Report by Head of Planning, Housing and Regulatory Services
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Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Committee agreed at their meeting on 17 April 2019 to continue consideration of this application in order to give Members time to seek advice on the terms of a competent Motion to justify not raising objections to this proposal.
The Senior Planning Officer advised the Committee of a late objection received from the South Knapdale Community Council asking Argyll and Bute Council to withhold their support and that the Energy Consents Unit does not grant consent to the Airigh Wind Farm project. She read out the reasons for the Community Council’s objection to this proposal. She then read out a response to this from the developers which stated that the Developers did not feel the representation was reflective of the consultation effort which went into the proposed development. The Developers did not feel the representation was reflective of the views of the wider community,
In conclusion, having considered the additional consultation response received from South Knapdale Community Council, it is considered that their objection adds weight to Officers’ recommendation that the Council object to this proposal and consequently there is no change to the recommendation to object to this proposal.
Motion
To agree to object to this proposal for the reasons detailed in the report.
Moved by Councillor David Kinniburgh, seconded by Councillor Alastair Redman
Amendment
To agree not to object to this proposal for the
following reasons:-
1. Landscape
impact is minimised given that the site sits lower in the landscape due to the
surrounding topography and as such it does not have a significant impact on the
Upper Forest Moor Mosaic and the Rocky Mosaic character types.
2. The
location of the proposed wind farm is distant from visual receptors and as such
the impact is minimised by this separation and as such it does not have a
significant adverse visual impact on the appreciation of South Knapdale.
3. The
distance from existing wind farms is substantial which minimises the cumulative
impact that can be perceived. Given that the proposed wind farm will sit
in a bowl it will not extend the cumulative visual impact from Kintyre into
Knapdale.
4. Given the compact footprint of the proposed
development site, the variable height of the turbines nevertheless creates a
homogeneous grouping which can be assimilated into the landscape having regard
to the proposed layout of the turbines,
it is considered that this clearly
lessens the visual impact and does not give a jumbled appearance. As such, it is also considered that this is
therefore fully acceptable in landscape terms, particularly from the viewpoint
at Gigha North End which is approximately 14 km away.
Given those views, the PPSLC agrees to raise no
objection on the basis of being consistent with the specified policies and
guidance in the Local Development Plan.
Moved
by Councillor George Freeman, seconded by Councillor Lorna Douglas.
The
Motion was carried by 8 votes to 4 and the Committee resolved accordingly.
Decision
The Committee agreed to object to this proposal for the following reasons:
1.
Significant
Adverse Effects on the appreciation of South Knapdale Area of Panoramic Quality
(APQ).
Argyll and Bute Council will resist any development in, or
affecting, Areas of Panoramic Quality where its scale, location or design will
have a significant adverse impact on the character of the landscape unless it
is adequately demonstrated that any significant adverse effects on the
landscape quality for which the area has been designated are clearly outweighed
by social, economic or environmental benefits of community wide importance.
Argyll and Bute Council will also resist renewable energy developments where
these are not consistent with the principles of sustainable development and it
has not been adequately demonstrated that there would be no unacceptable
significant adverse landscape and visual impacts, whether individual or
cumulative.
The
proposed wind farm would be located within the Knapdale Area of Panoramic
Quality (APQ). There is no detailed
assessment of the special qualities of the APQ in the Environmental Statement.
The Environmental Statement presumes that the APQ is ‘designated for its outwards looking views’. Despite the applicant’s
rebuttal stressing the strategic nature of the Argyll and Bute Landscape Wind
Energy Capacity Study, their landscape consultants appear to rely on the
information provided in this study rather than providing a detailed assessment
of the special qualities of the APQ. This is contrary to the guidance on local
landscape designations set out in Scottish Planning Policy and the Guidelines
for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, third edition. There is no citation for this designated
landscape although its key qualities are likely to comprise:
The proposal would be visible from west Kintyre, the northern part of Gigha (additional Viewpoint 15) and (extensively) offshore. Views from these areas tend to focus on the arresting profile of Jura but south Knapdale forms part of an extensive scenic panorama of little developed coast, settled fringes, forested and open uplands. It is considered that the proposal would be likely to incur significant adverse impacts on the appreciation of the Area of Panoramic Quality in views from parts of North West Kintyre, from West Loch Tarbert and other offshore areas ... view the full minutes text for item 5
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