viable connection to the electricity distribution network available;

Transportation routes to the site are suitable for the construction traffic; and

The landowners are fully engaged in the project. Their day to day agricultural operation can continue unimpeded during the operation of the wind turbine.

2.2.5 The preliminary consultation process (i.e. scoping opinion received from

the local planning authority and other key stakeholders) identified the issues requiring consideration and/or more detailed study as part of the formal EIA of the proposed development. Consultee responses received did not raise any issues which represented reasons to reject the site. The list of consultees involved in the scoping process and pre-application consultation is provided in Volume 1, Chapter 1, ES Volume 1.

2.3 SITE DESIGN 2.3.1 Having identified the Salden site as suitable in principle for a wind energy

development, the layout and siting of turbines and associated infrastructure was determined through the EIA process, as reported within the accompanying Environmental Statement documents. Environmental and technical constraints both within and outside of the development site were identified and mapped. Through a dynamic site design process of iterations and refinement, the potential impacts of the proposal have been minimised. The final design sites the turbines in order to capture the maximum wind energy whilst respecting the environmental and technical constraints.

2.3.2 Environmental constraints were identified by consultation with relevant bodies and specialist EIA studies for aspects such as landscape/visual,



access / transport, ecology / ornithology and noise. These included ensuring adequate separation distances between turbines and neighbouring residential properties to ensure that noise emissions limits are met.

2.3.3 From the outset, the primary goal of the project was to produce a site

design that is visually sympathetic and environmentally sustainable, i.e. ensuring minimal impact to the local environment through the layout of turbine positions, choice of turbine engineering specifications, route of site access roads, and location of ancillary structures.

2.3.4 The phases of iterative design were underpinned by a continuous and dynamic process of site evaluation, environmental appraisal, and consultation with various statutory and non-statutory organisations (Table 1.1, Chapter 1, ES Volume 1,). The process of environmental engineering involved has enabled the project design to inherently avoid (mitigate) potential environmental effects i.e. embedded mitigation. As a result, mitigation is not just used as an ‘add on’ measure to ameliorate significant environmental effects, but rather is embedded as part of the design process itself.

2.3.5 The design inputs have therefore included balancing a mix of environmental, engineering, technical and landscape/visual considerations. Significant efforts have been made to ensure that the project design reflects the findings and recommendations of the extensive consultations and assessments undertaken. The results of these consultations and assessments are contained in the individual chapters within this Environmental Statement.

2.4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Site Layout

2.4.1 The layout for the proposed site is shown in Figure 1.2 of this Planning Application document. The plan indicates the position of the:

Four turbines, up to 115m tip,

vehicular entrance junction;

route of the on-site access tracks;

substation building; and

temporary construction compound area, site office and welfare facilities.

The location of these project elements has been determined after a careful process of iteration and refinement as described above.

2.4.2 The red line planning application site area equates to around 9.43ha. This red line boundary assumes an element of micrositing for the turbine and its associated infrastructure within the relevant constraints of the site in order to allow for some flexibility during the construction process. The actual development footprint of the proposed site, including the turbine and associated infrastructure such as a crane hardstanding, substation, new internal access track and site access (but excluding temporary features) equates to approximately:



Table 2.1: Infrastructure Areas Infrastructure Area

Access Tracks 19,935 sq m

Crane Hardstanding 6,000 sq m

Swept Area of Turbine 26,515 sq m

Substation 120 sq m

Temporary Construction Compound 800 sq m

Total development area 53, 370 sq m

2.4.3 The wind turbines are positioned to capture the maximum energy whilst

taking into account the defined environmental and technical constraints. This is achieved through the use of wind flow modelling software and wind speed data gained from on-site measurements from the 10m mast and SODAR. On-site and off-site constraints are determined by consultations and environmental impact assessments undertaken as part of the planning and design process.

2.4.4 While some engineering related and technical detail will only be finalised

upon award of construction contracts, and may vary according to the specific turbines and contractors used, this would not have a material impact on the EIA undertaken. The descriptions used allow for an assessment of the maximum potential effect of the development within each assessment area. The final project layout and design is not expected to be significantly different from that described in this chapter.

Wind Turbine Specification 2.4.5 The proposal is for four turbines with a maximum height to blade tip of up

to 115m when the blades reach their highest point. As is usual with any wind energy development, some flexibility is required in specifying turbine dimensions. Whilst the accompanying planning application is seeking a maximum blade tip height of up to 115m, the hub height (or tower height) and the rotor diameter of the turbine will vary slightly between different manufacturers. It is normal practice with any wind energy planning application for the final turbine dimensions, manufacturer and detailed specification to be approved at the post-consent stage through a planning condition.

2.4.6 The wind turbines will be a three bladed, horizontal axis design, and have

a rated capacity of up to 2.5MW each. The turbines will be mounted on a tapered tubular steel tower and consist of a nacelle containing the gearbox, generator and associated equipment to which are attached a hub and rotor assembly including three glass fibre-reinforced polyester blades. At its base, the turbine tower would be approximately 4m in diameter. A transformer, sited either within the base of the tower or externally sited a few metres from the turbine tower, would boost the voltage of the turbine’s electricity output from 690 volts to 33,000 volts. An illustration of this indicative turbine type is presented in Figure 1.3.

2.4.7 At this stage the specific colour of the proposed turbines have not been

decided. It is now almost standard across the industry for turbines to be coloured a pale grey/off-white with a semi-matt finish to reduce their contrast with the background sky, minimise reflections, and to present a clean appearance. It is expected that the exact colour and finish



specification will be determined by post consent condition in consultation with Aylesbury Vale District Council.

2.4.8 The turbines will normally start operating when the wind speed reaches

approximately 3 metres per second. When the wind speed sensors of the turbine determine there is a sufficient wind speed for operation, the yaw mechanism turns the turbine so that the blades face into the wind. The turbine is designed to withstand wind speeds in excess of 60 metres per second and have a failsafe shut down system that will stop the turbine even in the event of total power loss.

2.4.9 The turbines are equipped with lightning protection, which protects the

entire turbine from the tips of the blades to the foundation. In the event of a lightning strike, the system is designed to lead the lightning energy around the sensitive parts of the turbine and down into the ground minimising damage to equipment. Noise damping is also an integral part of the turbine design to ensure that noise emissions are kept within acceptable levels. The turbine is designed to work within a climatic range of minus 20 to plus 40 degrees centigrade and will be fitted with safety systems to detect the accumulation of ice.

Micrositing

2.4.10 As is common practice with wind farm development, the applicant is requesting the precise location of the turbines (whilst respecting all known constraints) be micro-sited to within a 30m radius of the location shown on the layout plan (Figure 1.2). It is also requested that the access tracks and other associated development will be micro-sited to within 2.5m (each side) of the position shown. This micro-siting will allow ground conditions, following detailed engineering investigation, to be fully taken into account. The micro-siting allowance can be controlled by Aylesbury Vale District Council through a suitably worded planning condition.

Turbine Foundations & Crane Hardstandings

2.4.11 The foundations proposed for the turbines are an inverted ‘T’ in section consisting of a reinforced central concrete pedestal approximately 4.75 metres square, together with a reinforced concrete slab approximately 18 metres square. The maximum intended depth of the foundations is approximately 2 - 3m. The tower will be attached to the foundation with 3m long foundation bolts embedded into the concrete. Figure 1.4 contains plans and sections of the typical foundation design.

2.4.12 Actual turbine foundation design and dimensions will be specific to the site

conditions as verified during the detailed site investigations, undertaken before commencing construction. Depending on the ground conditions encountered, it is possible that a piled foundation design may be required which involve installing a series of concrete piles per turbine, with each pile being bored or driven until the underlying bedrock is reached. The excavated area required for each turbine base will be approximately 20 metres square.

2.4.13 Hardstanding areas are required at the base of each wind turbine for

cranes and other vehicles during erection and maintenance of the wind



turbines. The hardstanding areas are formed from crushed stone, each approximately 30m wide by 50m long. The hardstanding areas will be left in place after completion of the wind farm construction, as they will provide access for maintenance, repairs and eventual decommissioning of the wind farm.

Substation & Grid Connection

2.4.14 The electrical power produced by the turbine will be fed to an on-site substation by underground cables. The location of the substation is shown in Figure 1.2.

2.4.15 The substation building will measure approximately 15m by 8 m by 5.5m high and will be constructed and finished using materials that are in keeping with the area and in accordance with details to be approved by planning condition by Aylesbury Vale District Council. The building will accommodate all of the equipment necessary for automatic remote control and monitoring of the wind turbine, together with the electrical switchgear, fault protection and metering equipment required to connect the wind turbine to the electricity distribution network. Further details of the substation are shown on Figure 1.5.

2.4.16 The cables will be laid in trenches, typically up to 1m deep and 1m wide.

The trenches will also carry earthing and communication cables for the operation of the wind turbines. The majority of cabling will be located adjacent to the access tracks. The cables will be laid on a sand bed and backfilled using suitably graded material (see Figure 1.4 of Volume 3 for indicative cable trench detail).

2.4.17 From the on-site substation, a connection will be made into the existing

Western Power Distribution’s network. It is likely, but not yet confirmed, that the connection will be made to an existing substation via a dedicated line towards the north of the site. The connection will be subject to a separate application under Section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Site Access

2.4.18 Atkins Ltd was commissioned to design the vehicular access junction into the Site through consultation and liaison with Buckinghamshire County Council.

2.4.19 The transportation routes and traffic impact are dealt with in Chapter 9 Safety & Infrastructure, in the Section 9.5 Transportation. The transport route is also illustrated on Figure 1.1.

2.4.20 The proposed vehicular entrance into the site is from Newton Road whilst travelling north bound towards Newton Longville. It is proposed to utilise part of an existing vehicle access which serves Cowpasture Farm.

2.4.21 The proposed vehicular entrance has been discussed and agreed with

Buckinghamshire County Council Highway officers to be the most appropriate in terms of location and achievement of the required visibility splays and with regard to pedestrian and motorist safety. The entrance junction design is illustrated Figure 1.6.



2.4.22 Prior to construction, appropriate highways safety measures will be agreed with Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council to arrange for the necessary signage or traffic control measures to be implemented throughout the construction period.

Internal Access Track 2.4.23 The objective of the access tracks are to facilitate access by normal road

going HGV’s and exceptional load vehicles carrying the blades from the highway to the wind turbine position during the construction period. The track will be approximately 5m wide.

2.4.24 A typical track specification is shown in Figure 1.4 of Volume 3. The access track will normally be constructed by first stripping the topsoil to a depth of about 0.3 metres, and laying a compacted stone base. A geotextile membrane will then be laid to reduce the impact on the soils. The track will then be built up on the geotextile by laying and compacting an additional 0.4m of crushed stone to give a total thickness of approximately 0.7 metres.

2.4.25 The track would be suitably cambered to allow rainwater to be shed where gradients are present, lateral drains will intercept flow along the road.

2.4.26 The track will be left in place after completion of the wind farm

construction, as they will provide access for maintenance, repairs and eventual decommissioning of the wind turbine. The presence of the track will also be of benefit to the agricultural use of the land by facilitating access at all times of the year.

