Agenda item


Land North Of Hill Farm, Hill Farm Lane, Duns Tew, OX25 0JJ

Decision:

Approved, subject to various conditions to be set out in the minutes

Minutes:

The Committee considered application 20/00574/F for the installation of a standalone Solar PV array, associated infrastructure, grid connection, access and landscaping at Land North of Hill Farm, Hill Farm Lane, Duns Tew OX25 0JJ for Greenheath NRG Limited.

 

Cannon Christopher Hall addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Mike Kerford-Burns and seconded by Councillor Hugo Brown that application 20/00574/F be approved subject to the period of landscape maintenance being extended to 10 years and enforcement of construction traffic conditions.

 

In reaching its decision the Committee considered the officer’s report and presentation and the address of the public speaker.

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director for Planning and Development to grant permission for application 20/00574/F subject to no material planning considerations being raised before the expiry of the consultation period and the following conditions (and any amendments to those conditions as deemed necessary):

 

CONDITIONS

 

Time Limit

1.    The development to which this permission relates shall be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

 

Reason - To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

 

Compliance with Plans

2.    Except where otherwise stipulated by conditions attached to this permission, the development shall be carried out strictly in accordance with the following plans and documents:  Duns Tew Energy Park location Plan (PV-0446-02 Rev 9,3); Site Layout Plan (PV-0446-02 Rev 28.5); 20 ft Storage Cont. Elevation Plan (1939/D003 v.1); Outside of Redline Boundary Planting Scheme (PL401 Rev P04); Security Fencing (1939/D001 v.1); Table 4L11 20° for PV-Panel QCells QPLUS-G4 1670x1000x32 (17010001 Rev A); Access Road / CCTV Detail (1939/D002 v.1); 40 ft Storage Cont. Elevation Plan (1939/D004 v.1); Hill Farm, North Aston Road, Duns Tew Proposed Access Track (Appendix 6.1); Proposed Construction Access (Appendix 6.2); Hill Farm, North Aston Road, Duns Tew Proposed Field Access (Appendix 6.3) and Tracking Analysis 16.5m Artic Vehicle (4159-TR02 Rev A).

 

Reason – For the avoidance of doubt, to ensure that the development is carried out only as approved by the Local Planning Authority and comply with Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Temporary Permission

3.    The permission shall expire no later than 40 years from the date when electricity is first exported from any part of the array to the electricity grid network ('First Export Date'). Written confirmation of the First Export Date shall be provided to the Local Planning Authority no later than one calendar month after the event.

                    

Reason - In order to safeguard the amenities of the area and protect the rural character of the landscape and to comply with Policies ESD 13 and ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 and saved Policy C28 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

4.    Not later than 24 months before the end of this permission, a decommissioning and site restoration scheme shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority, such scheme to include the management and timing of any works and traffic management plan to address likely traffic impact issues during the decommissioning period. The approved scheme shall be fully implemented within 12 months of the expiry of this permission.

                    

Reason - To ensure the environment is protected during decommission in accordance with saved Policy ENV1 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Landscaping Implementation

5.    All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in accordance with BS 4428:1989 Code of Practice for general landscape operations (excluding hard surfaces), or the most up to date and current British Standard, in the first planting and seeding seasons following the occupation of the building(s) or on the completion of the development, whichever is the sooner. Any trees, herbaceous planting and shrubs which, within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the current/next planting season with others of similar size and species.

 

Reason - In the interests of the visual amenities of the area, to ensure the creation of a pleasant environment for the development and to comply with Policies ESD10, ESD13 and ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1 and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Landscape Maintenance

6.    Prior to the clearance of the site a schedule of landscape maintenance for a minimum period of 10 years, to include the timing of the implementation of the schedule and procedures for the replacement of failed planting shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, the landscape maintenance shall be carried out in accordance with the approved schedule.

                    

Reason - In the interests of the visual amenities of the area, to ensure the creation of a pleasant environment for the development and to comply with Policy ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 and saved Policy C28 of the Cherwell Local Plan 1996 and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Archaeology

7.    Prior to any demolition and the commencement of the development a professional archaeological organisation acceptable to the Local Planning Authority shall prepare an Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation, relating to the application site area, which shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. 

 

Reason - To safeguard the recording of archaeological matters within the site in accordance with the NPPF.

