Decision details

The Development Manager spoke to the terms of the report advising that this proposal was seeking the construction of three wind turbines with hub heights of 50 metres and a total height of 74 metres to blade tip, the formation of a new access track and ancillary development.  The application has been submitted by the owner of Ascog Farm, which is located approximately 300 metres to the south east of the southernmost turbine.  He referred to a supplementary report and confirmed that 488 objections have been received along with 67 expressions of support and 2 neutral responses.  A formal objection has been lodged by Bute Community Council and, whilst not formally objecting, Scottish Natural Heritage has significant concerns.  The proposal is considered contrary to: - Scottish Planning Policy; Scottish Government’s Specific Advice Sheet on Onshore Wind Farms; Policies STRAT SI 1, STRAT RE 1, STRAT DC 4, and STRAT DC 5 of the Argyll and Bute Structure Plan (2002); and Polices LP EN 1, LP ENV 10, LP ENV 19, Appendix A, and LP REN 1 of the Argyll and Bute Local Plan (2009).  It is recommended that planning permission be refused for the reasons detailed in the report subject to the holding of a Discretionary Pre-Determination Hearing in view of the number of representations that have been received.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed that there would be no added value to the process in holding a hearing as the proposal was contrary to a significant number of policies and that all other material considerations had been taken into account but these were not of such weight as to overcome these potential adverse impacts, which could not be overcome by the imposition of planning conditions or by way of a Section 75 legal agreement and therefore agreed to refuse planning permission for the following reasons:-

 

1.        The proposed three wind turbines, inclusive of the means of access required, would be located on the Hill of Ascog approximately 2 kilometres south west of Rothesay, within the ‘Bute Rolling Farmland with Estates’ Landscape Character Type (ref ‘Argyll & Bute Landscape Wind Energy Capacity Study (LWECS) – Final Main Report and Appendix March 2012’ - SNH/Argyll & Bute Council) which is intended to guide SNH and the Council on the strategic implications of further wind farm developments in the landscape. The proposal lies within a sensitive and highly valued landscape character type where it occupies a prominent coastal location where it would be viewed from ferry and recreational boat traffic together with roads on the island of Bute. The value of the landscape surrounding the application site has been accorded regional status by being designated as an Area of Panoramic Quality in the Council’s adopted Local Plan.

 

The LWECS identifies that the visual sensitivity within this Landscape Character Type is high for the small-medium typology (i.e. between 35 metres to 50 metres to blade tip) and, as a consequence, it would be high for a medium typology of between 50 metres to 80 metres to blade tip. The relatively low-lying landscape of gently rolling small hedged pastures and extensive wooded policies forms a lush pastoral scene contrasting with the more rugged higher ground on north Bute and the exposed landscapes of the west coast. There would be high-medium landscape sensitivity to the small-medium typology and, consequently, high landscape sensitivity to medium typology, due principally to the effect of taller turbines on the scale of the landform, its diverse vegetation cover and on settlement.

 

At 74 metres in height to the blade tip, the proposed wind turbines would be wholly out of scale with their immediate and wider landscape context, where such large rotating structures would dominate the scale of this part of the Isle of Bute. The scale and motion of the proposed wind turbines would also impinge on adjacent small scale and settled landscapes and adversely affect the highly sensitive coastal edge including key coastal panoramas and views. The proposal impinges on the sensitive coastal skylines which frame and provide a setting for the Firth of Clyde, where development on this scale would undermine these qualities to the detriment of landscape character contrary to Local Plan Policy LP REN 1 by virtue of visually dominating a currently undeveloped and prominent landscape. Approval of the proposal could establish a harmful precedent for such large wind turbines in a relatively small landscape setting, where smaller turbines already exist and do not exert such a degree of influence over the appreciation of the coast and those landscapes which are characterised by the contrast between the land and the sea.

 

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 to the achievement of climate change related commitments.

 

Having due regard to the above, it is considered that this proposal would have a significant adverse impact on Landscape Character, would adversely affect a number of key views and would degrade designated scenic assets including the Firth of Clyde coastline and adjacent ‘Area of Panoramic Quality’. It is therefore inconsistent with the provisions of the Scottish Planning Policy and Scottish Government’s Specific Advice Sheet on Onshore Wind Farms;  Policies STRAT SI 1: Sustainable Development; STRAT DC 4 – Development in Rural Opportunity Areas; STRAT DC 5: Development in Sensitive Countryside; STRAT DC 8: Landscape & Development Control; STRAT RE 1: Wind Farm/Wind Turbine Development of the ‘Argyll & Bute Structure Plan’ (approved 2002), to Policy LP ENV 1:  Development Impact on the General Environment; LP ENV 10: Development Impact on Areas of Panoramic Quality; LP ENV 19 Development Setting, Layout and Design (including Appendix A Sustainable Siting and Design Principles); LP REN 1 Wind Farms and Wind Turbines; of the ‘Argyll & Bute Local Plan’ (2009) and the Argyll & Bute Landscape Wind Energy Capacity Study (LWECS) – Final main report and appendix March 2012.

