Generating light on landscape impacts - Campaign to Protect Rural ...
Generating light on landscape impacts - Campaign to Protect Rural ... Generating light on landscape impacts - Campaign to Protect Rural ...
Return to contentsDeveloping a strategic,plan-led approach910. We all have to make a contribution to tackling climate change.Communities which are affected by renewable energy developments,including onshore wind, should have a choice about how their areacontributes and which technologies should be used. This should beachieved through a planning system which is less confrontational andinstead fosters engagement, co-operation and respect, somethingCPRE has previously advocated in respect to renewable energy. 1311. At the heart of the problem lies the question of how our landscapescan accommodate necessary changes while retaining the characterwe value. Not all landscapes have the same value, although many thatare not classified as nationally important will nevertheless be of realimportance to people living within and close to them. Determininglandscape value objectively requires an understanding of a landscape’scapacity and its sensitivity to change. These should be importantconsiderations when determining where onshore wind turbines shouldbe sited. Alongside community engagement, landscape characterassessments are the most established way of determining capacityand sensitivity and therefore the relative ability of areas toaccommodate wind energy development without unacceptableadverse impacts. 14Some regions andcounties are experiencingvery large numbersof applications foronshore wind farmsand single turbines12. Regional Spatial Strategies, which will be revoked through theLocalism Act 2011, often used landscape character assessments whenallocating sub-regional targets. These helped to outline a landscapesensitivedistribution of onshore wind across a region. This assistedlocal planning authorities in connecting the Government’s nationalrenewable energy strategy with local action, and required them torecognise landscape constraints. Following the removal of the regionalplanning tier, evidence on landscape capacity and its sensitivity tochange is unlikely to be as comprehensive or up to date in future.13. As a result, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) hasattempted to develop new ways to determine the opportunities andconstraints for the deployment of renewable energy at a regional andlocal level. 15 This methodology represents a step in the right directionbut questions remain over whether the resulting reports are effectivelyinforming local level strategies. In Yorkshire and Humber, for example,the aim of the 2011 regional study 16 was to provide evidence thatcould be taken further at the local level. This has not happenedbecause it seems cash-strapped local authorities have been unableto conduct the necessary local research.14. Without such a joined-up approach, some regions and counties areexperiencing very large numbers of applications for onshore wind farmsand single turbines. These are having adverse cumulative impactswithout any evidence of what scale of development can reasonably beaccommodated in the landscape. The volume of applications presentsa real challenge to local communities keen to ensure that eachapplication is scrutinised according to an overarching landscapeassessment. While some landscapes are able to absorb onshore winddevelopment, others are highly sensitive to one or multiple13CPRE, National Trust and RSPB, JointStatement on the UK Renewable EnergyStrategy, 200914CPRE, Unlocking the Landscape:Preparing a Community LandscapeCharacter Assessment, 200515SQW Energy and Land Use Consultants,Renewable and Low-carbon EnergyCapacity Methodology: Methodology forthe English Regions, DECC, 201016Arup, North East Renewable CapacityStudy, One North East, 2011
Return to contents10developments. Without a clear strategic planning framework,landscape capacity can easily be exceeded.15. Two areas in the country where landscape capacity issues are acutelyfelt are Cornwall and Durham. Cornwall, which relies heavily ontourism, currently has 94 operational turbines, 18 consented and11 in planning. County Durham has 60 operational turbines, 27 underconstruction, 19 consented and six in planning. 17 In other areas thenumber of onshore wind turbine applications currently in the planningsystem, if built, could also mean that the landscape capacity of theirarea will be exceeded. Northamptonshire, for example, currently has13 operational turbines and an additional 46 consented and 32 inplanning. Northumberland has 29 operational turbines and anadditional 24 under construction, 64 consented and one in planning. 1816. Through a strategic, plan-led approach which takes account oflandscape capacity we will be better able to value and protectlandscapes and connect local decisions to a coherent nationalrenewable energy strategy. Communities will have more say in whatrenewable energy they want and where it should go. By fosteringtransparency, engagement and co-operation we will be better able tofind workable solutions which increase the contribution of appropriaterenewable energy while respecting valued landscapes. These solutionsshould also include encouraging appropriate community-levelrenewables, so that communities, not the energy companies, decidewhether they want onshore wind and where it should best be located.Recommendation: The Government should develop astrategic plan-led approach to the siting of onshore wind whichrecognises landscape capacity, including cumulative impacts.Applying strategic planningat the local level17. Planning decisions which involve assessing landscape implicationsare often complex and time-consuming. CPRE supports thedevelopment of renewable energy led by clear locational criteriain local development plans. There is support for this approach inparagraphs 97, 98 and 170 of the National Planning Policy Framework.If these are conceived properly, such policies will empower localplanning authorities and communities to make informed decisionsabout the best place to site renewable energy including onshore wind.18. Dorset, which currently has no onshore wind farms has used regionallevel analysis 19 and consulted on a proposal to adopt an aspirationaltarget to source 15% of its energy from renewable sources, themajority from onshore wind, by 2020. 