 

8.    Following the approval of the Written Scheme of Investigation referred to in condition 7, and prior to any demolition on the site and the commencement of the development (other than in accordance with the agreed Written Scheme of Investigation), a staged programme of archaeological evaluation and mitigation shall be carried out by the commissioned archaeological organisation in accordance with the approved Written Scheme of Investigation. The programme of work shall include all processing, research and analysis necessary to produce an accessible and useable archive and a full report for publication which shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority within two years of the completion of the archaeological fieldwork.

 

Reason – To safeguard the identification, recording, analysis and archiving of heritage assets before they are lost and to advance understanding of the heritage assets in their wider context through publication and dissemination of the evidence in accordance with the NPPF (2019).

 

Ecology

9.    The development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the recommendations set out in Sections 5 and 7 of the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal carried out by Western Ecology dated August 2019

 

Reason - To ensure that the development does not cause harm to any protected species or their habitats in accordance with Policy ESD10 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1 and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Flood risk and biodiversity

10.  The development shall not be carried out other than in accordance with the submitted flood risk assessment reference 2640/FRA, version D4, by Hafren Water, dated May 2020 and the following mitigation measures:

· All built development must be located within Flood Zone 1

· The solar structures shall be designed to be open to flood water

 

These mitigation measures shall be fully implemented prior to occupation and subsequently in accordance with the scheme’s timing/phasing arrangements. The measures detailed above shall be retained and maintained thereafter throughout the lifetime of the development.

 

Reason - To ensure that fluvial flood risk is not increased off site in accordance with the requirements of Policy ESD6 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1 and Government guidance contained within the NPPF.

 

11.  No development shall take place until a scheme for the provision and management of a minimum eight metre wide ecological buffer zone alongside the Deddington Brook has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme.

 

Any subsequent variations shall be agreed in writing by the local planning authority, in which case the development shall be carried out in accordance with the amended scheme. The buffer zone scheme shall be free from built development including lighting and fencing. The scheme shall include:

·  plans showing the extent and layout of the buffer zone which should be a minimum 8 metre width, measured front he top of the bank and where possible include all of flood zone 3.

·   details of any proposed planting scheme (for example, native species)

· details demonstrating how the buffer zone will be protected during development and managed over the longer term including adequate financial provision and named body responsible for management plus production of detailed management plan.

 

Reason - To reduce flood risk locally and make provision for biodiversity enhancements in accordance with the requirements of Policies ESD6 and ESD10 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1. Such details are required prior to development commencing to ensure this buffer zone is protected during construction so that there is no risk of increased flooding.

 

Lighting

12.  No external lighting shall be installed within the site area unless agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

                    

Reason - To safeguard the amenities of the area and to ensure that the development does not cause harm to any protected species or their habitats in accordance with Policy ESD10 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1 and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework

 

Highways

13.  The vision splays shown on drawing number Appendix 6.2 shall not be obstructed by any object, structure, planting or other material of a height exceeding 0.6m measured from the carriageway level.

 

Reason - In the interests of highway safety and to comply with Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework

 

14.  The development shall be carried out in strict accordance with the recommendations set out within the Construction Traffic Management Plan Revision B prepared by ADL Traffic and Highways Engineering Ltd dated April 2020.

 

Reason - In the interests of highway safety and to comply with Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework

 

15.  No development shall commence unless and until full design details of the proposed gatehouse, security gate and fencing as shown on drawing titled ‘Proposed Construction Access’ (Appendix 6.2) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason - In the interests of the visual amenities of the area and to comply with Policies ESD13 and ESD15 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1 and Government guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Removal of PD

16.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Class A of Part 2, Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 and its subsequent amendments, no gate, fence, wall or other means of enclosure shall be erected, constructed or placed on the site other than those approved as part of this consent without the grant of further specific planning permission from the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason - In the interests of preserving the intrinsic natural beauty of the countryside from inappropriate development in accordance with the requirements of Policy ESD13 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031 Part 1.

 

17.  Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (or any Order amending, replacing or re-enacting that Order) no fixed plant or machinery, buildings or structures shall be erected, altered, extended or installed at the site without the grant of further specific planning permission from the local planning authority other than that which is explicitly approved by this permission.

        

Reason - To ensure that further works do not result in significant cumulative harm to the natural environment in accordance with the requirements of Policies ESD10 and ESD13 of the Cherwell Local Plan 2011-2031.

 

Supporting documents: