Responding to Wind Farm Applications Ian Aikman Major Applications, Review & Enforcement Manager Scottish Borders Council

Scottish Borders Wind Energy  Commercial Windfarms: -Approved turbines generating 689MW -Public Inquiry/ Appeal - 3 sites for 61 turbine (213 MW) -8 Applications lodged for further 121 turbines (329WM) -PAN’s for further 60 further turbines (147MW)  Feed In Tariff Schemes (less than 5MW) -Approved 88 turbines (5.55MW) -Applications for further 21 turbines (3.08MW)  Screening Opinions - 49  Scoping Opinions - 47

Information Overload  Number of applications  Environmental Impact Assessment  Technical nature of information lodged  Available on Public access and CC’s get hard copy  Information available on web

The Planning Act  Section 25 Planning Act “ Where in making any determination under the planning Acts, regard is to be had to the development plan, the determination shall be made in accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.”  Consolidated Structure Plan 2001 – 2018 & Local Plan Policy D4

Material Considerations  Scottish Planning Policy (para 182 – 195)  Web based Planning Guidance (Replacing PAN45) – SG and SNH  Supplementary Planning Guidance on Wind Energy May 2011  Views of Consultees  Planning history  Legitimate public concern or support – provided expressed on relevant planning matters

Non Material Considerations  Protection of Private Interests Loss of views Loss of views Loss of property value Loss of property value Competition between businesses Competition between businesses  Personal Circumstances of Applicant  Moral Considerations  The Applicant’s lack of ownership of a site.  Issues governed by other legislation  Title Issues

Key Planning Issues  Landscape character impact – Landscape Assessment  Visual impact – receptors, cumulative impact  Traffic or access problems  Residential amenity (noise, visual impacts, shadow flicker)  Associated infrastructure impact – access roads etc  Impact on the natural or built environment

Conclusions  Focus of key significant impacts of the development  Avoid wider policy reference  Clear and concise comments on planning grounds  Discuss with case officer  Landscape and visual impact will be most critical issues

Questions?