20 CPRE Dorset believes thatthe consultation did not give adequate regard to landscape constraintcriteria in its wind energy scenarios. It proposed an alternativestrategy which identifies an appropriate level of ambition for onshore17RenewableUK, UK Wind Energy Database18ibid19RegenSW, The South West RenewableEnergy Resource Assessment: resultsreport, 201020Sustainable Dorset, Bournemouth, Dorsetand Poole renewable energy strategyconsultation, 2011
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Return <strong>to</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tents10developments. Without a clear strategic planning framework,<strong>landscape</strong> capacity can easily be exceeded.15. Two areas in the country where <strong>landscape</strong> capacity issues are acutelyfelt are Cornwall and Durham. Cornwall, which relies heavily <strong>on</strong><strong>to</strong>urism, currently has 94 operati<strong>on</strong>al turbines, 18 c<strong>on</strong>sented and11 in planning. County Durham has 60 operati<strong>on</strong>al turbines, 27 underc<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>, 19 c<strong>on</strong>sented and six in planning. 17 In other areas thenumber of <strong>on</strong>shore wind turbine applicati<strong>on</strong>s currently in the planningsystem, if built, could also mean that the <strong>landscape</strong> capacity of theirarea will be exceeded. Northampt<strong>on</strong>shire, for example, currently has13 operati<strong>on</strong>al turbines and an additi<strong>on</strong>al 46 c<strong>on</strong>sented and 32 inplanning. Northumberland has 29 operati<strong>on</strong>al turbines and anadditi<strong>on</strong>al 24 under c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>, 64 c<strong>on</strong>sented and <strong>on</strong>e in planning. 1816. Through a strategic, plan-led approach which takes account of<strong>landscape</strong> capacity we will be better able <strong>to</strong> value and protect<strong>landscape</strong>s and c<strong>on</strong>nect local decisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>to</strong> a coherent nati<strong>on</strong>alrenewable energy strategy. Communities will have more say in whatrenewable energy they want and where it should go. By fosteringtransparency, engagement and co-operati<strong>on</strong> we will be better able <strong>to</strong>find workable soluti<strong>on</strong>s which increase the c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong> of appropriaterenewable energy while respecting valued <strong>landscape</strong>s. These soluti<strong>on</strong>sshould also include encouraging appropriate community-levelrenewables, so that communities, not the energy companies, decidewhether they want <strong>on</strong>shore wind and where it should best be located.Recommendati<strong>on</strong>: The Government should develop astrategic plan-led approach <strong>to</strong> the siting of <strong>on</strong>shore wind whichrecognises <strong>landscape</strong> capacity, including cumulative <strong>impacts</strong>.Applying strategic planningat the local level17. Planning decisi<strong>on</strong>s which involve assessing <strong>landscape</strong> implicati<strong>on</strong>sare often complex and time-c<strong>on</strong>suming. CPRE supports thedevelopment of renewable energy led by clear locati<strong>on</strong>al criteriain local development plans. There is support for this approach inparagraphs 97, 98 and 170 of the Nati<strong>on</strong>al Planning Policy Framework.If these are c<strong>on</strong>ceived properly, such policies will empower localplanning authorities and communities <strong>to</strong> make informed decisi<strong>on</strong>sabout the best place <strong>to</strong> site renewable energy including <strong>on</strong>shore wind.18. Dorset, which currently has no <strong>on</strong>shore wind farms has used regi<strong>on</strong>allevel analysis 19 and c<strong>on</strong>sulted <strong>on</strong> a proposal <strong>to</strong> adopt an aspirati<strong>on</strong>altarget <strong>to</strong> source 15% of its energy from renewable sources, themajority from <strong>on</strong>shore wind, by 2020. 20 CPRE Dorset believes thatthe c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> did not give adequate regard <strong>to</strong> <strong>landscape</strong> c<strong>on</strong>straintcriteria in its wind energy scenarios. It proposed an alternativestrategy which identifies an appropriate level of ambiti<strong>on</strong> for <strong>on</strong>shore17RenewableUK, UK Wind Energy Database18ibid19RegenSW, The South West RenewableEnergy Resource Assessment: resultsreport, 201020Sustainable Dorset, Bournemouth, Dorsetand Poole renewable energy strategyc<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong>, 2011<str<strong>on</strong>g>Generating</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>light</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>landscape</strong> <strong>impacts</strong>: How <strong>to</strong> accommodate <strong>on</strong>shore wind while protecting the countryside
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