Agenda item

Under the Scheme of Public Participation, Martin Parry and John Flanagan were registered to speak in objection to the application.  Rick Seymour was registered to speak generally on the application.  Tom Martin of British Telecom Plc was registered to speak in support.

Members considered the application and the public representations.

It was proposed by Councillor Blamire and seconded by Councillor Coates:

“That Planning Permission be granted in principle.”

Upon being put to the vote, 12 Members voted in favour of the proposition and 3 against, with 1 abstention, whereupon the Chairman declared the proposal to be carried.

Resolved:

That the application be delegated to the Head of Regeneration and Policy to approve following resolution of the objection raised by National Air Traffic Service (NATS) and subject to a legal agreement to deal with TV and radio interference and pink footed geese mitigation and the following conditions, as set out in the case officer’s report, with amendment to condition 18:

1.         Standard Time Limit.

2.         Development in accordance with the approved plans and submitted Environmental Statement.

3.         Turbine and associated infrastructure shall be removed from site and land reinstated in accordance with a scheme to be agreed with the local planning authority before the expiry of 25 years from the turbine being operational.

4.         If the turbine fails to produce electricity to the grid for a continuous period of 12 months, it and associated infrastructure, shall be removed within a period of 6 months and the land reinstated in accordance with a scheme to be agreed with the local planning authority.

5.         No micrositing unless otherwise agreed in writing with the local planning authority.

6.         No development shall commence until a Construction Traffic Management Plan has been submitted and agreed (this would include vehicle routing, timing, management of junctions, crossings, details of escorts of abnormal loads, construction not to comment until 30 mph temporary Traffic Regulation Order in place).

7.         Implementation of a Construction Traffic Management Plan.

8.         No development shall commence until a Construction Management Plan and Construction Method Statement have been submitted and agreed in writing with the local planning authority (this would include timing of construction works, construction method and surface treatment of all hard surfaces, including sections of the proposed access track, details of site drainage, details of wheel washing facilities, control of pollution, disposal of means of surplus material, timing of cable trenching and foundation works, timing of and construction methods and management of site compound including parking arrangements; and details of the reinstatement of temporary working areas including the access).  The Construction Management Plan and Construction Method Statement shall be carried out in accordance with the agreed details.

9.         All cabling on the site shall be installed underground, precise point of connection to be agreed.

10.       Standard limitation on construction hours but also with a provision to allow evening working up to 0900 by prior arrangement with the local planning authority.

11.       No piling operations are anticipated but should any driven pile systems be used, prior notification in writing to the local planning authority will be required.

12.       Access to be provided in accordance with the approved plans before commencement of development.

13.       No development shall commence until an Environment Management Plan has been provided and agreed in writing. The development shall be carried out in accordance with such agreed details and implemented thereafter in accordance with the agreed timetables (the Environment Management Plan would include mitigation measures that will be adhered to during construction and operation of the turbine for the protection of species (e.g. nesting and wintering birds, amphibians, bats, water voles) and habitats, including watercourses:

-                      Pink Footed Geese mitigation

-                      Ditch improvements/enhancements

-                      Ditch crossing details

-                      Hedgerow retention

-                      Long-term management

-                      Habitat creation

-                      Restoration following cessation of operations

-                      The time of site preparation to avoid breeding bats and birds.

14.       Tree protection, none to be removed other than agreed condition.

15.       Archaeology – programme of work to be agreed.

16.       Materials, design, finish of turbine and all permanent above ground infrastructure to be agreed.

17.       No development shall commence until precise details of the semi-matt external finish and colour of the turbines have been submitted and approved by the local planning authority.  The turbines shall not be illuminated, other than aviation lighting (in the form of infrared lighting), or display any name, sign, symbol or logo.

18.       Noise condition restricting the turbine to the limits set by ETSU-R-97 – at any currently occupied and properly consented residential location, noise from the turbine shall not at any time exceed a noise level of 40 dB daytime or 43 dB night-time measured on the La90 scale over any 10 minute period, or 5 Db above the agreed prevailing background noise level, whichever is the greater.

19.       Noise condition – in the event of any complaint of noise being received, the noise from the turbine shall be monitored for compliance with the requirement of condition 3, with results submitted to the local planning authority.  Should any noise from the turbine exceed the limits set out in condition 3, under some or all operating conditions, measures shall be taken by the operator to reduce the noise output of the turbine as necessary to bring noise levels into compliance, whether by stopping its operation or otherwise.

20.       Scheme for dealing with noise complaints.

21.       Scheme for decommissioning and restoration strategy to be agreed.

22.       Before the wind turbine is brought into use, a scheme for the avoidance of shadow flicker for legally occupied buildings (dwellings and place of work, such as offices) within 10 rotor diameters of the wind turbine has been submitted, agreed and operated in accordance with the agreed scheme.

23.       The wind turbine shall not be brought into use until a scheme to secure the investigation and alleviation of any electro-magnetic interference to terrestrial and digital TV caused by the operation of the turbine.  (Awaiting further information to confirm exact wording of this condition, together with potential legal agreement.)

24.       Turbine aviation lighting to be agreed.

25.       Precise routing of the access road.

26.       Precise details of the crane hardstanding foundations.