Agenda item

Installation of a solar farm with associated access and infrastructure to include substations, inverter stations, control room, CCTV, lighting, perimeter fence and all associated works.

A site visit was held in respect of this application on Monday 31^st October 2022 by Councillors Vicki Boyd-Power, Dave Brookes, Keith Budden, Roger Cleet, Roger Dennison, Kevin Frea, June Greenwell, Mel Guilding, Robert Redfern, Malcolm Thomas, Sandra Thornberry and Sue Tyldesley. In attendance were Officers Eleanor Fawcett and Eric Marsden.

It was proposed by Councillor Robert Redfern and seconded by Councillor Roger Dennison:

“That the application be refused for the reasons in the Committee Report.”

Upon being put to the vote, 5 Councillors voted in favour of the proposal with 9 against and no abstentions, whereupon the Chair declared the proposal to have been rejected.

It was proposed by Councillor Kevin Frea and seconded by Councillor Jack Lenox:

“That the benefits of the application, in particular the contribution the application will make to mitigating the effects of climate change, outweigh the identified harm to the landscape character and the setting of the AONB landscape and the harmful visual effects arising, and that the application be approved with the following conditions:

1.     Standard time limit (3yrs).

2.     Approved plans.

3.     Archaeological written scheme of investigation.

4.     Construction environmental management plan.

5.     Construction surface water management plan.

6.     Sustainable drainage strategy.

7.     Sustainable drainage system operation and maintenance scheme.

8.     Construction management plan in relation to the M6.

9.     Submission of a site access management plan for construction and operational phases.

10.  Submission of a habitat and landscape creation and management plan.

11.  Ecology mitigation.

12.  Submission of the design, materials and construction methods for the closed circuit television masts, foundations and fixings.

13.  Recording of the condition of the existing M6 motorway boundary fence and running surface and parapets of the M6 Grimeshaw Lane bridge before construction.

14.  Recording of the condition of the existing M6 motorway boundary fence and running surface and parapets of the M6 Grimeshaw Lane bridge after construction and remediation of any damage.

15.  Details of buildings/ compounds/infrastructure, surfacing, CCTV poles and fencing.

16.  Tree and hedgerow protection scheme and landscaping scheme.

17.  No access to the M6 Grimeshaw Lane bridge for vehicles with a weight of 7.5 tonnes or more.

18.  No drainage to connect into the drainage system of the M6 or additional surface water runoff.

19.  Verification report of constructed sustainable drainage system.

20.  Submission of a site access management plan for decommissioning.

21.  Removal and remediation of land after 35 years.

22.  Removal after 12 months not producing power.

The precise drafting of conditions to be delegated back to officers.”

Upon being put to the vote, 11 Councillors voted in favour of the proposal with 2 against and 1 abstention, whereupon the Chair declared the proposal to have been carried.

Resolved:

That the benefits of the application, in particular the contribution the application will make to mitigating the effects of climate change, outweigh the identified harm to the landscape character and the setting of the AONB landscape and the harmful visual effects arising, and that the application be approved with the following conditions:

1.     Standard time limit (3yrs).

2.     Approved plans.

3.     Archaeological written scheme of investigation.

4.     Construction environmental management plan.

5.     Construction surface water management plan.

6.     Sustainable drainage strategy.

7.     Sustainable drainage system operation and maintenance scheme.

8.     Construction management plan in relation to the M6.

9.     Submission of a site access management plan for construction and operational phases.

10.  Submission of a habitat and landscape creation and management plan.

11.  Ecology mitigation.

12.  Submission of the design, materials and construction methods for the closed circuit television masts, foundations and fixings.

13.  Recording of the condition of the existing M6 motorway boundary fence and running surface and parapets of the M6 Grimeshaw Lane bridge before construction.

14.  Recording of the condition of the existing M6 motorway boundary fence and running surface and parapets of the M6 Grimeshaw Lane bridge after construction and remediation of any damage.

15.  Details of buildings/ compounds/infrastructure, surfacing, CCTV poles and fencing.

16.  Tree and hedgerow protection scheme and landscaping scheme.

17.  No access to the M6 Grimeshaw Lane bridge for vehicles with a weight of 7.5 tonnes or more.

18.  No drainage to connect into the drainage system of the M6 or additional surface water runoff.

19.  Verification report of constructed sustainable drainage system.

20.  Submission of a site access management plan for decommissioning.

21.  Removal and remediation of land after 35 years.

22.  Removal after 12 months not producing power.

The precise drafting of conditions to be delegated back to officers.