Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
5 Planning Policy Overview
5.1 Introduction to Planning Guidance and Context
5.1.1 This chapter identifies the European Union, United Kingdom and Scottish Government’s
climate change and renewable energy targets. The main driver for these targets has been
the need to reduce greenhouse gases in order to combat climate change, and the
requirement to fill the resulting energy gap with renewable energy alternatives, including wind
energy.
5.1.2 The chapter also identifies the Development Plan policies and material considerations
relevant to the determination of the planning application for the proposed wind farm. These
policies and material considerations provide the context for the more detailed topic analysis
as set out in Chapters 7 to 15 of this Environmental Statement (ES).
5.1.3 It is not the purpose of this chapter to provide an assessment of the proposed wind farm
against planning policy. It sets out the context in which development proposals will be
considered. The detailed assessment of the proposed wind farm against the development
plan and material considerations is contained within a separate supporting Planning
Statement (PS) which accompanies the planning application
5.2 International and National Context
Climate Change and Renewable Energy Targets
European Union Context
5.2.1 Based upon the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007
Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), the European Commission’s analysis shows that global
emissions will have to be stabilised by around 2020, then reduced by at least 50 % of 1990
levels by 2050, with developed countries collectively cutting their emissions to 30 % below
1990 levels by 2020 and 60-80 % by 2050.
5.2.2 In 2008, in order to address the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control (IPCC) findings,
the European Union (EU) unilaterally agreed a Climate and Energy Package which aims to
deliver cuts in emissions of 20 % by 2020. The EU has committed to strengthening this
target to 30 % provided other industrialised countries commit to a comparable effort and
developing countries contribute adequately to global action.
5.2.3 In April 2009 the European Commission adopted a new European Renewables Directive
(RD) which sets the ambitious target of obtaining 20 % of all the EU’s energy (not just
electricity) to come from renewables sources by 2020. The RD was negotiated based on this
20 % target and resulted in country “shares” of this target. For the UK, the share is that 15 %
of all final energy consumption should be accounted for by energy from renewable sources.
This 15 % target equates to approximately 230 gigawats (GW) of installed capacity.
United Kingdom Context
5.2.4 The UK’s Energy White Paper 2007 states that “we are determined to become a low carbon
economy” (DTI, 2007) and reaffirms the UK Government’s four energy priorities as reducing
CO 2 emissions, maintaining energy security, promoting sustainable growth and tackling fuel
March 2013 5-1 ES Chapter 5
Planning Policy Overview
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