Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position Statement
Background (1)
• UK Government has set
ambitious targets for
reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and producing
power from renewable
sources.
• Reduce dependency on
fossil fuels.
• Forest of Bowland AONB
has not been identified as
an ‘exempt’ area.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Background(2)
Some fundamentals:
• The AONB’s landscape will be affected by climate change.
• The AONB covers nearly a third of Lancashire and is rich in
renewable resources, particularly wind. Lancashire will struggle to
meet its climate change obligations and targets if such a large area
of the County is excluded.
• The AONB should play its part in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions through, inter alia
renewable energy schemes.
• The AONB will be increasingly targeted by
renewable energy developers.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Planning Policy(1)
•
Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas: “Nationally
•
Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy:
designated areas comprising...Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), have
been confirmed by the Government as having the highest status of protection in
relation to landscape and scenic beauty. 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 areas”
“Major developments should not take place in these designated areas, except in
exceptional circumstances”.
“Small-scale developments should be permitted within areas such as...Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty...provided that there is no significant environmental
detriment to the area concerned”
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Planning Policy(2)
• “In sites with nationally recognised designations...(Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty...) planning permission for
renewable energy projects should only be granted where it can
be demonstrated that the objectives of designation of the area
will not be compromised by the development, and any
significant adverse effects on the qualities for which the area has
been designated are clearly outweighed by the environmental,
social and economic benefits”.
• Regional Spatial Strategy
Policy EM17 Renewable Energy : advises that within nationally
recognised designations small scale developments may be
acceptable “provided there is no significant environmental
detriment”.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
5
European Landscape
Convention
• The European Landscape Convention (ELC) considers and
promotes an integrated approach when dealing with the landscape
and provides an international context for landscape, placing this
important resource alongside biodiversity and cultural heritage.
• The ELC promotes landscape protection, management and
planning. In addition member states are required to, inter alia,
acknowledge and recognise landscape as a key element of
individual and social well-being and the important part it plays in
the quality of life for people.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Management Plan April
2009 – March 2014
The document provides a policy framework
and identifies a 5-year programme of actions
to help guide the work of the AONB
partnership organisations towards achieving
the purpose of this plan - to conserve and enhance the natural and
cultural beauty of the Forest of Bowland landscape.
Chapter 19, Responding to Climate Change:
“Establish and promote the AONB as a place of ‘best practice’ in
responding to climate change”.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (1)
What is it?
• A positive document which recognises the challenges
of responding to climate change and accepts that the
AONB has a role to play in tackling this problem.
• It sets out the Forest of Bowland AONB Joint Advisory Committee's
position with regard to the siting of renewable energy developments,
both within and adjacent to the boundaries of the AONB.
• It provides guidance on the different types of renewable energy
generation, the differing scales of development and issues relating to
siting.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (2)
• It is envisaged that the position statement will be used to inform
planning policy development, supplementary planning guidance,
strategies, design guides and assist in the determination of planning
applications submitted to the planning departments of local authorities
in the AONB partnership.
• The document is also intended to offer advice to potential developers,
and any business, community or resident who is seeking to install
micro or small scale renewable systems within the Forest of Bowland
AONB.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
9
Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (3)
Where does the position statement fit in the scheme of things?
NOT a statutory document.
NOT part of the statutory Development Plan.
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Sits alongside and should be read in conjunction with:
Forest of Bowland AONB Management Plan (statutory document).
Forest of Bowland AONB Landscape Character Assessment.
Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development in Lancashire.
A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire.
Landscape and Heritage Supplementary Planning Guidance.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (4)
This guidance is for micro and small scale schemes only as the Forest
of Bowland AONB Joint Advisory Committee will object to all plans to
develop medium and large scale renewable energy schemes.
Renewable energy:
• Electricity:
Generated by hydro systems (water), photovoltaics (solar) and by wind
turbines.
• Heat generation:
Heat can be generated via the burning of wood fuel and other biomass
products, using anaerobic digestion, solar thermal and by using
underground water and air source heat pumps.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (5)
Renewable energy typology:
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
12
Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (6)
Why object to medium and large scale renewable energy development?
The Forest of Bowland AONB Joint Advisory Committee considers
that medium to large scale renewable energy development is not
appropriate within the Forest of Bowland AONB (or in locations
beyond the boundary where development would affect its setting and
character) as it has significant potential to adversely affect the natural
beauty of the AONB and to compromise the purpose of the statutory
designation.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
13
Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (7)
A practical study – wind energy development
Landscape sensitivity
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (7)
Landscape characteristics which indicate that medium
and large scale wind energy development would not be
appropriate for the AONB include:
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considerable sense of remoteness/wildness.
the highest levels of landscape tranquillity in Lancashire
(ref. CPRE).
scarcity of this type of landscape character/experience.
landscape complexity – incised cloughs contrasting with
moorland plateaux.
the area provides important backdrops to many areas.
high landscape values – nationally designated landscape,
cultural landscape, recreational uses, tourism.
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (8)
Potential visibility – 20km radius
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Forest of Bowland AONB
Renewable Energy Position
Statement (9)
Appropriate for the natural beauty of
the AONB?
Compromise the purpose of the
statutory designation?
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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Thinking further ahead
Blackpool
Tower
Wind energy is a rapidly developing industry.
Wind turbines and wind farms are getting
much larger greatly increasing the area over
which significant landscape and visual
impacts could occur.
There is a trend towards repowering of
existing sites too.
Enercon E-126 wind turbine – 198m high
(almost twice the height of Scout Moor wind
turbines!)
Markbygden Wind Farm, Sweden.
1101 wind turbines, 450km² site area
Environment Directorate, Lancashire
County Council
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