Other Ancillary Works

2.4.27 A secure temporary storage compound will be required during the construction period. The proposed location of the compound is shown on Figure 1.2. The compound will be used for the following purposes: Temporary portable cabin type structures to be used for site offices

and welfare facilities including toilet with provision for sealed waste storage and removal;

Storage and assembly of turbine components;

Parking for cars and construction vehicles; and

Containerised storage for tools and small parts.

2.4.28 The main site office will be located here and access to the site controlled

from this point. The area will also provide visitor parking facilities. The compound and site office area will be constructed and restored using the same methodologies as for the site access tracks.

2.5 CONSTRUCTION

Construction Programme 2.5.1 The estimated on-site construction period for the development will be

around 6 – 9 months and includes a programme to reinstate the temporary



working areas. Normal hours of operations for construction purposes will be between 07:00-19:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00-18:00 on Saturdays to prevent disturbance to local residents outside of these times. The construction programme will consist of the following principal operations, listed sequentially wherever possible. The development will be phased so that certain activities will take place concurrently: -

Construction of site entrance (whilst utilising existing);

Construction of temporary site office area and establishment of a storage area for wind turbine components and temporary site facilities;

Construction of new access track to the wind turbine locations;

Construction of wind turbine foundations and hardstanding areas;

Excavation of cable trench and cable laying;

Construction of substation;

Erection of wind turbines;

Connection of on-site electrical power and signal cables;

Commissioning of the site equipment; and

Site reinstatement and restoration.

2.5.2 The following main materials will likely be required in part or in total for the

construction of the track, turbine and control building foundations, hardstanding areas, and cable trenches (many of which will be locally sourced):

Crushed stone

Geotextile

Cement

Sand

Concrete quality aggregate

Steel reinforcement

Electrical cable

2.5.3 Excavations will be made initially by stripping back the topsoil from the

area to be excavated. Soil will typically be stored separately either as a mound adjacent to the excavation area for backfill if required, or stored at a designated area on site for future use.

2.5.4 Any stone extracted would be broken into suitable sizing upon excavation.

Sufficient stone for backfilling would be stored alongside the excavation. Any surplus clean broken stone will be used for track construction.

2.5.5 Should groundwater or run-off enter the excavation during construction,

appropriate pumping measures will be taken to ensure the works are safely carried out and the excavation is sufficiently dry to allow concrete placement.

2.5.6 When concrete is cast, the excavated material will be used for backfill and

compacted to the required design density. As soon as the backfill has been completed the hardstanding area will be constructed.



2.5.7 As soon as is practical following completion of the turbine installation, the immediate construction area will be restored to its original profile, although the crane hardstanding area will be retained for future maintenance purposes. The topsoil will be replaced and reseeding undertaken as appropriate. Surplus excavated material will be removed from the site, or used for track maintenance during construction, as appropriate. Surplus topsoil will be used to restore track edges after construction. This progressive reinstatement has found to assist with re-establishment of the local ecology as it minimises the time soil and turf are in storage.

Construction Traffic & Transportation 2.5.8 There will be three types of traffic during the construction of the proposed

wind turbine:

Exceptional (heavy and/or large) loads that will deliver the turbine components (tower, hub, blades and nacelle unit) and cranes for turbine assembly and erection;

Conventional heavy goods vehicle (HGV) movements, i.e. standard HGVs which have a maximum operating weight limit of 44 tonnes delivering stone, concrete, steel reinforcing etc.;

Ancillary vehicles, i.e. cars, minibuses and other Light Goods Vehicles used by construction staff and deliveries.

2.5.9 The developer will ensure that the vehicles will be routed as agreed with

the Council’s Highways Department and/or Highways Agency to minimise disruption and disturbance to local residents.

Exceptional Loads 2.5.10 It is predicted that 40 exceptional loads will come into the site which will

deliver the tower sections, blades and components of the turbine. A further 2 loads with the delivery of the mobile cranes required for turbine erection. With the exception of the cranes, all of the long vehicles delivering the large loads will reduce in length for their return journey and this will therefore reduce their impact.

2.5.11 With the exception of the vehicles for the cranes, the long vehicles will be

articulated hydraulic low loaders with steerable rear wheel trailers. The low loaders will have overall length of between 16 to 40m.

2.5.12 The proposed route for the exceptional load vehicles is southbound on

Newton Road, shown on Figure 1.1. The route for the HGV load vehicles is to be agreed with the Buckinghamshire County Council Highways Authority.

2.5.13 All of the exceptional load vehicles will be escorted to and from the site by

the police or a pilot car in order to assist with traffic control and control oncoming traffic flow. The local police, Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council will be notified in advance of such movements. The transportation of exception loads will only last for very short periods within the overall construction period and thus inconvenience to road users will be short term and limited in effect.



Conventional Construction Vehicles

2.5.14 The majority of the HGV movements to the site will be by conventional lorries carrying construction materials such as crushed stone or ready-mixed concrete. The concrete for the turbine foundation will be delivered from local batching plants in the ready-mixed form. The foundation concrete will be high strength structural grade, which is not prone to significant leaching of alkalis.

2.5.15 The vast majority of the crushed stone for track construction, crane

hardstandings, cabling and temporary works will be imported from local quarries.

2.5.16 It is envisaged that there will also be various vehicular movements associated with the construction of the wind turbine made via LGV’s throughout the construction period. The number of these unscheduled movements are likely to be low (2 to 4 movements per day) and distributed across the construction period and are not expected to cause any disruption to the local road network and community.

Construction Staff Vehicles 2.5.17 There will be approximately 15 people working on site at any one time

during the period of construction and there will be various deliveries in light vehicles. These vehicles will approach the site from various directions and will not create any noticeable impact during the construction period.

Operation & Maintenance Vehicles 2.5.18 Following completion of the wind turbine development, only site

maintenance personnel vehicles will normally be required on the site. Monthly visits to the control building by maintenance personnel in four wheel drive or conventional passenger vehicles will occur following the commissioning phase.

2.6 SITE REINSTATEMENT 2.6.1 Reinstatement will be carried out as soon as possible after each part of

the project is completed or as temporary areas are no longer required. Wherever possible, the site will be reinstated back to its previous grade and condition. The verges of tracks will be re-graded with topsoil stored adjacent to each excavation, and then re-seeded or cultivated as appropriate. The temporary site office and construction compound area will be cleared of hardcore and re-graded with soil to a natural profile and restored.

2.7 DECOMMISSIONING

2.7.1 On cessation of the wind farm operations, all major equipment and structures will be removed from the site. This process will take approximately 2 to 3 months.



2.7.2 Restoration normally covers the removal of the turbines (rotors, nacelle and tower), removal of the upper section of turbine foundations to a depth of 1m (to permit the continuation of current agricultural practices) followed by reinstatement of all affected areas.

2.7.3 The substation control building will also be dismantled, all equipment

removed from the site and the area reinstated as appropriate. All underground cables, typically located one metre below ground level, will normally be left in place. The crane hardstanding adjacent to turbine will be removed to below ploughing level and then reinstated and the land returned to agriculture.

2.7.4 Decommissioning will be agreed in accordance with a pre-development

planning condition, or via an undertaking to enter into a legal agreement, including measures to provide security of funding to cover the decommissioning costs.

SALDEN WIND FARM

Chapter Three

Design & Access Statement


CHAPTER THREE: DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT

NORTH BUCKS WIND ENERGY LTD DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT Page 3 - 1

3.1 DESIGN & ACCESS - LEGISLATIVE PROVISION 3.1.1 Section 42 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires

that a statement covering design concepts and principles and access issues is submitted with an application for planning permission.

3.2 APPRAISING THE CONTEXT

Assessment 3.2.1 The proposed development falls within Schedule 2 of the Town and

Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposal has been undertaken, and the accompanying Environmental Statement (ES) describes the likely significant effects of the development on the environment and proposed mitigation measures.

3.2.2 The potential environmental effects arising from the construction and

operation of the proposed wind farm were identified through commissioning independent environmental consultants to undertake EIA studies. The EIA studies identified the source of any potential effects and the associated receptors. Consideration was also given to the interaction of effects and the potential for secondary and cumulative effects.

Involvement 3.2.3 A key element of the EIA process is ongoing consultation with the Local

Planning Authority and other statutory and non-statutory bodies, and as a result the site design, layout and details have changed as the process has evolved.

3.2.4 A formal opinion on the scope of the ES was provided in February 2013

from Aylesbury Vale District Council. As part of a lengthy consultation process, scoping / consultation has taken place with the organisations listed in Table 3.1 below.

Table 3.1: Consultee List Subject Area: Company:

Air Safety

NATs - Navigation, Spectrum & Surveillance

Defence Estates / MOD

Civil Aviation Authority

Electro-Magnetic Interference

Airwave O2

Cable & Wireless OFCOM

Joint Radio Company (scanning telemetry)

Orange & T-Mobile (Everything Everywhere)

MLL Telecom Ltd Tech Services, Ericsson (H3G)

Highways Buckinghamshire County Council



Environmental & Ecological

North Bucks Bat Group English Heritage

RSPB Environment Agency

Buckinghamshire County Council - Biodiversity

Natural England

Buckinghamshire County Council - Archaeology

Government Aylesbury Vale District Council

Buckinghamshire County Council

3.2.5 The views and comments of these consultees have helped to define the

aspects to be covered in the ES.

Evaluation - The Significant Effects Approach 3.2.6 In order to evaluate environmental effects and determine their

significance, it is important that assessment criteria are identified. In some instances environmental standards and guidelines are available e.g. Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Assessment, (Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (GLVIA3)). The various methodologies that have been used within each specialist area are identified within the appropriate section of the ES.

3.2.7 In general, effects are predicted through an assessment of the sensitivity of the receiving environment and the predicted magnitude of change from the baseline state (both positive and negative). Environmental sensitivity may be categorised by a multitude of factors such as rarity, vulnerability, or protection by law. The nature of the impact may be categorised in terms of its duration, extent, frequency, likelihood, reversibility, and compliance with recognised standards. Significance is then evaluated by considering the sensitivity of the receptors and the nature of the impacts. Based on the thresholds used to determine significance and other `standards and guidelines, potential impacts can then be determined to be significant or not significant.

Site Design Process 3.2.8 Since the initial feasibility studies, the site selection and design has

advanced in tandem with a continuing process of site evaluation, environmental appraisal, data collection, technological changes in turbine design and consultations with various statutory and non-statutory organisations, and through the formal EIA process. This dynamic design process has enabled the project design to inherently avoid (mitigate) potential environmental effects (i.e. ‘embedded mitigation’). As a result, mitigation is not just used as an ‘add on’ measure to ameliorate significant environmental effects, but rather is a part of the design process itself.

3.2.9 During this process, the layout of the turbines has changed several times

to take account of a number of factors, including:

ecological, landscape, planning and noise considerations;

footpaths and bridleways running through the site;

presence of telecommunications links running across the site;

cultural heritage considerations.



3.2.10 In respect of landscape and visual considerations, a variety of turbine layouts were assessed from numerous viewpoint locations around the site to judge the composition of the wind farm against a range of criteria selected to give a ‘simplicity of image’ that would minimise the impact on the surrounding landscape.

3.2.11 The major design iterations of turbine layout are illustrated in Table 2.1 of

Chapter 2, ES Volume 1.

