Agenda item

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

Members of the public who wish to speak either in favour or against an application or any other item on this agenda are asked to register in person no later than 10.20am on the day of the meeting.

The Chairman will allow up to 3 speakers in favour and up to 3 speakers against an application and up to 3 speakers on any other item on this agenda. Each speaker will be given up to 3 minutes and invited to speak immediately prior to the item being considered. The rules on public participation in respect of planning applications are detailed in the Council’s Planning Code of Good Practice.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution which excludes, in particular, questions on non-determined planning applications. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on Wednesday 15 January 2014. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

Questions were asked by members of the public and responses given as follows:-

Question from Mrs Anne Henshaw  North Wiltshire and Swindon CPRE

Interpretation of 'cumulative impact' of multiple solar-farm developments.

Paragraph 97 of the NPPF calls for authorities to ensure that adverse impacts of renewable and low-carbon developments are addressed satisfactorily, including cumulative landscape and visual impacts.   There are now ten solar developments proposed or permitted in an arc stretching 7.5 miles north-to-south to the east of Trowbridge. Does this Committee agree that, as part of its positive strategy to promote renewable and low-carbon sources (in accordance with NPPF para. 97), it should have a published, county-wide strategy or set of principles for siting solar arrays, and for evaluating their landscape and visual impacts, with special concern for sequential effects?

The example given demonstrates potential for similar scenarios throughout the county.

   Image of clustering of arrays

Response

The emerging Core Strategy encourages and promotes renewable energy installations. Core Policy 42 will apply across the County and sets out the principal factors that applications for solar farm developments will be evaluated against. These include the impact on the landscape. This policy, when taken together with national planning policy and guidance, will provide a satisfactory framework at national and local level for assessing planning applications for solar farms and other renewable energy installations.

Mrs Henshaw thereupon gave notice that she wished to ask a supplementary question to which the Chairman asked her to submit it in writing following which a response would be sent to her from the Committee.

Questions from Mr John Kirkman, Kennet CPRE

1. Determination of solar farm applications by delegated powers

The Scheme of Delegation Specific to Planning states that large-scale major developments which, by their nature (e.g. scale, location etc.) have wider strategic implications and raise issues of more than local importance shall be dealt with by the Strategic Planning Committee.   However, several applications^* to develop large-scale solar arrays, all more than 2 ha, and raising the "more than local " strategic issue of cumulative impact of multiple solar developments within a limited area have been determined under delegated powers.

Why did the Council not follow its own Constitution and determine these applications in the Strategic Planning Committee?

            * For example: 13/01962 Heywood 12.2ha, 13/01561 Brokenborough Malmsbury 7.45ha, 13/02309          Coulston 16.6ha, 13/01311 Allington 27ha.   13/05244 Poulshot is 32.2ha.

Response

The Council carefully considers each planning application on its own merits and deals with them in accordance with its constitution. The Council has determined a number of planning applications for solar arrays in different parts of the county, but none of these have had any wider strategic implications or raised issues of more than local importance. Local parish councils have been increasingly engaged at both pre-application and application stages, ensuring that local views are taken into account.

Mr Kirkman thereupon gave notice that he wished to ask a supplementary question to which the Chairman asked him to submit it in writing following which a response would be sent to him from the Committee.

2. Status of planning guidance published by Government Departments. 

In a recent report on a planning application^*, the case officer declared that the DECC document UK Solar PV Strategy Part 1: Roadmap to a Brighter Future  "does not as yet carry any status as formal Government Guidance".   This comment implies that, in the determination of that case, no weight was given to the principles set out in the Roadmap.   In fact, the Roadmap itself explains that "This Roadmap document forms the first element of a two-part Strategy process.   The second part will be a full Strategy Document which will be published in spring 2014." (Roadmap para.90).  

Does this Committee agree that the Council's strategic consideration of solar-arrray developments should be guided, inter alia, by the Roadmap, and by the DCLG document Planning Practice Guidance for Renewable and Low-Carbon energy?

            * 13/02309/FUL

Response

National planning guidance on solar farms is contained in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), and the Planning practice guidance for renewable and low carbon energy published by DCLG in 2013. The DECC 'Roadmap' addresses wider matters associated with the development of solar photovoltaics in the UK and in relation to planning, simply reflects the planning practice guidance published by DCLG. The Council will continue to consider planning applications for solar farms in accordance with development plan policy, national planning guidance and any other relevant material considerations.

Mr Kirkman thereupon gave notice that he wished to ask a supplementary question to which the Chairman asked him to submit it in writing following which a response would be sent to him from the Committee.

There were no questions received from members of the Council.

Members of the public addressed the Committee as set out in Minute Nos. 6 -9 below.