Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position Statement

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Forest of Bowland AONBRenewable Energy Position
Statement
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Background (1)

• UK Government has set ambitious targets for
  reducing greenhouse gas emissions and producing
  power from renewable sources.
• Reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
• Forest of Bowland AONB has not been identified as
  an exempt area.

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Background(2)

• Some fundamentals
• The AONBs landscape will be affected by climate
  change.
• The AONB covers nearly a third of Lancashire and
  is rich in renewable resources, particularly
  wind. Lancashire will struggle to meet its
  climate change obligations and targets if such a
  large area of the County is excluded.
• The AONB should play its part in reducing
• greenhouse gas emissions through, inter alia
• renewable energy schemes.
• The AONB will be increasingly targeted by
• renewable energy developers.

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Planning Policy(1)

• Planning Policy Statement 7 Sustainable
  Development in Rural Areas Nationally
  designated areas comprising...Areas of
  Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), have been
  confirmed by the Government as having the highest
  status of protection in relation to landscape and
  scenic beauty. The conservation of the natural
  beauty of the landscape and countryside should
  therefore be given great weight in planning
  policies and development control decisions in
  these areas
• Major developments should not take place in
  these designated areas, except in exceptional
  circumstances.
• Planning Policy Statement 22 Renewable Energy
• Small-scale developments should be permitted
  within areas such as...Areas of Outstanding
  Natural Beauty...provided that there is no
  significant environmental detriment to the area
  concerned

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Planning Policy(2)

• In sites with nationally recognised
  designations...(Areas of Outstanding Natural
  Beauty...) planning permission for renewable
  energy projects should only be granted where it
  can be demonstrated that the objectives of
  designation of the area will not be compromised
  by the development, and any significant adverse
  effects on the qualities for which the area has
  been designated are clearly outweighed by the
  environmental, social and economic benefits.
• Regional Spatial Strategy
• Policy EM17 Renewable Energy advises that
  within nationally recognised designations small
  scale developments may be acceptable provided
  there is no significant environmental detriment.

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European Landscape Convention

• The European Landscape Convention (ELC) considers
  and promotes an integrated approach when dealing
  with the landscape and provides an international
  context for landscape, placing this important
  resource alongside biodiversity and cultural
  heritage.
• The ELC promotes landscape protection, management
  and planning. In addition member states are
  required to, inter alia, acknowledge and
  recognise landscape as a key element of
  individual and social well-being and the
  important part it plays in the quality of life
  for people.

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Forest of Bowland AONBManagement Plan April
2009 March 2014

• The document provides a policy framework
• and identifies a 5-year programme of actions
• to help guide the work of the AONB
• partnership organisations towards achieving
• the purpose of this plan - to conserve and
  enhance the natural and cultural beauty of the
  Forest of Bowland landscape.
• Chapter 19, Responding to Climate Change
• Establish and promote the AONB as a place of
  best practice in responding to climate change.

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (1)

• What is it?
• A positive document which recognises the
  challenges
• of responding to climate change and accepts that
  the
• AONB has a role to play in tackling this
  problem.
• It sets out the Forest of Bowland AONB Joint
  Advisory Committee's position with regard to the
  siting of renewable energy developments, both
  within and adjacent to the boundaries of the
  AONB.
• It provides guidance on the different types of
  renewable energy generation, the differing
  scales of development and issues relating to
  siting.

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (2)

• It is envisaged that the position statement will
  be used to inform planning policy development,
  supplementary planning guidance, strategies,
  design guides and assist in the determination of
  planning applications submitted to the planning
  departments of local authorities in the AONB
  partnership.
• The document is also intended to offer advice to
  potential developers, and any business, community
  or resident who is seeking to install micro or
  small scale renewable systems within the Forest
  of Bowland AONB.

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy
PositionStatement (3)

• Where does the position statement fit in the
  scheme of things?
• NOT a statutory document.
• NOT part of the statutory Development Plan.
• Sits alongside and should be read in conjunction
  with
• Forest of Bowland AONB Management Plan (statutory
  document).
• Forest of Bowland AONB Landscape Character
  Assessment.
• Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development
  in Lancashire.
• A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire.
• Landscape and Heritage Supplementary Planning
  Guidance.

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (4)

• This guidance is for micro and small scale
  schemes only as the Forest of Bowland AONB Joint
  Advisory Committee will object to all plans to
  develop medium and large scale renewable energy
  schemes.
• Renewable energy
• Electricity
• Generated by hydro systems (water),
  photovoltaics (solar) and by wind turbines.
• Heat generation
• Heat can be generated via the burning of wood
  fuel and other biomass products, using anaerobic
  digestion, solar thermal and by using underground
  water and air source heat pumps.

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (5)

• Renewable energy typology

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Forest of Bowland AONBRenewable Energy Position
Statement (6)

• Why object to medium and large scale renewable
  energy development?
• The Forest of Bowland AONB Joint Advisory
  Committee considers that medium to large scale
  renewable energy development is not appropriate
  within the Forest of Bowland AONB (or in
  locations beyond the boundary where development
  would affect its setting and character) as it has
  significant potential to adversely affect the
  natural beauty of the AONB and to compromise the
  purpose of the statutory designation.

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (7)

• A practical study wind energy development
• Landscape sensitivity

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (7)

• Landscape characteristics which indicate that
  medium and large scale wind energy development
  would not be appropriate for the AONB include
• considerable sense of remoteness/wildness.
• the highest levels of landscape tranquillity in
  Lancashire (ref. CPRE).
• scarcity of this type of landscape
  character/experience.
• landscape complexity incised cloughs
  contrasting with moorland plateaux.
• the area provides important backdrops to many
  areas.
• high landscape values nationally designated
  landscape, cultural landscape, recreational uses,
  tourism.

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (8)

• Potential visibility 20km radius

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Forest of Bowland AONB Renewable Energy Position
Statement (9)

• Appropriate for the natural beauty of the AONB?
• Compromise the purpose of the statutory
  designation?

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Thinking further ahead

• Wind energy is a rapidly developing industry.
• Wind turbines and wind farms are getting much
  larger greatly increasing the area over which
  significant landscape and visual impacts could
  occur.
• There is a trend towards repowering of existing
  sites too.
• Enercon E-126 wind turbine 198m high (almost
  twice the height of Scout Moor wind turbines!)
• Markbygden Wind Farm, Sweden.
• 1101 wind turbines, 450km² site area

Blackpool Tower