 

2.        There is a scale disparity between the height of the turbines and the hill on which they sit, as the turbines are 74m to blade tip height and they are sited on the Hill of Ascog which is generally 104m AOD. Therefore, the vertical scale of the proposal does not follow the guidance of Scottish Natural Heritage contained within the document entitled “Siting and Designing Windfarms in the Landscape (December 2009). Paragraph 4.33 of this document states “A key design objective for a wind farm will be finding an appropriate scale for the wind farm that is in keeping with that of the landscape. To achieve this, the siting and design of the development will need to ensure that the wind farm is of minor scale in relation to the key features of the landscape (typically less than one third)“.

 

This scale disparity is illustrated by, for example, Viewpoint 1 - Common Hill, Isle of Bute, Viewpoint 3 – Rothesay, Isle of Bute and Viewpoint 10 – Wemyss Bay to Rothesay ferry route.

 

The layout has resulted in overlapping turbine rotors and towers as illustrated by Viewpoint 1 – Common Hill, and this visual stacking is an effect that does not correspond to good design principles, as laid out in section 3 of SNH guidance.

 

The layout and scale of the turbines overwhelm the distinctive skyline of the Isle of Bute as illustrated by Viewpoints 3 - Rothesay, 8 – Knock Castle and 10 – Wemyss Bay to Rothesay Ferry Route, and this does not accord with SNH guidance paragraph 4.29 which states that “design of a wind farm from key viewpoints and sequential routes should ensure a wind farm does not detract from the character of a distinctive skyline. Care should be taken to ensure that a wind farm does not overwhelm a skyline.”

 

This concern is strengthened by examining Viewpoints 22 - Adjacent to Braeside, 23 – B881 Between Lochend and Crossbeg and 24 – Additional Wemyss Bay to Rothesay Ferry Crossing.

 

The scale and layout of the development in its highly prominent location in the landscape results in it being viewed from the Rothesay Golf Course and the local road network together with ferry and recreational boat traffic and from other islands as well as from mainland roads and other key viewpoints.

 

In view of the above, it is considered that the impact of the development on key views would be particularly detrimental, given the disproportionate scale of the turbines relative to their landscape setting and the overall sensitivity and scenic value of the receiving environment.

 

Having due regard to the above, it is considered that the proposal conflicts with the provisions of SPP and Scottish Government’s Specific Advice Sheet on Onshore Wind Farms;  Policies STRAT SI 1: Sustainable Development; STRAT DC 4: Development in Rural Opportunity Areas; STRAT DC 5: Development in Sensitive Countryside; STRAT DC 8: Landscape & Development Control; Policy STRAT RE 1: Wind Farm/Wind Turbine Development of the Argyll & Bute Structure Plan and Policies LP ENV 10: Development Impact on Areas of Panoramic Quality; and LP REN 1: Commercial Wind Farm and Wind Turbine Development of the Argyll & Bute Local Plan.

 

3.        It is considered that the proposal would be highly visible as well as being visible from areas which are not currently affected by wind development.  It has the potential to spread visibility of wind turbine development along either side of the Firth of Clyde thereby creating a sense of extended wind farm/wind turbine development. The creation of a sense of extended wind farm /wind turbine development would be unacceptable and detrimental in landscape and visual terms. It is not only the cumulative impact of wind turbines on road users but also on the main Wemyss Bay to Rothesay ferry route and recreational sailors. The very large Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) highlights the number of settlements and scenic areas which would be affected in a wider landscape where larger windfarm schemes are already located. These larger schemes and potential windfarms in preferred areas would however be undermined by the presence of small groups of turbines within influencing distance of the coast such as this, which due to their more prominent locations closer to sensitive receptors would be disproportionate in terms of their sequential and cumulative impacts.

 

Having due regard to the above it is considered that in terms of Cumulative Impact the proposal is inconsistent with the provisions of SPP and Scottish Government’s Specific Advice Sheet on Onshore Wind Farms;  Policies STRAT SI 1: Sustainable Development; STRAT DC 4: Development in Rural Opportunity Areas; STRAT DC 5: Development in Sensitive Countryside;  Policy STRAT DC 8: Landscape & Development Control; Policy STRAT RE 1: Wind Farm/Wind Turbine Development of the Argyll & Bute Structure Plan and Policies LP ENV 10: Development Impact on Areas of Panoramic Quality; LP REN 1: Commercial Wind Farm and Wind Turbine Development of the Argyll & Bute Local Plan.

 

(Having moved an Amendment which failed to find a seconder, Councillor Fred Hall required his dissent from the foregoing decision to be recorded)

 

(Reference: Report by Head of Planning and Regulatory Services dated 26 April 2013, submitted)