Address:       Land off A5 at Checkley Wood Farm, Watling Street, Hockliffe, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9LG

Installation of a single wind turbine with a maximum tip height of 143.5m (hub height 100m; rotor diameter of 87.0m), substation, hardstanding area, access track, underground cabling and associated infrastructure.

Applicant:     Checkley Wood Energy Ltd

The Committee considered a report regarding Planning Application No. CB/16/01389/FULL for the installation of a single wind turbine with a maximum tip height of 143.5m (hub height 100m; rotor diameter of 87.0m), substation, hardstanding area, access track, underground cabling and associated infrastructure at land off the A5 at Checkley Wood Farm, Watling Street, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9LG.

In advance of consideration the Committee’s attention was drawn to additional consultation/publicity responses as set out in the Late Sheet.  The planning officer reported that since the publication of the Late Sheet Members had also been sent a letter and slide show by an objector.

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee received representations from Heath and Reach Parish Council, Potsgrove Parish Meeting, an objector on behalf of Stop Checkley Wood Turbine (SCWT) Action Group, an objector on behalf of local residents/Savills, the applicant and the applicant’s agent under the public participation scheme.  Clarification on a point raised by the Heath and Reach Parish Council representative was sought by a Member.

The ward Member for Heath and Reach, who had called in the application, referred to three issues that required consideration by the Committee: justification for the breach of the Green Belt, industrialisation and the changing nature of the English countryside and localism in the form of the opinions of the community which would need to live with the outcome of the Committee’s decision.  The Member stated that an additional wind turbine would change the character of the landscape through cumulative dominance and adversely impact on the local and historic environment.  He added that the view of most professionals in this sector was that a turbine in the proposed location would cause harm.  In contrast he could not identify any special benefits that would outweigh this.  Whilst supporting renewable energy he believed the turbine to be in the wrong location, too close to homes and that any benefits could not justify the impact on the Green Belt.  He also warned of the industrialisation of the countryside and impression of dominance created by the presence of a second turbine.  The ward Member stated that since the last wind turbine application in 2010 it was expected that a greater emphasis should given to the views of the local community.  He stated that local residents were overwhelmingly against the application and warned that approval would set a precedent. He asked the Committee to refuse the application.

The ward Member for Aspley and Woburn, representing the parishes of Potsgrove and Battlesden in his ward which lay near to the application site, reminded the meeting that the planning process was there to protect local people from developments blighting their environment and views.  The existing turbine was already extremely visually intrusive and another turbine would have a further negative impact.  He expressed the hope that the Committee had visited the locality and was fully aware of the likely visual impact.  The ward Member stated that local residents did not benefit from the existing turbine’s output as it had been constructed purely for commercial gain by a company which had no interest in improving the local area.  He asked the Committee to consider the impact on local communities and to reject the application.

In response to a point raised the Chairman advised that the Committee had undertaken a site inspection in relation to the application and had viewed the application site from various locations.

The planning officer responded to a number of the points raised so far.

The Committee considered the application and in summary discussed the following:

·         Issues relating to the Green Belt, the visual impact of the existing wind turbine and the predicted visual impact of the proposed turbine on local homes and the landscape in general and whether or not the new turbine met the ‘Lavender Test’.

·         The need for sustainable energy set against the need for planning balance.

·         Counsel’s opinion that an Environment Impact Assessment was not required.

·         The complaints made by local residents regarding the noise levels generated by the existing wind turbine, the cumulative increase in noise levels should a second turbine be built, the impact of Amplitude Modulation, the validity of, and compliance with, the Government’s technical guidelines ETSU-97 and the existing ambient noise levels.

·         The possibility of greater reliance on off shore wind farm development and the challenges that arose in relation to the generation of electricity by that means, including the cost and the need to increase the number of electricity pylons with its resulting visual impact.

·         The varying interpretations of the Council’s own Wind Energy Guide No.1.  The planning officer explained that the guidance recognised that a cluster of turbines had a lesser impact on the landscape than a series of single turbines spread through the landscape.  The proposed turbine would be ‘clustered’ with the nearby existing turbine and not built in isolation some distance away.  This proposal would cause limited to moderate harm very locally and did not conflict with the Guidance Note taken as a whole.

·         The Government’s stance on the provision of renewable energy including the ministerial statement.

·         The level of local public objection against the proposal and the extent to which the Council could address the concerns of local residents to this and other planning applications.

On being put to the vote 6 Members voted for approval, 4 voted against and 1 abstained.

RESOLVED

that Planning Application No. CB/16/01389/FULL relating to land off A5 at Checkley Wood Farm, Watling Street, Hockliffe, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9LG be approved as set out in the Schedule attached to these minutes.