Agenda item

Report by Head of Planning, Housing and Regulatory Services

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:

 

• Fragmented rocky coasts and a varied seascape which includes the narrow confined West Loch Tarbert as well as the more open sea basin bounded by Knapdale, Gigha, Islay and Jura
• The diversity of landscapes including knolly coastal fringes richly patterned with woodland, pockets of farmland, wetland and largely traditional buildings and backed by undulating forested slopes and open well-defined hills. The landscape has a secluded timeless quality, accessed only by a single-track road and sparsely settled, contributing to the specialness of this APQ.
• Dramatic views west from the APQ over the sea focussing on Jura and Islay but also views to the APQ particularly from the south where the intricate coastal fringes, forested middle ground and open high hills, including the shapely Meall Reamhar, are seen scenically juxtaposed with West Loch Tarbert and the sea.  
• The wider setting this scenic landscape provides to the Knapdale National Scenic Area (NSA)

 

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 (principally from the Islay ferry but also from recreational sailing craft).

 

The foregoing environmental considerations are of such magnitude that they cannot be reasonably offset by the projected direct or indirect benefits which a development of this scale would make, including local economic benefits and the achievement of climate change related commitments.

 

Having due regard to the above it is considered that the proposal will have significant adverse impacts on the Knapdale Area of Panoramic Quality contrary to the provisions of SG LDP ENV 13 – Development Impact on Areas of Panoramic Quality (APQs); SG LDP ENV 14 – Landscape; Supplementary Guidance 2: Renewable Energy; LDP STRAT 1 – Sustainable Development; LDP DM1 – Development within the Development Management Zones; LDP 3 – Supporting the Protection, Conservation and Enhancement of our Environment; and LDP 6 – Supporting the Sustainable Growth of Renewables of the Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan; Scottish Planning Policy (2014); The future of energy in Scotland: Scottish Energy Strategy (December 2017); Onshore wind policy statement (January 2017); SNH Siting and Designing Wind Farms in the Landscape Guidance (August 2017); and Argyll and Bute Landscape Wind Energy Capacity Study, SNH and Argyll and Bute Council (2017).

 

2.    Significant Adverse Strategic Cumulative Landscape Impact

 

The Council will support renewable energy developments where these are consistent with the principles of sustainable development and it can be adequately demonstrated that there would be no unacceptable significant adverse landscape and visual impacts, whether individual or cumulative.

 

The Srondoire and Allt Dearg wind farms are located within the Knapdale Upland Forest Moor Mosaic LCT. While these developments are prominent in views from the north and east in the Lochgilphead/Loch Fyne area, they are barely visible from the south-west. The proposal would introduce wind turbines into a scenic landscape (Knapdale) where there are currently no wind farms unlike the Kintyre peninsula which is also seen in the view.

 

The south Knapdale area between the high ridge of Stob Odhar to Meall Reamhar and West Loch Tarbert and west to the Kilberry area (and abutting the NSA) has a distinctive and scenic character which is unaffected by large scale development. While the richly scenic diverse coastal fringe of South Knapdale would not be dominated by this proposal (due to distance and partial/intermittent screening), the sense of this area being undeveloped and remote (principally appreciated in views across West Loch Tarbert, the NW Kintyre coast and the sea) would be significantly diminished. The expansive and highly scenic panorama of the south/west Knapdale area and the islands of Islay/Jura contrast with the nearby Kintyre peninsula where wind farm development is a key characteristic. While wind farms could potentially be accommodated in this part of Knapdale without widespread significant landscape and visual impacts arising (due to the sparse settlement and less complex landform and vegetation cover of hill slopes) it is also important to keep the most scenic parts of Argyll and Bute free from development given the extent of wind farm development accommodated elsewhere. The scenic quality of the area is recognised by the APQ designation. 

 

The foregoing environmental considerations are of such magnitude that they cannot be reasonably offset by the projected direct or indirect benefits which a development of this scale would make, including local economic benefits and the achievement of climate change related commitments.

 

Having due regard to the above it is considered that the proposal would have a significant adverse strategic landscape impact contrary to the provisions of SG LDP ENV 13 – Development Impact on Areas of Panoramic Quality (APQs); SG LDP ENV 14 – Landscape; Supplementary Guidance 2: Renewable Energy; LDP STRAT 1 – Sustainable Development; LDP DM1 – Development within the Development Management Zones; LDP 3 – Supporting the Protection, Conservation and Enhancement of our Environment; and LDP 6 – Supporting the Sustainable Growth of Renewables of the Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan; Scottish Planning Policy (2014); The future of energy in Scotland: Scottish Energy Strategy (December 2017); Onshore wind policy statement (January 2017); SNH Siting and Designing Wind Farms in the Landscape Guidance (August 2017); and Argyll and Bute Landscape Wind Energy Capacity Study, SNH and Argyll and Bute Council (2017).

 

3.    Layout

 

Argyll and Bute Council will support renewable energy developments where these are consistent with the principles of sustainable development and it can be adequately demonstrated that there would be no unacceptable significant adverse landscape and visual impacts, whether individual or cumulative. Argyll and Bute Council will resist development with poor quality or inappropriate layouts.

 

It is considered that the layout of turbines at variable levels leads to an unsatisfactory ‘jumbled’ appearance evident in views from the south-west.  In particular, from Viewpoint 15: Gigha North End, the layout of the wind farm is unsatisfactory with turbines appearing muddled, which contributes to an adverse impact despite the viewpoint lying some 14km away.

 

The foregoing environmental considerations are of such magnitude that they cannot be reasonably offset by the projected direct or indirect benefits which a development of this scale would make, including local economic benefits and the achievement of climate change related commitments.

 

Having due regard to the above it is considered that the layout of the turbines is unacceptable contrary to the provisions of SG LDP ENV 13 – Development Impact on Areas of Panoramic Quality (APQs); SG LDP ENV 14 – Landscape; Supplementary Guidance 2: Renewable Energy; LDP STRAT 1 – Sustainable Development; LDP DM1 – Development within the Development Management Zones; LDP 3 – Supporting the Protection, Conservation and Enhancement of our Environment; LDP 6 – Supporting the Sustainable Growth of Renewables and LDP 9 – Development Setting, Layout and Design of the Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan; Scottish Planning Policy (2014); The future of energy in Scotland: Scottish Energy Strategy (December 2017); Onshore wind policy statement (January 2017); SNH Siting and Designing Wind Farms in the Landscape Guidance (August 2017); and Argyll and Bute Landscape Wind Energy Capacity Study, SNH and Argyll and Bute Council (2017).

 

(Reference: Supplementary report number 2 dated 4 April 2019 and supplementary report number 3 dated 20 May 2019, submitted)