Appendix 13
S J Oxenham
Head of Planning and Building Control
North Norfolk District Council
Holt Road
Cromer
Norfolk
NR27 9EN
Norfolk Coast Partnership
The Old Courthouse
Baron’s Close
FAKENHAM
Norfolk NR21 8BE
Tel: 01328 850530
Fax: 01328 850546
email: aonb@norfolk.gov.uk
www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk
For attention of Mr S J Oxenham / Mr G Lyon
Dear Sirs,
Application ref PF/11/0983: Erection of a wind-turbine of 60m hub height and 86.5m tip height
and associated infrastructure at Pond Farm, Bodham NR25 6PP
Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to take part in the consultation on this planning
application.
My comments relate only to the potential effects of the development on the landscape quality of the
Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and on the views from the AONB. I have
not commented on the local viewpoints closer to the proposed site of the turbine and/or the impact
on the landscape outside of the AONB boundary. I have not assessed any impacts on the wildlife of
the area and suggest that Natural England should comment on this aspect.
In general, the NCP is in favour of renewable energy and, within our current Action Plan, we have an
action 'C3.2.b. Promote use of renewable energy technologies that do not affect the area's natural
beauty.'
However, renewable energy schemes, and particularly wind power schemes, can have a highly
significant impact on the natural beauty of the landscape and so we approach each project on an
individual basis.
We work within the national and local planning context, particularly the guidance in PPS7 and the
Local Development Framework (LDF) core strategy relating to the designation:
PPS7 Paragraph 21 on nationally designated areas states that ‘The conservation of the
natural beauty of the landscape and countryside should therefore be given great weight in
planning policies and development control decisions in these (protected) areas’.
LDF Policy SS 4 on Environment states that ‘All development proposals will...ensure
protection and enhancement of natural…environmental assets’.
LDF Policy EN1 on the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and The Broads
states that ‘The impact of individual proposals, and their cumulative effect, on the Norfolk
Coast AONB, The Broads and their settings, will be carefully assessed. Development will be
permitted where it does not detract from the special qualities of the Norfolk Coast AONB’.
The Partnership is funded by Natural England, Norfolk County Council, North Norfolk District Council,
Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk and Great Yarmouth Borough Council
13.1
Norfolk Coast Partnership
Ref: 20070570
Page 2
We note that experience has shown that visibility of wind turbines is highly dependant on weather
and light conditions and that in some cases, despite use of best practice assessment guidance, the
actual turbines may appear clearer and larger than photomontages indicate.
As the proposed Pond Farm wind turbine sits to the south of the AONB, we recognise that it will be
screened from many coastal areas of the AONB by the rise of the Cromer ridge. The viewpoints
within the AONB have been selected on higher ground to represent some of the points from which
the proposed wind turbine is likely to have most visual impact. It appears that it will be screened
from view by topography or tree cover from Felbrigg Park, Icleborough Hill and Kelling Heath.
It appears that it will be visible to a limited extent from Salthouse Heath, clearly visible from Roman
Camp, Bennington's Lane and have most visual impact on Sandy Hill Lane and as people travel
along the A148, at the boundary of the AONB.
There appears to be little, if any, cumulative effect from other wind turbine developments or
proposals (the majority of which are for off-shore schemes to the north and east of the AONB
boundary) but there is a cumulative impact from the two adjacent telecommunications masts and, to
a lesser extent taking into account the distance, the local electricity lines and poles. This cumulative
effect does not appear to be significant at the moment but any further additions, for example addition
of another wind turbine in the area, would raise concerns and require a new assessment.
Taking into account that the viewpoints from Roman Camp, Bennington's Lane and Sandy Hill Lane
are likely to represent examples of the highest level of visual impact of the wind turbine from the
AONB, based on current information and site visits, the NCP does not raise an objection to the
planning application for this project.
I would appreciate if you would continue to involve the Norfolk Coast Partnership in any future
consultations of relevance to the landscape of the AONB. I thank the applicant for liaising with us
over viewpoint selection and request that you ask representatives of future projects to adopt a similar
approach.
Yours faithfully,
Estelle Hook
Policy and Partnership Officer
13.2