Return <strong>to</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tents11wind al<strong>on</strong>gside other forms of renewable energy, given <strong>landscape</strong>c<strong>on</strong>straints. This plan-led approach <strong>to</strong> <strong>on</strong>shore wind developmentwould ensure unacceptable damage <strong>to</strong> the <strong>landscape</strong> of rural Dorsetis avoided. 2119. Torridge District Council in Dev<strong>on</strong> has adopted a <strong>landscape</strong> sensitivityassessment in order <strong>to</strong> understand how best <strong>to</strong> accommodatewind and solar electricity generati<strong>on</strong> installati<strong>on</strong>s in its area.The assessment is part of the evidence base <strong>to</strong> support the emergingTorridge District Local Plan and will enable the Council <strong>to</strong> make ‘robust,well-informed decisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> the planning applicati<strong>on</strong>s’ received forwind and solar pho<strong>to</strong>voltaic developments. The assessment includes<strong>landscape</strong> recommendati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> the appropriate siting and scale offuture developments including <strong>on</strong>shore wind, within each of thearea’s 15 <strong>landscape</strong> character types (LCTs). Landscape strategiesfor the deployment of different technologies in each LCT have beendeveloped, <strong>to</strong> give an indicati<strong>on</strong> of how much development might beaccommodated in different LCTs. We welcome this approach as aneffective way of avoiding speculative <strong>on</strong>shore wind proposals.20. In D<strong>on</strong>caster, CPRE views were informed by a local planning authorityassessment of <strong>landscape</strong> capacity for wind farm development.It describes areas with zero/low, medium or high capacity for windtechnology. The capacity study was undertaken at the same timethat D<strong>on</strong>caster Metropolitan Borough Council revised its <strong>landscape</strong>character assessment and was published in March 2007. Much of theborough was assessed as having zero/low capacity for wind farmdevelopment, especially the very open flatlands (including theHumberhead Levels) <strong>to</strong> the east. This is where Tween Bridge wind farmis now situated; it was opposed by the Council, but before the capacitystudy was published (see above). No areas were judged <strong>to</strong> have highcapacity but the sites that CPRE South Yorkshire supported fell in<strong>to</strong> themedium capacity category. The capacity study helped when deciding<strong>to</strong> support sites at Marr and Hampole, situated in very large scaleagricultural <strong>landscape</strong>s where hedges and field margins have beengrubbed out, resulting in giant fields which matched the scale of thedevelopment. The <strong>landscape</strong> capacity study is still c<strong>on</strong>sidered robustand forms the evidence base for new policies currently being adoptedas part of the prospective Core Strategy.21. Without this local level strategic planning, CPRE fears more decisi<strong>on</strong>swill be made <strong>on</strong> the judgement of Planning Inspec<strong>to</strong>rs at the appealstage, rather than at the local level. Increasingly, such decisi<strong>on</strong>s aremade according <strong>to</strong> nati<strong>on</strong>al level policy drivers <strong>to</strong> the detriment oflocal c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>s. There has been, for example, a noticeableincrease in the number of projects that have been subject <strong>to</strong> aplanning appeal, from 12 schemes in September 2010 <strong>to</strong> 20 schemesin June 2011. 22 Local communities then feel less empowered,creating c<strong>on</strong>flict rather than co-operati<strong>on</strong> in the planning system.22. CPRE has been tracking decisi<strong>on</strong>s made by the Planning Inspec<strong>to</strong>rateand m<strong>on</strong>i<strong>to</strong>ring how Inspec<strong>to</strong>rs are taking account of differentc<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>s in making decisi<strong>on</strong>s. We present a number of casestudies below, which we believe high<str<strong>on</strong>g>light</str<strong>on</strong>g> some poor decisi<strong>on</strong>s made21Peacock, D, A Critique of the ProposedMaximum and Medium Scenarios forthe C<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong> of Wind Energy fromLand Based Industrial Turbines, CPREDorset, 201122RenewableUK, State of the IndustryReport. Onshore and Offshore Wind:A Progress Update, 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
Return <strong>to</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tents12by the Inspec<strong>to</strong>rate. These case studies may not necessarily berepresentative of wider trends. They high<str<strong>on</strong>g>light</str<strong>on</strong>g> specific instances whereInspec<strong>to</strong>rs have, in CPRE’s view, mistakenly favoured nati<strong>on</strong>al targetsover the protecti<strong>on</strong> of damage caused <strong>to</strong> important <strong>landscape</strong>s.23. Nati<strong>on</strong>al planning designati<strong>on</strong>s such as Nati<strong>on</strong>al Parks and Areas ofOutstanding Natural Beauty have, <strong>on</strong> the whole, been protected fromwind turbines within their borders although a recent applicati<strong>on</strong> in,for example, the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beautyin Lancashire suggests they are beginning <strong>to</strong> come under increasingpressure. 23 Unfortunately, some sites adjacent <strong>to</strong> protected areashave come under more pressure. While these sites are not within theboundary of the protected area, developments <strong>on</strong> them have thepotential <strong>to</strong> harm <strong>landscape</strong> character and visual amenity andtherefore the setting of the protected area. This can have a significantimpact <strong>on</strong> the natural beauty and tranquillity of protected areas, themain reas<strong>on</strong>s they are visited and valued so highly. It also presents achallenge for planners looking <strong>to</strong> assess the need for more renewableenergy against the objective of protecting particularly beautiful<strong>landscape</strong>s. Case studies 1 and 2 dem<strong>on</strong>strate that even with clearnegative <strong>impacts</strong> resulting from wind farm development, the PlanningInspec<strong>to</strong>rs decided that nati<strong>on</strong>al targets outweighed any harm caused.They represent a clear example of where decisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> wind energy aredamaging the country’s most precious <strong>landscape</strong>s.Even with clear negative<strong>impacts</strong> resulting fromwind farm development,the Planning Inspec<strong>to</strong>rsdecided that nati<strong>on</strong>altargets outweighed anyharm caused23Open Spaces Society news release,Wind-fac<strong>to</strong>ry threat <strong>to</strong> Bowlandbeauty spot, 2012<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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