ANGUS LOCAL PLAN REVIEW FINALISED PLAN - Angus Council

Renewable Energy3.71 The government is strongly supportive of the development ofrenewable energy technologies. NPPG6: Renewable EnergyDevelopments (Revised 2000) considers a range of renewableenergy technologies and encourages the provision of a positive policyframework to guide such developments. The Scottish Executive’saspiration is for renewable sources to contribute 40% of electricityproduction by 2020 (Securing a Renewable Future: Scotland’sRenewable Energy (2003)). This will require major investment incommercial renewable energy production throughout Scotland.2.72 The Dundee and Angus Structure Plan acknowledges theadvantages of renewable energy in principle but also recognises thepotential concerns associated with development proposals in specificlocations. Angus Council supports the principle of developing sourcesof renewable energy in appropriate locations. Large-scaledevelopments will only be encouraged to locate in areas where bothtechnical and environmental capacity can be demonstrated.Renewable Energy Sources3.73 Offshore energy production, including wind and tidal methods,has the potential to make a significant contribution to the productionof renewable energy in Scotland. Other than small-scale onshoresupport buildings, such developments currently fall outwith the remitof the planning system.3.74 All renewable energy production, including from wind, water,biomass, waste incineration and sources using emissions fromwastewater treatment works and landfill sites will require someprocessing, generating or transmission plant. Such developments,that can all contribute to reducing emissions will have an impact onthe local environment and will be assessed in accordance with PolicyER33.Policy ER33 : Renewable Energy DevelopmentsNPPG6: Renewable EnergyDevelopments (Revised 2000)The Scottish Ministers wish tosee the planning system makepositive provision for renewableenergy whilst at the same time:• meeting the international andnational statutory obligationsto protect designated areas,species, and habitats ofnatural heritage interest andthe historic environment frominappropriate forms ofdevelopment; and• minimising the effects onlocal communities.Large-scale projects which mayor will require an EnvironmentalAssessment. These are definedas hydroelectric schemesdesigned to produce more than0.5MW and wind farms of morethan 2 turbines or where the hubheight of any turbine or anyother structure exceeds 15m.SNH’s EIA Handbook identifies6 types of impact which mayrequire an assessment:• Landscape and visual;• Ecological;• Earth heritage;• Soil;• Countryside access; and• Marine environment.Proposals for all forms of renewable energy developments willbe assessed against the following requirements:(a) the siting and appearance of apparatus have been chosen tominimise the impact on amenity, while respectingoperational efficiency;(b) the visual impact of the proposal can be satisfactorilyaccommodated having regard to its setting within theimmediate and wider landscape;(c) the development will have no significant detrimental effecton any sites designated for nature conservation, scientific,historic or archaeological reasons;(d) no unacceptable environmental effects of transmissionlines, within and beyond the site; and(e) access for construction and maintenance traffic can beachieved without compromising road safety or causingunacceptable permanent and significant change to theenvironment and landscape.Angus Local Plan Review85Finalised Plan