3.2.12 Following this dynamic design process, the design and layout of the scheme has evolved to the present four turbine development proposal. The design iteration process is summarised in Chapter 2 of this document.

3.3 DESIGN COMPONENT

Area 3.3.1 The application seeks consent for the installation of four wind turbine

generators and associated ancillary development. The total development footprint of the wind farm, which comprises the turbine bases, substation building, new access tracks, site access (temporary features excluded), and temporary construction compound equates to around 9.43 ha.

Layout 3.3.2 The site layout is shown in Figure 2.1. The plan indicates the position of

individual turbines and the ancillary development. The location of these project elements has been determined after a careful process of iteration and refinement.

Scale 3.3.3 The proposal is for four turbines, each with a maximum height to vertical

blade tip of 115m. As is usual with any wind farm development, some flexibility is required in specifying turbine dimensions. Whilst the accompanying planning application is seeking a maximum blade tip height of 115m, the hub height (or tower height) and the rotor diameter of the turbines may vary slightly depending which particular manufacturer and particular turbine model is ultimately procured. It is normal practice with any wind farm planning application for the final turbine dimensions, manufacturer and detailed specification to be approved at the post-consent stage, and if necessary this can be controlled through a planning condition.

3.3.4 As is common practice with wind turbine development, the applicant is requesting the precise locations of the turbines, access tracks and other associated development (whilst respecting all known constraints) be micro-sited to within a 30m radius of the location shown on the layout plan (Figure 1.2 in ES Volume 3). This micro-siting is prudent to allow for relatively modest repositioning to respect any issues arising at the post-consent stage, when detailed engineering and ground investigation takes place. The micro-siting allowance can be controlled by Aylesbury Vale District Council through a suitably worded planning condition.



3.3.5 Each of the four wind turbine generators will be identical, of three bladed, horizontal axis design, and with an individual rated capacity of between 2MW and 2.5MW, giving the wind farm an overall potential generation capacity of between 8MW and 10MW.

3.3.6 The substation will measure approximately 15m by 8 m by 5.5m high and

will accommodate all of the equipment necessary for automatic remote control and monitoring of the wind farm, together with the electrical switchgear, fault protection and metering equipment required to connect the wind farm to the electricity distribution network. The building will also act as a control and maintenance building for the wind farm.

3.3.7 A secure temporary storage compound will be required during the

construction period. The compound will be approximately 60m by 60m.

Landscaping 3.3.8 The landscape and visual impact of a wind farm proposal is arguably the

most important issues for consideration when planning such development and balancing this against the benefits of renewable energy schemes. Consequently, Salden Wind Farm has been subject to a detailed landscape and visual impact assessment, undertaken by an experienced and independent professional landscape consultant. This is presented in Chapter 4 of the Environmental Statement Volume 1 which accompanies this planning application, and which has included the production of visual representations (photomontages and/or wireframes) from 32 key landscape viewpoints as discussed and agreed with Aylesbury Vale District Council.

3.3.9 There are no specific landscaping proposals, the turbines being of a height whereby new tree and hedge planting would have little impact.

3.3.10 Nevertheless, prior to construction being deemed to be complete, every effort will be made to reinstate the temporary groundworks. For example, as soon as is practical following completion of the turbine installation, the immediate construction area of each foundation will be restored to their original profile. The topsoil will be replaced and reseeding undertaken as appropriate. Surplus excavated material will be removed from the site, or used for track maintenance during construction, as appropriate. Surplus topsoil will be used to restore track edges after construction. This progressive reinstatement has found to assist with re-establishment of the local ecology as it minimises the time soil and turf are in storage.

3.3.11 Whilst no ancillary landscaping is proposed, should the Council consider

that this would be beneficial then it can be explored. The proposed development, by virtue of access track provision will lead to the loss of some hedgerow, but as explained in the ES Volume 1 Ecology Chapter (Chapter 5) the applicant is willing to produce a Habitat Management, perhaps via a planning condition, which could for example, oblige the applicant to provide enhancement of the existing hedgerows to ensure that the residual impacts are minimised and if possible, ‘no net loss’ of hedgerow is achieved.



Appearance 3.3.12 Each of the four turbines will be mounted on a tapered tubular steel tower

and consist of a nacelle containing the gearbox, generator and associated equipment to which are attached a hub and rotor assembly including three glass fibre-reinforced polyester blades. The potential generation capacity of the wind farm will be up to 12MW. In the base of or adjacent to each tower there will be a transformer that would boost the voltage of each turbine’s electricity output from 690 volts to 33,000 volts (33kV). An example of a typical turbine type under consideration with approximate hub height and rotor diameter dimensions is shown in Figure 1.3, ES Volume 3.

3.3.13 A typical colour for the turbines would be a light grey or off white in a semi

matt finish; this is designed to blend with an average sky background and make the turbines as least obvious as possible. The final turbine colour specification would be determined following consultation and agreement with Aylesbury Vale District Council. Similarly, the substation will be constructed and finished using materials to be approved by Aylesbury Vale District Council.

3.3.14 A typical track specification is shown in Figure 1.4, ES Volume 3. The

access tracks will be topped with crushed stone and be suitably cambered to allow rainwater to be shed. They will be left in place after completion of the wind farm construction, in reduced form, as they will provide access for maintenance, repairs and eventual decommissioning of the wind farm.

3.3.15 The site compound area will be constructed of crushed stone following the

stripping and storage of soils, and restored using the same methodology as other areas of construction.

3.4 ACCESS COMPONENT

Highways & Site Access Considerations 3.4.1 There will be three types of traffic during the construction of the proposed

wind farm:

Exceptional (heavy and/or large) loads that will deliver the turbine components (towers, hubs, blades and nacelle units) and cranes for turbine assembly and erection;

Conventional heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) i.e. standard HGVs which have a maximum operating weight limit of 44 tonnes delivering stone, concrete, steel reinforcing etc; and

Ancillary vehicles i.e. cars, minibuses and other Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) as required, used by construction staff and deliveries.

3.4.2 The proposed vehicular entrance into the site is off Newton Road, at a

location that has been previously discussed and agreed with Buckinghamshire County Council Highway officers to be appropriate in terms of location and achievement of the required visibility splays and with regard to pedestrian and motorist safety.



3.4.3 The expected abnormal load vehicular access route from M1 to the site access junction is illustrated on Figure 1.1, ES Volume 3 and discussed in greater detail in Chapter 9, ES Volume 1.

Site Entrance 3.4.4 Access into the site will be from Newton Road, as illustrated on Figure 1.6.

The access meets the local highways authority’s standards on visibility splays. The Council Highways Officer has been consulted on this issue, and has observed the proposed entrance junction location on-site, and is satisfied in principle with the plans submitted.

Public Access & Safety 3.4.5 There is one bridleway and two footpaths within the landownership. The

site has been designed in order to ensure that adequate distances between turbines and the rights of way. As a result, it is considered that the proposed development will not have a significant impact on recreational users during the construction period.

SALDEN WIND FARM

Chapter Four

Planning Appraisal


CHAPTER FOUR: PLANNING APPRAISAL

NORTH BUCKS WIND ENERGY LTD PLANNING APPRAISAL Page 4 - 1

4.1 INTRODUCTION 4.1.1 The UK policies on energy, climate change and renewable energy are

detailed in Chapter 3 Need, Benefits & Socio-Economic Impact of ES Volume 1. These policies are a material consideration in the determination of the proposed development.

4.1.2 The planning system has an important role to play in helping to deliver the

UK’s commitment to address the causes of climate change and to deliver its targets and goals for renewable energy generation. This chapter identifies the national and local planning policies which are relevant to the proposed wind farm. Consideration of the proposed wind farm against these policies is discussed in the planning appraisal chapter in the planning application and within the individual reports within this environmental statement.

4.2 NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY 4.2.1 The National Policy Statements (NPS) for Energy Infrastructure set out

national policy against which proposals for major energy projects should be assessed and decided on. NPS EN-3 Renewable Energy Infrastructure provides the primary basis for decision by the Planning Inspectorate on applications it receives for national significant renewable energy infrastructure (50MW or more).

4.2.2 Whilst the NPS EN-3 is to be used in the determination of +50MW renewable energy projects, the policy is also helpful to Local Planning Authorities in preparing their local impact reports. Furthermore, in England and Wales NPS EN-3 is a material consideration in the decision making on relevant applications such as Salden Wind Farm.

4.2.3 Section 2.7 of NPS EN-3 relates specifically to onshore wind and provides specific information on the technology for developers and decision makers. This information is broken up into eight sub sections including;

Site Selection

Technical Considerations

Biodiversity & Geological

Historic Environment

Landscape and Visual

Noise and vibration

Shadow Flicker

Traffic and transport

4.2.4 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which was published

on 27th March 2012, is a key part of the current Governments reforms of the planning system to make it “less complex and more accessible, to protect the environment and to promote sustainable growth”.

4.2.5 The NPPF has three main strategic aims running throughout the document; sustainability, growth and the natural environment. Its main trust is to promote sustainable development which will in turn promote



significant growth throughout the country whilst protecting the natural environment.

4.2.6 The NPPF replaces the previous planning policy regime of Planning Policy Statements and has combined over a thousand pages of national policy into around fifty “written simply and clearly, we are allowing people and communities back into planning”.

4.2.7 Paragraph 14 sets a presumption in favour of sustainable and states “At

the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking.”

4.2.8 Paragraph 17 sets out 12 core land-use planning principles which should

underpin both plan-making and decision-taking. Of particular interest is core principle 6 which states that planning should “support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing climate, taking full account of flood risk and coastal change, and encourage the reuse of existing resources, including conversion of existing buildings, and encourage the use of renewable resources (for example, by the development of renewable energy);”

4.2.9 Section 10 “Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change” sets out the national policy for renewable energy schemes. Paragraph 97 states; “To help increase the use and supply of renewable and low carbon energy, local planning authorities should recognise the responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources. They should:

have a positive strategy to promote energy from renewable and low carbon sources;

design their policies to maximise renewable and low carbon energy development while ensuring that adverse impacts are addressed satisfactorily, including cumulative landscape and visual impacts;

consider identifying suitable areas for renewable and low carbon energy sources, and supporting infrastructure, where this would help secure the development of such sources;

support community-led initiatives for renewable and low carbon energy, including developments outside such areas being taken forward through neighbourhood planning; and

identify opportunities where development can draw its energy supply from decentralised, renewable or low carbon energy supply systems and for co-locating potential heat customers and suppliers.”

4.2.10 In relation to assessing and determining planning applications for onshore

wind energy, footnote 17 of paragraph 97 states “planning authorities should follow the approach set out in the National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (read with the relevant sections of the Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy Infrastructure, including that on aviation impacts).”

4.2.11 Paragraph 98 goes onto state; “When determining planning applications, local planning authorities should:



not require applicants for 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, local planning authorities 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 areas.”

4.2.12 The Planning practice guidance for renewable and low carbon

energy was published in July 2013. The guidance offers practical advice on the range of renewable energy technologies including onshore wind.

4.2.13 It states at paragraph 1 that “This guidance provides advice on the

planning issues associated with the development of renewable energy. It will be kept under review and should be read alongside other planning practice guidance and the National Planning Policy Framework”.

4.2.14 It goes on to state that “Increasing the amount of energy from renewable

and low carbon technologies will help to make sure the UK has a secure energy supply, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow down climate change and stimulate investment in new jobs and businesses. Planning has an important role in the delivery of new renewable and low carbon energy infrastructure in locations where the local environmental impact is acceptable”.

Summary 4.2.15 In summary, there is a strategic policy requirement in the UK to tackle

climate change and to increase renewable energy generation, predominantly through onshore wind. Salden Wind Farm will meet this policy requirement and will make a significant contribution towards achieving the UK’s energy targets and assisting in climate change commitments by offsetting significant amounts of gaseous emissions which would otherwise have been produced by the burning of fossil fuels to produce electricity.

4.3 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 4.3.1 Section 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requires that

‘where in making any determination under the Planning Acts, regard is to be had to the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise’. This is reinforced in National Planning Policy Framework.

4.3.2 The site of the proposed wind farm lies within the administrative boundary

of Aylesbury Vale District Council, in the County of Buckinghamshire. The relevant development plan policies under which the proposed should be considered are:

South East Plan Regional Spatial Strategy (abolished but background data still material) and;

Aylesbury Vale District Local Plan (adopted January 2004)



4.3.3 Emerging plans also of relevance are:

Vale of Aylesbury Plan

o VAP Strategy

4.3.4 Aylesbury Vale District Council has also produced a guidance note on

Planning Applications for Wind Energy Developments in March 2013. It is important to note that this is not an adopted document and does not form part of the development plan but does provide useful information.

Regional Planning Policy

4.3.5 Part 1 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 strengthened the role and importance of regional planning. It replaced Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) with statutory Regional Spatial Strategies (RSSs), and made them part of the development plan. Local Development Documents (LDDs) are required to be in general conformity with RDDs.

4.3.6 The South East Plan, also known as the Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East (RSS) was published on 6 May 2009, replacing Regional Planning Guidance for the South East.

4.3.7 An order revoking the South East Plan was laid before Parliament in February 2013. Whilst the plan is therefore now formally revoked, the data contained within the plan and which was used to back up the various policies contained is still of relevance until such time that a new development plan is adopted.

4.3.8 Policy NRM 13 ‘Regional Renewable Energy Target’ sets out the minimum regional targets for electricity generation from renewable sources which should be achieved by the development and use of all appropriate resources and technologies:

Year/ timescale Installed Capacity (MW)

% Electricity Generation Capacity

2010 620 5.5

2016 895 8.0

2020 1,130 10.0

2026 1,750 16.0

4.3.9 It goes onto state that “the renewable energy resources with the greatest

potential for electricity generation are onshore and offshore wind, biomass, and solar”.

4.3.10 Policy NRM14 ‘Sub-Regional Targets for Land-Based Renewable Energy Development’ requires that plans should include policies, and development proposals as far as practicable should seek to contribute to the achievement of the following regional and indicative sub-regional targets for land-based renewable energy;



Sub-region

2010 Renewable Energy Target (MW)

2016 Renewable Energy Target (MW)

Champion

Thames Valley and Surrey

140 209

TV Energy

East Sussex and West Sussex

57 68

ECSC

Hampshire and Isle of Wight

115 122

Hampshire CC & Isle of Wight Council

Kent 111 154 Kent Energy Centre

4.3.11 This policy seeks an increase of approximately 50% in renewable energy

generation; from 140MW to 209MW within the sub-region which Buckinghamshire is part of (Thames Valley and Surrey).

4.3.12 Policy NRM 15 ‘Location of Renewable Energy Development’ encourages renewable energy within local plan making noting that “Local development documents should encourage the development of renewable energy in order to achieve the regional and sub-regional targets. Renewable energy development, particularly wind and biomass, should be located and designed to minimise adverse impacts on landscape, wildlife, heritage assets and amenity. Outside of urban areas, priority should be given to development in less sensitive parts of countryside and coast, including on previously developed land and in major transport areas.”

4.3.13 It goes on to state that “The location and design of all renewable energy proposals should be informed by landscape character assessment where available. Within areas of protected and sensitive landscapes including Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the national parks, development should generally be of a small scale or community-based. Proposals within or close to the boundaries of designated areas should demonstrate that development will not undermine the objectives that underpin the purposes of designation”.

4.3.14 As can be seen, for on-shore wind energy, the regional target is 895MW by 2016 and 209MW by 2016 for the sub-region. According to data obtained from RenewableUK1 in November 2013, the South East region had an installed, in construction and planning consented on-shore wind capacity of 108MW, thus leaving a shortfall just over 787MW from the 2016 target.

4.3.15 According to data obtained from RenewableUK2 in November 2013, the Thames Valley and Surrey sub-regional area had an installed, in construction and planning consented on-shore wind capacity of 31MW, thus leaving a shortfall just under 178MW from the 2016 target.

1 Figures from RenewableUK, 2013, UK Wind Energy Database http://www.bwea.com/ukwed/index.asp (Members Area), accessed

18/11/203 2 Figures from RenewableUK, 2013, UK Wind Energy Database http://www.bwea.com/ukwed/index.asp (Members Area), accessed

18/11/203

http://www.bwea.com/ukwed/index.asp




4.3.16 If the 2016 targets are to be achieved, a significant number of new renewable energy projects (predominantly from wind energy) must receive planning permission and be constructed within the next 3 years. The electricity produced at Salden will make a positive contribution towards achieving the renewable energy targets set for Buckinghamshire, the South East region and the UK.

4.4 LOCAL PLANNING POLICY

Aylesbury Vale District Local Plan (adopted January 2004) 4.4.1 The Aylesbury Vale District Local Plan, adopted in January 2004, covers

the period until the end of 2011 and relates to all land within the Borough. The Government has approved a number of Local Plan policies to be saved under the transitional arrangements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. These policies are used to cover the period up until the Local Development Framework or an equivalent plan is in a position to take over.

4.4.2 No specific area allocations or targets are made for renewable energy

within the Local Plan. 4.4.3 Other policies of relevance in the consideration of this proposal are GP8

Protection of amenity of residents; GP35 Design of new development proposals; GP38 Landscaping of new development proposals; and GP84 Public rights of way.

Vale of Aylesbury Plan (emerging) 4.4.4 The Council has commenced work on the Vale of Aylesbury Plan (VAP),

with the publication of a Local Development Scheme (LDS) in November 2010. The VAP will eventually replace the Aylesbury Vale District Local Plan. Once approved the plan will cover the period from 2011 – 2031.

4.4.5 The first document of the VAP is the ‘VAP Strategy’ which sets out the

vision, strategic objectives, overall jobs and housing figures for the district, along with apportionment of housing growth and the principles and policies of how development should take place, including the delivering or infrastructure, economic growth and housing.

4.4.6 The Proposed Submission Vale of Aylesbury Plan Strategy was published

for comment between Wednesday 8th May and Wednesday 19th June 2013. The VAP Strategy has now been sent to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination with the pre-hearing meeting taking place on 25th October 2013. The initial hearing sessions will take place on the 10, 12 and 13th December 2013.

4.4.7 Strategic objection 7 states;

“The Council will manage development in a way that ensures that climate change is adapted to and mitigated against, including:

a) No built greenfield development to take place in the functional

floodplain and/or Flood Zones 2 or 3, other than for essential strategic

infrastructure;



b) Improved flood protection including more effective use of multi‐functional green spaces which can assist in flood control as well as

supporting other environmental and social benefits;

c) Reduction in waste generation and increase in recycling and re‐use of

materials;

d) Making appropriate provision for the generation and use of renewable

for low‐carbon energy, and locally distributed energy; and

e) Building to high standards of sustainable construction and design”.

4.4.8 Policy VS12 ‘Addressing climate change through sustainable construction and generation of renewable and low carbon energy’ states that; “Proposals for all new development should incorporate positive measures to reduce the environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions from the construction, and improve the operational efficiency of the development (how people live or work in the development) to reduce energy, water, and resource use, as well as building in resilience to adapt to a changing climate. In addition the Council recognises that significant progress needs to be made if national targets for the generation of renewable and low carbon energy are to be met and will work with partners to address this”.

4.4.9 Alongside the VAP strategy examination, the Council are also working on

the detailed development management policies for assessing planning applications. This document will be called the VAP Delivery Policies document, and will replace many of the saved policies in the Aylesbury Vale District Local Plan (2004).

4.4.10 Until the examination process is over and adopted, the draft VAP Strategy is of limited weight. However it is useful in understanding the general thrust of emerging policy, which is, as described above, supportive of renewable energy generation projects.

Guidance Note on Planning Applications for Wind Energy Developments (March 2013)

4.4.11 This guidance note has been produced to provide information and

guidance in relation to proposals for wind energy developments within the district. It aims to provide simple information and guidance to a range of audience.

4.4.12 The document was not subjected to a public consultation exercise and is

not part of the adopted development plan of Aylesbury Vale District Council. Therefore this should be classed and used as an advisory note only.

4.4.13 The recommendations and information contained within this note have

been taken into consideration whilst formulating the Salden Wind Farm project and associated Environmental Impact Assessment.



4.5 LOCAL IMPACTS 4.5.1 The Environment Statement supporting this planning application

documents the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposal undertaken by independent consultants. It describes all the elements of the development, its construction, operation and decommissioning, the nature of the site and its surroundings, the likely effects of the development, and measures proposed to mitigate any adverse impacts on the environment. The key conclusions of these environmental assessments and the local impacts of the development are described below.

Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment

4.5.2 The landscape chapter within the ES presents the findings of a landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA) of the proposed Salden Wind Farm. The study identified and evaluated the potential key impacts on the landscape and visual resource of an initial study area of up to 35km radius and evaluated the significance of the effects on the landscape resource.

4.5.3 The assessment within the chapter sets out the visual effects of the changes to the landscape through the development of the proposed Salden Wind Farm with four turbines and ancillary infrastructure.

4.5.4 The chapter sets out the relevant planning policy framework, and the national and regional landscape designations within the study area pertinent to a wind farm development, noting that there are no saved policies within the Local Plan relating to landscape matters and that the only national landscape designation is the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which lies 19km south-east, at the nearest point.

4.5.5 Confirmation of the scope and methodology for the assessment was agreed with Aylesbury Vale District Council. Accordingly, the landscape and visual assessments are separate, although linked, processes that were undertaken in parallel. The physical resource has been described objectively through the identification and categorisation of the landscape into landscape character areas and types through the Aylesbury Vale Landscape Character Assessment (May 2008). The physical resource that can be seen as a “view” is interpreted as visual amenity. A description of the visual characteristics of the proposed wind farm development is set out in the LVIA, as well as the range of types of locations from which the turbines would be able to be viewed, and 33 viewpoints.

4.5.6 The chapter includes an assessment of the effect of the proposed wind farm on the landscape resource; drawing on the Aylesbury Vale District: Wind Turbine Development Landscape Capacity Report, by Stephenson Halliday (June 2012) in particular in the part where the sensitivity of the landscape to the proposed turbines was carried out.

4.5.7 The site has been characterised in the Aylesbury Vale Landscape Character Assessment as the Newton Longville-Stoke Hammond Claylands (LCT 4.9). The Stephenson Halliday Report identifies that, through the analysis of the key characteristics and attributes of the



Undulating Claylands Landscape Area, the landscape generally has a medium sensitivity to turbine development, the lowest sensitivity in the District, and that: Turbines could be accommodated providing it does not impinge on valued landscape components such as historic villages, ancient woodland and parkland. Significant effects were identified out to 3km from the proposed turbines. None of these key, highly valued characteristics are in the immediate context of the site (or within the area identified to be likely to be significantly impacted on).

4.5.8 The assessment of the effect of the proposed wind farm on the visual resource and visual amenity of viewers (including views from residential properties) is also presented in the LVIA, drawing on the 33 viewpoints in the analysis of effects. Significant effects were identified out to 4.2km for the most sensitive receptors in the most open locations. These included significant effects on views from within the settlements of Newton Longville, Drayton Parslow, Stewkely (North End), Mursley and Salden, and from the majority of dwellings in the open countryside (outside of settlements) within a 2-3km radius of the site, covering 4 landowner dwellings closest to and on the farmstead of the site, 20 dwellings within 1km and a further 33 dwellings within a 1-2km radius of the proposed turbines. Whilst the author assessed that there would be a significant change in view from within the nearest dwellings, as that the turbines would be prominent in the view, the effect would not be overbearing on living conditions from any dwelling when assessed against the Lavender Test.

4.5.9 An assessment of the effect of the proposed wind farm on designated landscapes identified no impacts would be brought about on the purpose or value of any designation.

4.5.10 The assessment of effects on visual receptors identified that there would be some significant changes of view for drivers on the A421 road between Mill Round and Bottle Dump Roundabout heading towards the site, both east and west between 2km to 2.3km distant. There would be no other significant effects on A road users. Some effects of a high magnitude are anticipated for users of the B4032 and B4034, the only B roads within the context of the site, creating significant effects over a total length of 5.4km. There would be no significant effects on minor road users beyond 2.5km to 3km from the proposed turbines. There would be no effects on rail users.

4.5.11 There are a large number of named paths in the context of the site, none of which are National Trails. The assessment has identified that significant effects would be experienced by users of the Milton Keynes Boundary Walk out to 3.5km from the proposed turbines, extending to a total distance of 5km (3.4km for south bound users and 1.6km for west bound users). The Cross Bucks Way within a 3.6km radius of the site for southbound walkers, and 3.5km for west bound users. These would cover a total distance of 6.1km (4.3km for west bound users and 1.8km for east bound users). There would be significant effects on the views of walkers using the Swans Way within a 3.6km radius of the site for northbound walkers, and 2.5km for south bound users. These would cover a total distance of 7km (4.6km for north bound users and 3.2km for south bound users. In addition, there would be significant effects over Route 51 over



2.6km for north-east bound cyclists and 3km for south-west bound cyclists following the route.

4.5.12 An assessment of the cumulative effect of the proposed wind farm in combination with other operational, consented or planned wind farms in the area was undertaken. This identified that there would be some significant cumulative effects through the combination of the Dorcas Lane and Salden turbines, creating a landscape with wind turbines over much of the eastern part of the Newton Longville-Stoke Hammond Claylands (LCT 4.9). The combination of the views of the Dorcas Lane and Salden turbines within the adjacent Mursley-Soulbury Claylands (LCT 4.11) would create some significant effects for views to the north from the western part of the type. These would be the only significant cumulative effects on landscape character.

4.5.13 From within Newton Longville, Drayton Parslow, Stewkely (North End), Mursley and Salden, significant cumulative effects would be experienced from the most open and elevated locations in the settlements. There would also be some significant cumulative effects on dwellings between the two wind farms, at Drayton Crossroads House, Crossroads Farm, Broadway Farm and Kings Acre Farm. These dwellings would experience a view of turbines from more than one elevation. However, taking the Lavender Test, set out in the LVIA, the effects would only be on the views from the dwellings, not on the residential amenity of the owners, and whilst adverse and significant, would not be overbearing.

4.5.14 There would be no significant cumulative effects on road or rail users, however, there would be significant consecutive and concurrent sequential cumulative effects to be brought about on the users of the Milton Keynes Boundary Walk, Cross Bucks Way and an area of open access land through the combination of views of the proposed Salden Wind Farm and Dorcas Lane Wind Farm.

Ecology & Ornithology

4.5.15 This chapter provides an assessment of the likely significant effects of the proposed four turbine wind farm development proposed at Salden on the ecology and nature conservation interests present.

4.5.16 Desk and field studies were completed to identify the main ecological and

ornithological receptors within the site and local environs. Desk studies included consultation with Aylesbury Vale District Council Ecologist, Buckinghamshire Amphibian and Reptile Group, Buckinghamshire Bird Club, Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre (BMKERC), the Environment Agency, Natural England, North Bucks Bat Group and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

4.5.17 Field surveys were completed within the proposed application area over

four survey years. Field surveys included an extended Phase 1 habitat survey, with more detailed assessments of the sites hedgerows. Detailed specialist mammal surveys were undertaken for bats, otters, water voles and badgers, with a winter search for evidence of hazel dormouse activity. Detailed surveys were also undertaken for amphibians, including great crested newt. Ornithological surveys included breeding bird surveys,



wintering walkover surveys and a full 12 months of Vantage Point (VP) surveys from two separate locations.

4.5.18 The site holds no statutory or non-statutory nature conservation

designations, with the nearest statutory designated site being the Howe Park Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), located approximately 3.6km to the north of the site boundary. Four non-statutory Local Wildlife Sites (LWSs) are located within a 2km radius of the site, including the Drayton Parslow North Fen LWS located approximately 0.75km to the south of the site, the Railway Bank by Salden Wood LWS located approximately 0.75km to the west of the site, the Salden Wood LWS located approximately 0.75km to the west of the site and the Railway Siding east of Salden Wood LWS located approximately 1km to the north of the site. In addition, Middle Salden Wood, which is outwith the site but continuous with the north west edge of the survey area, and Salden Wood located approximately 0.75km to the north west of the survey area, are both listed as Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland.

4.5.19 Within the proposed site a total of 12 habitats were recorded, with the

majority of the application area being dominated by agricultural habitats, mostly arable land, with smaller areas of amenity and semi-improved grassland. Woodland was limited within the site with small areas of broadleaved plantation woodland and broad-leaved semi-natural woodland. The site’s fields were delineated mainly by mature hedgerows, with both native species-rich and species poor hedgerows recorded. Eleven ponds, including three moderate sized reservoirs were recorded within the survey area, with running water habitat restricted to a network of wet ditches.

4.5.20 The habitats within the site will be subject to various impacts including

effects arising from habitat loss and fragmentation. It is recommended that a detailed ‘Habitat Management Plan’ be implemented to enhance the biodiversity value of the habitats present within the site post construction and to provide remedial and restoration of habitats that may be subject to temporary adverse impacts.

4.5.21 At least seven species of bat; common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle,

Nathusius' pipistrelle, unidentified pipistrelle species, noctule, Nyctalus species (possibly Leisler's bat), serotine, barbastelle bat and brown long-eared bat, and one genus of bat, Myotis, were recorded across the Salden survey area over the survey period. Passes by common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle bats were by far the most frequently recorded.

4.5.22 A large metapopulation of great crested newts was recorded within a

cluster of ponds in the centre of the Survey Area, with a further small population recorded in Pond 2 to the west of the Survey Area. Smooth newts, common toads and common frogs were also recorded.

4.5.23 Extensive evidence of badgers was found within the survey area

boundary, including three main setts. No evidence of otters, water voles or reptiles was recorded. Whilst a full hazel dormouse survey was not completed, an initial winter search for evidence of activity did not identify any evidence of dormouse activity within the survey area, however potential habitat suitable to support dormouse is present within and adjacent to the site. Other than Nyctalus species bats, on which impacts



of moderate significance are predicted,protected species are not expected to be subject to greater than minor significant impacts, although mitigation is likely to be required to prevent disturbance to great crested newts and badgers from the construction of the access tracks.

4.5.24 Several bird species of conservation concern were recorded within a short

distance from the site boundary including two species listed on Annex I of EC Directive 79/409/EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds: red kite and garganey, with red kite also being listed on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. In addition to the above, hobby, which is a Schedule 1 species was also recorded. Collision Risk Modelling (CRM) calculations were completed for lapwing and determined an annual risk value of 0.159, resulting in 3.98 birds colliding every 25 years.

4.5.25 The breeding bird assemblage included a variety of relatively common

species characteristic of woodland and arable land, with no Schedule l or Annex I species likely to breed within the survey boundary. Several species of conservation concern were reported to be breeding within or adjacent to the Survey Area, including skylark and yellowhammer confirmed as breeding, song thrush and yellow wagtail classed as probable breeders and grey partridge and starling classified as possible breeders. The habitats likely to be affected by the proposed development are largely limited to those used by the local farmland bird assemblage. While this includes species of conservation concern such as skylark, yellow wagtail and grey partridge, the relatively small footprint of the scheme and the numbers of these species recorded do not mean that significant impacts on local bird populations have been predicted.

4.5.26 The wind farm has been specifically designed to avoid or minimise the

loss of potentially sensitive habitats and to prevent or reduce effects on protected species as far as possible. However, residual impacts assessed as being of moderate significance, and therefore considered to be significant for the purposes of EcIA, have been predicted on Nyctalus species bats, with residual impacts assessed as being of minor significance, and therefore not considered to be significant for the purposes of EcIA, predicted on broad-leaved plantation woodland, running water and hedgerow habitats, common and soprano pipistrelle bats, badgers and potentially bat roost habitat.

Cultural Heritage Assessment

4.5.27 This Chapter of the Environmental Statement (ES) has considered the likely significant effects of the proposed development in terms of cultural heritage and archaeology. The baseline survey works carried out to inform the Environmental Statement have been structured in a staged manner, comprising initial desk-based assessment, geophysical survey, and detailed settings assessment. The scope of these works has been agreed in consultation with Buckinghamshire County Council and English Heritage.

4.5.28 The proposed development site is located in the vicinity of a number of possible late prehistoric and / or Roman areas of settlement, although the staged archaeological investigations undertaken as part of this assessment do not suggest that significant Iron Age or Romano-British settlement remains occur within the proposed development site. The



below ground remains of a possible prehistoric round barrow have been identified in the vicinity of a proposed access trackway. The proposed development will have a limited impact upon the below-ground archaeological remains of this feature, equating to harm that can be adequately compensated through mitigation measures, and which should be weighted against the public benefit of the proposed development.

4.5.29 The proposed development is not considered to result in substantial harm or total loss of significance of any of the recorded heritage assets within the site. In such instances, the National Planning Policy Framework states that where a development proposal will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, this harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal.

4.5.30 The proposed development is considered to have an adverse effect upon the value of eleven designated assets in the wider landscape through the alteration of their setting. These assets comprise Salden House Farmhouse, North Salden House, Drayton Parslow Conservation Area, Mursley Conservation Area, and eight Grade II Listed Buildings. The Proposed Development is not considered to result in substantial harm or total loss of significance of any of the identified designated heritage assets within the 5km study area. In such instances, the National Planning Policy Framework states that where a development proposal will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, this harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal.

Geology, Hydrological & Hydrogeological Assessment

4.5.31 This Chapter of the Environmental Statement (ES) has presents the geological, hydrological and hydrogeological assessment of the proposed Salden Wind Farm.

4.5.32 An assessment of baseline conditions has been completed and where necessary mitigation measures have been identified to reduce potential impacts associated with the proposed development to acceptable levels.

4.5.33 The assessment confirms the site does not overlay peat and that no borrow pits are proposed. The development has also been shown to be outside the modelled floodplain.

4.5.34 An assessment of flood risk has also been undertaken and has shown with appropriate management of site derived runoff using SuDS techniques the flood risk at site can be appropriately managed. Recommendations for proposed watercourse crossings have been made.

4.5.35 Measures have been proposed to ensure that the proposed development would not affect the ability of the Water Eaton Brook or Newton Longville Brook to meet their Water Framework Directive objectives, or impair designated sites downstream of the site.



Noise

4.5.36 This Chapter details the noise impact assessment carried out by Hayes McKenzie Partnership Ltd for the proposed scheme.

4.5.37 The assessment has been carried out according to the recommendations of ETSU-R-97, The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms, as referred to within National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3), and with reference to the guidance contained with the Institute of Acoustics document, A Good Practice Guide to the Application of ETSU-R-97 for the Assessment and Rating of Wind Turbine Noise.

4.5.38 Measurements of the existing background noise levels at six locations surrounding the proposed development have been undertaken following discussions with the District Environmental Health Officer at Aylesbury Vale District Council Environmental Health and Licensing Department.

4.5.39 Predicted turbine noise levels resulting from the proposed development have been calculated based on the use of a selection of candidate turbines with a hub height of approximately 70 m and the proposed site layout. The predicted noise levels from each of the turbines have been compared with noise limits derived in accordance with ETSU-R-97, over a range of wind speeds up to 12 m/s.

4.5.40 The night-time assessment shows that the worst case predicted wind turbine noise levels, at the nearest non-financially involved residential location to the site, are below the night time noise limit by a margin of at least 1 dB and below the lower daytime noise limit by at least 1 dB.

4.5.41 As the above margins indicate, the noise limits set out in ETSU-R-97 have been shown to be satisfied at all locations and under all conditions; and therefore no significant operational impacts are identified.

Shadow Flicker 4.5.42 Shadow flicker effects have been assessed and it is concluded that given

the limited number of properties affected, the narrow bands of time that these properties will potentially be affected by shadow flicker, combined with the fact that any effect is likely to be considerably less than the worst-case scenario times shown, it is concluded that shadow flicker impacts will be limited. Further details of shadow flicker effects are set out in Chapter 9 of Volume 1 of the ES.

Aviation & Radar 4.5.43 Wind turbines have the ability to reflect radio waves and therefore have

the potential to interfere with radar systems. Reflections from the rotating wind turbine blades may show up on radar as ‘clutter’. Wind turbines can also reflect away some of the emitted radar signal and the ‘echo’ from aircraft in a line of sight from the radar, beyond the turbines. Such effects could have an adverse impact on aircraft safety.



4.5.44 After correspondence with NATs and MoD during the pre-scoping and formal scoping process during 2012-2013, it has been confirmed that the proposed development will not adversely affect any civilian or military aviation operations or safeguarding zones.

Transportation

4.5.45 It is proposed that construction traffic for the wind farm, which will include abnormal indivisible loads (AIL) associated with the transportation of the turbine components will access the wind farm site via a newly formed field access. The wind farm is proposed to comprise of four turbines together with their associated infrastructure including access tracks, electric cabling, foundations and temporary infrastructure including the construction site compound and offsite traffic management works.

4.5.46 It is anticipated that the construction of the wind farm will take approximately 6 – 9 months to complete, based upon information relating to construction programmes of previously developed sites by West Coast Energy Ltd.

4.5.47 Following some initial swept path analysis undertaken by Atkins and discussions with Buckinghamshire Council Highway Authority, the scheme has been progressed and S278 drawings produced for the proposed new junction arrangement which is shown on Figure 1.6 of ES Volume 3. The proposed priority junction traffic management proposals are shown on within Appendices 9.1 and 9.2 of ES Volume 2.

4.5.48 An abnormal loads route study and associated swept path analysis has been undertaken to assess the transportation issues. For the purposes of this report we include the route assessment from the M1 junction 13.

4.5.49 The preferred route identified, albeit still to be formally agreed with Buckinghamshire County Council Highway Authority is described below:

Leave M1 at Junction 13, whilst travelling north or south bound

Turn northbound onto the A421

Continue on the A421 on the two roundabouts

Turn left on at the roundabout onto the A4146

Turn left at Fox Milne Roundabout to continue on the A4146

Continue on the A4146 until the A5 junction at Caldecotte Roundabout is reached

Travel southbound onto the A5 for one junction

Turn right onto A4146

Continue on the A4146 until the Stoke Road Roundabout is reached.

Carry straight on at the roundabout onto Stoke Road sign posted Newton Lonville / Drayton Parslow

Continue on Stoke Road until the Stoke Road / Newton Road crossroads

Turn right onto Newton Road, signposted Newton Longville

Take access onto the site as the road bears right and changes from Newton Road to Drayton Road, utilising part of the existing entrance to Cowpasture Farm.



4.5.50 The route noted above is approximately 15 miles in length and includes various classes of road including lengths of ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads and finally an unclassified road, as well as passing through settlements.

4.5.51 With regards to general HGV/LGV construction and staff traffic it is envisaged, where possible, construction materials and staff will be sourced locally. This will help reduce transportation costs and any traffic impact on the local communities.

4.5.52 Once constructed, traffic movements to and from the site will be negligible.

4.6 PUBLIC PERCEPTION & TOURISM IMPACTS

4.6.1 The public perception of wind farms has been assessed in a large number of surveys. These have tended to demonstrate that wind farm/turbine developments creates a broad spectrum of responses from the public with the effects on locally valued landscapes prominent in objections. In a wide range of opinion surveys, renewable energy and wind farms in particular are recognised by some three quarters of the public as being an appropriate response to the issues of climate change and global warming.

4.6.2 Of the numerous opinion studies conducted all over the UK, it has been consistently shown that the majority of the public are in favour of such development. Research has shown that the minority who disapprove of wind farms tend to be relatively forceful in expressing their disapproval, thus giving a distorted view of public attitude.

4.6.3 The most recent study was an independent opinion poll commissioned by the Mail on Sunday by the company Survation showed today that 70% of people surveyed backed wind farms being built near them. Asked the question “Which of the following statements is closest to your opinion: (a) I would be happy to have a wind farm built in my local area (b) I would not be happy to have a wind farm built in my local area”, 70.1% of respondent plumped for the first option, with 29.9% saying they wouldn’t be happy. There was a clear majority in favour across the political spectrum with 60.8% of those intending to vote Conservative, 74.6% of Labour voters, 81.1% of Liberal Democrat voters, and 57.8% of those intending to vote for UKIP saying they would be happy to see wind farms near them.

4.6.4 A further an opinion poll commissioned by Radio 5live for their recent ‘Energy Day’ in September 2013 showed that two thirds (67%) of people support the building of more wind farms in their local area. It also showed that support for other technologies is much lower with only 33% of people supporting fracking in their area and 31% of people supporting nuclear in their area.

4.6.5 Another recent study is an opinion poll commissioned by RenewableUK in April 2012 where two thirds (67%) of people ‘favour’ the use of wind power in the UK, with 28% of those ‘strongly in favour’, compared with one in twelve (8%) who outright ‘oppose’. The poll also showed that the majority (57%) of people find the look of wind farms on the landscape acceptable and a fifth (20%) completely acceptable.



4.6.6 The Ipsos MORI survey also looked at public attitudes to the average UK household contribution to the Government’s Renewable Obligation scheme. The results show that more than twice as many, 43% of people, think that the price paid for wind development through their domestic energy bills represents ‘good’ or ‘very good’ value for money compared with 19% of those questioned who thought that wind power was ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ value for money. 25% thought that the price paid represents average value.

4.6.7 The poll also revealed that 59% of those surveyed thought that wind power will reduce the UK’s dependence on imported fossil fuels and will help reduce carbon emissions. Just under half (48%) of the respondents think that wind power provides a secure supply of energy to the UK, as well as providing jobs in the wind energy sector and its supply chain.

Tourism

4.6.8 In terms of impact on tourism, it is important that the aspects of an area which are significant in attracting visitors are not significantly undermined by insensitive developments. The landscape is clearly an important element contributing to that which attracts visitors to this area, but there is no evidence from any parts of the country that the presence of wind farms in open countryside, often with at least local landscape designations, has resulted in harm to the tourist industry of that area.

4.6.9 In fact, experience within the UK shows that wind energy developments can have a positive effect on tourism and can themselves be tourism destinations, the UK’s first commercial wind farm, at Delabole, Cornwall, for example received 60,000 visitors in the first year and total of 350,000 visitors in its first eight years. In September 2009, a £2m purpose built, eco-friendly visitor centre opened at Scotland’s largest onshore wind farm, the 140 turbine Whitelee Wind Farm on Eaglesham Moor, south of Glasgow. In 2012, Scottish Power Renewables and Glasgow Science Centre, who manage the visitor centre at Whitelee, took the decision to join the ASVA as Europe’s largest onshore wind farm approaches the major milestone of welcoming quarter of a million visitors at Europe's largest onshore wind farm since 2009.

4.6.10 In 2011, VisitScotland commissioned omnibus research to learn more about consumer attitudes to wind farms and their effect on tourism, in order to inform VisitScotland policy. The survey, entitled ‘Wind Farm Consumer Research’ was published in April 2012 and shows;

83% of Scottish respondents and 80% of UK respondents stated their decision to holiday in the UK would not be affected by the presence of a wind farm.

80% of Scottish respondents and 81% of UK respondents either disagreed with or neither agreed nor disagreed that wind farms spoil the look of the Scottish countryside.

83% of Scottish respondents and 82% of UK respondents either disagreed with or neither agreed nor disagreed, that they would tend to avoid an area of the countryside if there were a wind farm.



46% of Scottish respondents, and 40% of UK respondents, would be interested in visiting a wind farm development if it included a visitor centre.

4.6.11 In response to the opinion poll, Energy and Tourism Minister Fergus

Ewing said “These figures prove what we have long known – that the vast majority of visitors to Scotland do not see wind farms as a problem. “Four in five visitors say their decision to come to Scotland would not be affected by wind farms”.

4.6.12 He goes on to the state that “These figures show that those who speak out against the impact of wind turbines on the landscape do not represent the vast majority of Scots, or of potential visitors from within the UK – the vast, but too often silent majority, have said that wind farms simply do not affect their decision making”.

4.6.13 A recently published report from the Scottish Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee stated “Several witnesses made assertions that there would be a negative impact on Scotland‘s tourism industry from renewable developments. However, these assertions were contradicted by research evidence from VisitScotland and others.

4.6.14 Whilst care always needs to be taken in terms of the planning process and decisions on the siting of individual projects in areas popular with tourists and in our more rural and remote rural areas, no witness has provided the Committee with robust, empirical evidence, as opposed to anecdotal comment and opinion, that tourism is being negatively affected by the development of renewable projects”.

4.6.15 The reality is that there will always be members of the public who are opposed to development; there will always be some who are opposed to wind energy development because in their opinion it spoils their part of the countryside; and there will always be interest groups whose aim is to protect the countryside from anything and everything that changes their cherished view of it. However, the important message is that the general public opinion is very supportive of wind energy and it is national policy to support it wherever it can be achieved in an environmentally acceptable way.

4.7 BENEFITS OF SALDEN WIND FARM

Economic Benefits

National

4.7.1 Onshore wind energy development brings significant national economic opportunities. The recently published “Onshore Wind: Direct & Wider Economic Impacts”3 (May 2012) report undertaken by BiGGAR Economics on behalf of RenewableUK and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) assesses the direct and indirect economic

3 Onshore Wind: Direct and Wider Economic Benefits, RenewableUK & DECC, available from

http://www.renewableuk.com/download.cfm/docid/DB6F81D2-FB44-4367-A4E2D08836F5BDAE, accessed on 16/10/13



impacts of the commercial onshore wind sector in the UK in the decade to 2020.

4.7.2 The report used a board spectrum of information and data collected from the industry and key stakeholders together with case studies and focused on the core economic opportunities that would be created by the future development of the sector.

4.7.3 The study estimates that the total direct and supply chain impact of the onshore wind sector in 2011 was:

8,600 jobs and £548 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) across the UK;

of the total UK impacts, 4,500 jobs and £314 million GVA arose at the regional/national level to individual wind farms (i.e. Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales or English region); and

of the regional/national impacts, 1,100 jobs and £84 million GVA arose at the local level for individual wind farms (i.e. local authority area).

4.7.4 Looking forward, the report identifies four ‘growth in deployment of

onshore wind’ options. By applying the estimate of the current direct and supply chain economic impact of the sector to these alternative scenarios it can be estimated that in 2020, the total direct and supply chain impact of the onshore wind sector in the UK could be:

8,700 jobs and £580 million GVA under scenario 10GW;

11,600 jobs and £780 million GVA under scenario 13GW;

13,800 jobs and £913 million GVA under scenario 15GW; or

17,900 jobs and £1,183 million GVA under scenario 19GW.

4.7.5 In addition to providing employment and generating GVA directly and in

the supply chain, the onshore wind sector also supports a range of wider economic impacts. Where possible these have been quantified, including:

local and regional supply chain development – the onshore wind sector has and continues to create opportunities for a wide range of businesses across the UK that are engaged at Tier 2 and further down the supply chain;

income effects – spending by employees in the onshore wind sector currently contributes around £85 million in GVA to the UK economy and supports around 2,400 jobs in businesses where employees spend their wages.

impacts on land owners – wind farms have been used by farmers and other land owners to generate additional revenue and diversify income streams in order to support the continued viability of their businesses;

community ownership – the development of community owned wind farms generates income for community shareholders and can help to improve community cohesion and invest in further community economic and social development;

community benefit funds – these support community projects close to wind farms. The size of these funds varies from project to project;

business and tourism effects – spending by employees in local



businesses, for example on food and accommodation, during the construction phase currently contributes an estimated £11 million to the UK economy, supporting around 300 jobs.

other tourism economy effects including the provision of visitor facilities and the role of wind farms in improving access to the countryside;

wildlife and habitat management – wind farm developers often contribute to ecological projects which can help to enhance the local area and support further employment; and

investment in local infrastructure – wind farm developers often develop or improve local infrastructure such as access roads, which brings wider benefits to the local economy and community, in terms of short-term construction jobs and longer-term benefits as a result of the improvements to infrastructure

4.7.6 It is therefore important that the onshore wind energy market is supported in order to ensure that long term economic opportunities are provided within the UK.

Regional/Local

4.7.7 Significant sums of money are involved in the development, construction and operation of a wind farm. The estimated cost to construct Salden Wind Farm is approximately £11.8 million. This represents a major long-term investment decision for West Coast Energy and further highlights our commitment to invest in region.

4.7.8 Construction of the wind farm will require the provision of site facilities, concrete foundations and access roads together with general civil engineering resources, site cabling expertise, and the physical provision of construction plant, machinery and materials, together with site surveying and other technical service skills. This part of the work amounts to around £1.8 million of the total construction cost. The majority of the required skills, expertise and materials will be available within the local area.

4.7.9 Moreover there will be additional indirect expenditure in local shops, hotels, service stations etc., to the further benefit of the local economy, albeit for a relatively transient duration.

4.7.10 The Government has introduced new legislation4 which allows local authorities in England to retain an element of the business rates which are paid to them. In the case of renewable energy and onshore wind energy in particular, the legislation allows for 100% of the business rates payable by the operator to be retained by the local authority rather than it being placed in the central pot.

4.7.11 This means that whilst historically local authorities had no direct financial incentive to promote business growth in their area as they did not receive any of the business rates receipts from new developments, councils are

4 Local Government Finance Act 2012 and the Non-Domestic Rating (Renewable Energy Projects) Regulations 2013 SI No. 108, from

April 2013, all of the business rates income from new renewable energy projects, including onshore wind farms can be retained by the local planning authority, (i.e. the decision maker, for the relevant renewable energy project at county or district level).



now more financially independent and have a strong financial incentive to promote growth.

4.7.12 Therefore, using current rateable values from operating wind farms , it is estimated that the Salden Wind Farm would be pay approximately £117,7505 per annum directly to Aylesbury Vale District Council meaning 100% of this payment can be kept by the council. Over the lifetime of the project it is estimated that the wind farm would generate approximately £2,943,7506. This payment could be considerably more if the rateable values for power generators changes or the rateable multiplier increases.

Community Benefits & Fuel Poverty

Community Benefits

4.7.13 West Coast Energy is committed to the principle that local communities should benefit financially from the generation of locally produced renewable energy.

4.7.14 It is therefore proposed that the Salden Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund would constitute the higher of a guaranteed payment of either £5,000 per year for each megawatt of installed generation capacity for the life of the wind farm, or a 10% share of the profits from the wind farm.

4.7.15 Based upon four 2.5MW turbines, with a total installed capacity of 10MW and a figure of £5,000 per MW per annum, the Community Benefit Fund would amount to circa £50,000 per annum rising with RPI or about £1.3 million7 over the operational life of the wind farm. It is however likely that the 10% profit share will generate a much higher community investment fund.

4.7.16 Our community benefit partnership model does not require any up-front investment from any partner organisations or the wider community and it therefore carries no financial risk.

4.7.17 It is proposed that the Community Benefit Fund would be managed by a local Development Trust who will be responsible for working with the local community to ensure that the fund is shared and invested appropriately within the local area.

Fuel Poverty

4.7.18 West Coast Energy is committed to assist the UK Government and the Welsh Government to tackle fuel poverty and in May 2013, the company signed a landmark partnership agreement with National Energy Action (NEA). NEA is a national charity which aims to eradicate fuel poverty and campaign for greater investment in energy efficiency to help people who are poor and vulnerable.

5 Assumes a rateable value of £25,000 per MW, 2013/14 standard business rate multiplier of 0.471 and a maximum capacity of 10MW. 6 Annual business rate calculated at £117,750 multiplied by 25 years. Does not assume inflation or likely changes to business rate

valuations or multiplier. 7 This figure is a projection which assumes indexation based on a standard CPI of 2% - in reality this figure may be higher or lower.



4.7.19 Following the signing of this agreement, money generated from West Coast Energy’s wind energy developments in England will be channelled into a dedicated fuel poverty fund. This money will then be utilised by NEA to work with Councils, other charitable organisations, such as Age Concern, and local agencies to target vulnerable people and households in fuel poverty within the local and wider vicinity of its proposed developments.

4.7.20 The proposal is that for the first 5 years, a percentage of the Community Benefit Fund will be utilised to assist the alleviation of fuel poverty in the local and wider Buckinghamshire area. West Coast Energy will also seek match funding from the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) to maximise the value of the Salden Fuel Poverty Alleviation Fund.

4.7.21 As discussed, West Coast Energy has a partnership with National Energy Action and if planning permission is granted for Salden Wind Farm, NEA and West Coast Energy will work in partnership together with Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council and other local community groups to develop and implement a programme of activities that will not only help lift individuals out of fuel poverty, but may also boost the local economy and reduce the burden on local health services. Any proposals would be developed in full consultation with community representatives.

Environmental Benefits

4.7.22 The background to the drive to increase the use of renewable sources of energy has its roots in the recognition that the burning of fossil fuels has an adverse effect on the climate of the world as a whole and that global measures are required to deal with it. The use of renewable resources as an increasing proportion of our energy requirements is seen as a key part of the ultimate sustainable energy solution, alongside energy efficiency and conservation.

4.7.23 The 84 GW of wind power installed at the end of 2010 in the EU avoided the emission of 119 million tonnes of CO2. Moreover, the expected €192 billion of investments in wind power from 2011 to 2020 will avoid €85 billion worth of CO2 emission costs during the same period.8

4.7.24 Once it is built, a wind turbine emits no CO2 or other pollutants. Emissions associated with the manufacture and construction of wind energy developments are insignificant compared to the emission savings during operation. According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), over its 20-year life, a wind turbine will produce 80-120 times more energy than it consumes. Studies in Denmark9 have shown that the ‘payback’ time can be as little as 3 months and even on a conservative estimate would not be likely to exceed 9 months.

4.7.25 Thus by the time the wind farm has been operating on site for half a year, it could be ‘in profit’ in terms of its energy balance, with only 2% of its life expectancy used up. From this date until the decommissioning of the wind

8 EWEA, Exploring the Benefits of Wind Power, http://www.ewea.org/index.php?id=1551 9 S Krohn: The Energy Balance of Modern Wind Turbines, Vindmolleindustrien, 1997 and D Milborrow: Dispelling the Myths of Energy

Payback Time, Windstats Vol 11, no 2, Spring 1998



farm, the development will be a net contributor of environmentally clean electricity. This figure is dwarfed by the energy savings from reduced transmission losses for which no allowance is normally made in the calculations.

4.7.26 This payback time compares favourably with coal or nuclear power

stations, which take about six months. A modern wind turbine is designed to operate for around 20-25 years and at the end of its working life, the area can be restored at low financial and environmental costs. Wind energy is a form of development which is essentially reversible, in contrast to fossil fuel or nuclear power stations10.

4.7.27 The essential benefits of using wind energy for the generation of electricity are that it is renewable, safe and does not release any gaseous emissions into the atmosphere during operation. The electricity generated by wind turbines is connected into the national electricity grid and therefore will generally displace other sources of generation, and the nature of the system is that these will normally be fossil fuel sources.

4.7.28 The installed capacity of a wind turbine is a measure of its maximum rated output, or installed capacity, which in the context of this proposal is likely to be a maximum of 10MW. Calculations of the likely electricity generation of the turbines are dependent on the ‘capacity factor’, which involves an assessment of the actual output of the development against its installed capacity.

4.7.29 Using a capacity load factor of 26.06%11, which takes into account the variable nature of wind frequency and speeds of onshore wind energy, it is calculated that on average around 22,800 MWh of renewable electricity would be produced annually by Salden Wind Farm12.

4.7.30 Utilising updated figures of average UK household electricity consumption of 4,266 kWh per annum13 and a 26.06% capacity factor, computer based assessment calculates that the proposed wind farm could, each year, supply the average annual domestic needs of at least 5,350 homes14.

4.7.31 There has been a debate for a number of years about the actual level of emissions savings that might arise from a wind farm development and it is very difficult to predict the exact benefit of a wind farm development over its expected 25 year operational lifecycle. However, one certainty is that over the course of its 25 year lifetime, every unit (kWh) of electricity generated by Salden Wind Farm will offset large amounts of carbon

10 RenewableUK (2012). Website. http://www.bwea.com/energy/myths.html 11 A 26.06 capacity factor (CF) figure is derived by taking the average CF for onshore wind for the 5 year period of 2008 – 2012, as

recorded in the 2013 Digest of UK Energy Statistics, DECC 2013; https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225067/DUKES_2013_published_version.pdf. Actual capacity factor will vary year on year as there will be periods of maximum and minimal generation, depending on wind speeds and wind farm maintenance requirements. Throughout the planning process West Coast Energy will continue to monitor the on-site wind resource.

12 Calculated as follows: 10 (max installed capacity in MW) x 0.2606 (indicative annual capacity factor) x 8760 (number of hours in a year) = 22,829 MWh per year. The figure is presented as an annual amount in recognition of the fact that throughout the year, the figure will vary, as there will be periods of maximum and minimal generation, depending on wind speeds and windfarm maintenance requirements.

13 DECC 2012- http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/stats/publications/energy-trends/articles/4782-subnat-electricity-cons-stats-article.pdf

14 Stated figures assume 10MW overall capacity an annual capacity factor of 26.06%, and an annual domestic household electricity consumption of 4,266kWh. These are estimated figures with on-site wind speeds derived from NOABL.



dioxide that would have otherwise been produced if that electricity had been generated using fossil fuels like coal and gas.15

4.7.32 The proposed wind farm will therefore benefit the environment by reducing the demand for other sources of electricity, thereby replacing significant amounts of brown energy with green energy. The amount of CO2 savings made is a function of the fossil fuel displaced. The electricity industry matches the fluctuating daily and seasonal electricity demand with electricity supply from a variety of generation sources.

4.7.33 Nuclear stations generate at a constant rate and are termed ‘base load’ energy because of their inability to follow load fluctuations. Other sources of base load energy have in recent years been natural gas fired Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) and large scale coal fired plant. The majority of the load following has been carried out by older, smaller but more flexible coal fired generators and it is the output from this flexible plant which is displaced by wind energy.

4.7.34 Thus, as the UK’s electricity generating mix and fuel costs will change over the 25 year expected operational lifetime of the wind farm, it is impractical to precisely quantify the emissions savings over this period of time.

4.7.35 In recent times, RenewableUK, the industry body, has decided to take a more conservative line by assuming an average of emissions across all grid-connected sources, of 430g per kWh. At planning inquiries, it has been known for Planning Inspector’s to adopt this figure as the “minimum savings figure” from the wind farm’s electricity production, and to conclude that the savings of CO2 were still substantial.

4.7.36 By using this static level of 430g of CO2 per kWh, the Salden Wind Farm would offset some 9,800 tonnes of CO2 per annum or 245,000 tonnes16 of CO2 over the 25 year operational period.

4.7.37 It should also be noted that the units of electricity produced by this wind farm will displace units generated further afield by other centralised and large scale methods of generation. Embedded generation reduces the need for long distance transmission of power which produces its own losses in transmission.

4.7.38 Significant emission savings of NOx and SO2 will also result over the lifetime of the development. Once constructed, wind generation produces no carbon, nitrogen or sulphur emissions.

4.7.39 The proposed wind farm will therefore make an important contribution to international, European and UK commitments to reduce greenhouse gases and tackle climate change. Further savings will accrue from reduced energy use, transportation, pollution and congestion, currently incurred in transporting fossil fuels to power stations.

15 Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (1994). Select Committee Briefing: Environmental Aspects of Wind Generation.

Crown press 16 Calculated using a static figure of 430g CO2 per KWh, a capacity factor of 26.06 and a maximum installed capacity of 10MW.



4.8 CONCLUSIONS 4.8.1 There is an environmental imperative and a strategic policy commitment at

International, European and UK levels to tackle the causes of climate change and to increase the amount of renewable energy generation.

4.8.2 European Union Directive 2009/2817 requires 20% of energy and 35% of

electricity to be produced from renewables by 2020. Wind energy is set to contribute the most - nearly 35% of all the power coming from renewables.

4.8.3 UK’s contribution to this European target is to produce 15% of all energy

from renewable sources by 2020, equating to around 30% of electricity from renewable sources.

4.8.4 Sustainable development and the provision of renewable energy and wind

power is a specific requirement of all parts of the adopted and emerging Development Plan. The South East region has a number of strategies and policies in place for tackling climate change and for the production of renewable energy, and has set the following targets;

An increase of approximately 50% in renewable energy generation; from 140MW to 209MW within the sub-region which Buckinghamshire is part of (Thames Valley and Surrey).

A regional target to producing 895MW by 2016. According to data obtained from RenewableUK18 in November 2013, the South East region had an installed, in construction and planning consented on-shore wind capacity of 108MW, thus leaving a shortfall just over 787MW from the 2016 target.

A sub-regional target of 209MW by 2016 for the sub-region. According to data obtained from RenewableUK19 in November 2013, the Thames Valley and Surrey sub-regional area had an installed, in construction and planning consented on-shore wind capacity of 31MW, thus leaving a shortfall just under 178MW from the 2016 target.

4.8.5 The wider environmental, economic and social benefits of renewable

energy schemes are a material consideration which should be given significant weight in the decision making process;

Salden Wind Farm would generate clean green electricity to meet the annual domestic electricity consumption equivalent to around 5,350 homes and would displace around 245,000 tonnes of CO2 over the life of the wind farm. The construction of the wind farm would involve significant local investment and expenditure.

The Community Benefit Fund would amount to circa £50,000 per annum rising with RPI or about £1.3 million20 over the operational life of the wind farm. It is however likely that the 10% profit share will generate a much higher community investment fund.

17 European Parliament and Council, 23 April 2009, Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources 18 Figures from RenewableUK, 2013, UK Wind Energy Database http://www.bwea.com/ukwed/index.asp (Members Area), accessed

18/11/203 19 Figures from RenewableUK, 2013, UK Wind Energy Database http://www.bwea.com/ukwed/index.asp (Members Area), accessed

18/11/203 20 This figure is a projection which assumes indexation based on a standard CPI of 2% - in reality this figure may be higher or lower.





The Salden Wind Farm would pay approximately £117,75021 per annum directly to Aylesbury Vale District Council in business rates meaning 100% of this payment can be kept by the council. Over the lifetime of the project it is estimated that the wind farm would generate approximately £2,943,75022. This payment could be considerably more if the rateable values for power generators changes or the rateable multiplier increases.

4.8.6 Whilst policies seek to promote renewable energy schemes, they also seek to minimise and protect against any local impacts arising from the development. The Environmental Impact Assessment has considered these local impacts at Salden, and the results are reported within the Environmental Statement. The overall conclusions reached are that local and environmental impacts can be addressed satisfactorily.

4.8.7 The proposed wind farm will have no unacceptable impacts in terms of

visual appearance, landscape character, cumulative impact, archaeology, geology and hydrology, ecology and ornithology, noise, electromagnetic disturbance, shadow flicker, aviation safeguarding, and traffic generation.

4.8.8 As with any scheme of this nature, there will be a change to the

landscape, but if UK targets on renewable energy and onshore wind are to be met, it must be accepted that wind turbines do have a place within the landscape and countryside. It must be recognised that there are few landscapes into which a wind farm would not introduce a new and distinctive feature, and that it is important for society at large to accept wind turbines as a feature of the landscape for the foreseeable future. The local impacts of the wind farm must be balanced against the environmental, economic and wider social benefits that the development brings.

4.8.9 There is thus a clear strategic legislative and policy requirement in the UK,

regionally in Buckinghamshire and locally in Aylesbury, to tackle climate change and to increase renewable energy generation. The role of onshore wind is a key element of every strategy to attain these targets. Renewables (and especially onshore wind energy development) must be developed wherever and whenever the technology is viable and environmental, economic, and social impacts can be addressed satisfactorily.

4.8.10 The proposed Salden Wind Farm is in accordance with Government policy

and the Development Plan. It will make a meaningful contribution towards achieving the UK renewable energy targets.

4.8.11 On balance, weighing up all of the above factors, it is considered that the

benefits of the proposed development outweigh its relatively low impact on the local environment, and that the wind farm would be an acceptable feature within the landscape.

21 Assumes a rateable value of £25,000 per MW, 2013/14 standard business rate multiplier of 0.471 and a maximum capacity of 10MW. 22 Annual business rate calculated at £117,750 multiplied by 25 years. Does not assume inflation or likely changes to business rate

valuations or multiplier.

SALDEN WIND FARM

Figures & Plans

!(

!(

!(

!(

2

4

1

3

482000 483000 484000 485000 486000 487000 488000 489000 490000 491000 492000 493000 494000 495000 496000 49700022

8000

22900

023

0000

23100

023

2000

23300

023

4000

23500

023

6000

23700

023

8000

23900

024

0000

Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey onbehalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and databaserights 2013. All rights reserved. Ordnance SurveyLicence Number AL100020907 (West Coast Energy) /

0 1 2 3 4 5

Kilometres Scale when reproduced A3 size1:51,023

Salden Wind Farm

Figure 1.1Site Location and AILTransportation RouteDrawn by: KG

1363/TP/030bChecked by: GSApproved by: NF

19/11/2013

TL01L

Legend!( Turbines

Application Boundary

Transportation Route(for abnormal indivisibleload deliveries)

!(

!(

!(

!(2

4

1

3

483000 48400023

0000

23100

0


0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Meters Scale when reproduced A3 size1:6,000

Salden Wind Farm

Figure 1.2Site Layout & Application BoundaryDrawn by: KG

1363/SL/067bChecked by: NFApproved by: NF

12/11/2013

TL01L

Legend!( Turbine Locations

Application Boundary

Access Tracks

Temporary Turning Areas

Crane Hardstandings

Compound

Substation


Salden Wind Farm

Figure 1.3Typical Wind Turbine Detail

Drawn by: KG1363/E3/084aChecked by: NF

Approved by: NF

12/11/2013

TL01l

RePower MM92

Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey onbehalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and databaserights 2011. All rights reserved Ordnace surveylicence number AL100020907 (West Coast Energy) / Not to Scale

Salden Wind Farm

Figure 1.4Typical Access Track,Cable Trench.Turbine Foundationand Installation AreaDrawn by: KG

1363/E3/086a

Legend:

Checked by: NFApproved by: NF

21/11/2013

Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey onbehalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and databaserights 2013. All rights reserved Ordnace surveylicence number AL100020907 (West Coast Energy)

Salden Wind Farm

Figure 1.5Typical Substation Building

Drawn by: KG1363/SB/117a

/

Checked by: NFApproved by: NF

21/11/20130 3 6 9Scale 1: 125Metres


Salden Wind Farm

Figure 1.6Site Entrance Detail

Drawn by: KG1363/SL/080aChecked by: GS

Approved by: NF

21/11/2013

TL01L