1. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Strategic Planning for Renewable Energy Sarah Young MRTPI Associate Director LUC

2. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Overview 1.What do the recent Government changes to the PPG mean? 2.How should LPAs identify suitable areas for wind and other renewables? 3. What other planning policy options are there for renewables?

3. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute

4. Government Policy Change The Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 June 2015 and subsequent updates to PPG state: When considering applications for wind energy development, local planning authorities should (subject to the transitional arrangement) only grant planning permission if: the development site is in an area identified as suitable for wind energy development in a Local or Neighbourhood Plan; and following consultation, it can be demonstrated that the planning impacts identified by affected local communities have been fully addressed and therefore the proposal has their backing. Whether the proposal has the backing of the affected local community is a planning judgement for the local planning authority.

5. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Suitable Areas for Wind? TEST 1: The development site is in an area identified as suitable for wind energy development in a Local or Neighbourhood Plan. Differing interpretations…. but LPA’s should identify areas of potentially suitability for wind, if don’t could be subject to challenge. but…..how do you define a suitable area?

6. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute What does the NPPG say? NPPF states that local authorities: “should have a positive strategy to promote energy from renewable and low carbon sources and should design policies to maximise renewable and low carbon energy development whilst ensuring that adverse impacts are addressed satisfactorily, including cumulative landscape and visual impacts.”

7. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute What does the PPG say? “There are no hard and fast rules about how suitable areas for renewable energy should be identified, but in considering locations, local planning authorities will need to ensure they take into account the requirements of the technology and, critically, the potential impacts on the local environment, including from cumulative impacts.”

8. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute What does the PPG say? It goes on to state that… “There is a methodology available from the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s website on assessing the capacity for renewable energy development which can be used and there may be existing local assessments. However, the impact of some types of technologies may have changed since assessments were drawn up (e.g. the size of wind turbines has been increasing). In considering impacts, assessments can use tools to identify where impacts are likely to be acceptable. For example, landscape character areas could form the basis for considering which technologies at which scale may be appropriate in different types of location.”

9. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute One Approach 1.Undertake technical assessment of potential for wind energy – in line with DECC methodology 2. Overlay this with landscape sensitivity assessment Identify areas of suitability for wind

10. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Technical potential for wind Enable planners to have informed discussions with developers and communities about potential opportunities for wind– i.e. proactive rather than reactive planning Meets NPPF, PPG and Ministerial statement that LPAs should consider identifying suitable areas for renewable and low carbon energy sources and supporting infrastructure

11. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Benefits

12. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Benefits

13. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Benefits

14. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Benefits

15. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Landscape Sensitivity Definition of sensitivity : “Sensitivity is the relative extent to which the character and quality of the landscape is susceptible to change as a result of wind energy development.” Aim is to assess the sensitivity of the landscapes within a Local Planning Authority to change as a result of potential wind (or solar PV developments) Use carefully defined criteria to assess sensitivity: Landform and scale Land cover pattern and presence of human scale features Tracks / transport pattern Skylines Perceptual qualities and man-made influence Inherent Capacity and Sensitivity for LCAs

16. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Levels of sensitivity

17. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Landscape Assessment by LCT

18. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Sensitivity to ‘very small’ turbines

19. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Sensitivity to ‘small’ turbines

20. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Sensitivity to ‘medium’ turbines

21. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Sensitivity to ‘large’ turbines

22. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Sensitivity to ‘very large’ turbines

23. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute

24. Benefits

25. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute

26. Wind - large, medium, small, micro Biomass – woodland biomass Small scale hydro Solar arrays District heating Landfill gas Microgeneration –micro wind, heat pumps The Energy Opportunities Map

27. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Benefits Enable planners to have informed discussions with developers and communities about potential opportunities for wind and other technologies– i.e. proactive rather than reactive planning Meets requirements of NPPG and Ministerial Statement and PPG that LPAs should consider identifying suitable areas for renewable and low carbon energy sources and supporting infrastructure

28. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Identifying suitable areas is strategic level guidance it DOES NOT provide a definitive statement of the suitability of particular location for wind energy or a replacement for specific siting studies and design. All applications would need to be assessed on their individual merits. It is very difficult to assess cumulative effects at a strategic level. Wind energy applications also have to meet second PPG test But….

29. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Local Community backing? TEST 2: Following consultation, it can be demonstrated that the planning impacts identified by affected local communities have been fully addressed and therefore the proposal has their backing. Planning impacts - must be focused on planning issues and not just that people don’t like the project Affected local communities – open to interpretation Therefore – implies if all the planning issues raised by affected communities have been addressed = scheme can be approved, even without explicit support

30. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Topography Trees Vegetation Affected local communities?

31. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Local Community backing? Statement is unclear and raises further questions: 1)Should further consultation should be undertaken? 2)If it should, who should undertake the consultation and how? 3)If it shouldn’t, how should compliance be demonstrated? NSIP style consultation report? Local ‘referendums?’

32. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Other Policy Options 1.Develop robust criteria based policies 2.Identify of areas of suitability for other technologies e.g. solar arrays 3.Allocate sites 4.Prepare a Local Development Order 5.Encourage community renewables – particularly via Neighbourhood plans

33. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute Summary Be proactive – use spatial guidance as a tool for bringing forward development in appropriate locations Be robust– ensure that evidence base is robust, transparent and consistent (set assumptions out clearly) Focus on what matters – ensure the debate focuses on the key planning issues Be inclusive - there is more than just wind, ensure all renewable energy technologies are considered and encouraged

34. RTPI Conferences is managed by Kaplan Hawksmere on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute LUC Sarah Young Associate Director sarah.young@landuse.co.uk Tel: 0117 929 5159 LUC is dedicated to conserving and enhancing the environment and promoting sustainable development on behalf of our clients Almost 50 years' experience Over 100 professional staff Four UK offices: London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow