Agenda item

Reference Number - 120166

With reference to Article 7 of the minute of meeting of the Development Management Sub Committee of 19 July 2012, wherein the Sub Committee agreed to visit the site and determine the application at its next meeting on 23 August 2012, the Sub Committee had before it a report by the Head of Planning and Sustainable Development which recommended:-

That the Sub Committee approve the application in respect of planning permission to erect a single 800kw wind turbine, associated ancillary equipment and the formation of an access track, subject to the following conditions:-

(1) That no development shall take place within the application site until the applicant has secured the implementation of a programme of archaeological work which shall include post-excavation and publication work in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been submitted by the applicant and approved by the planning authority; (2) That prior to work commencing on site, full colour details of the proposed turbine shall be  submitted for the further written approval of the planning authority and the development shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details; (3) That no development shall take place unless a scheme of all drainage works designed to meet the requirements of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority and thereafter no part of the development shall be occupied unless the drainage has been installed in complete accordance with the said scheme; (4) That no development pursuant to the planning permission hereby approved shall be carried out unless there has been submitted to and approved in writing for the purpose by the planning authority a further detailed scheme of landscaping for the site, which scheme shall include indications of all existing trees and landscaped areas on the land, and details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of development, and the proposed areas of tree/shrub planting including details of numbers, densities, locations, species, sizes and stage of maturity at planting; (5)  That all planting, seeding and turfing comprised in the approved scheme of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting season following the completion of the development and any trees or plants 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 next planting season with others of a size and species similar to those originally required to be planted, or in accordance with such other scheme as may be submitted to and approved in writing for the purpose by the planning authority; (6)  That prior to the commencement of development on the site, the developer shall obtain written approval from the planning authority, following consultation with Transport Scotland - Trunk Road Network Management Directorate (the trunk roads authority) and Grampian Constabulary, for a traffic management plan.  This plan shall include details of (i) routing of construction traffic and construction workers' traffic; (ii) provision of any temporary car park; (iii) controlled routing of heavy vehicles; (iv) arrangements for police escort or other escort approved by Grampian Constabulary of abnormal loads; (v) any speed restrictions required; and (vi) temporary site signage identifying routes for all site vehicles and advising drivers of all necessary information. Such provisions in the approved plan shall be fully implemented, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority; (7) That notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, no symbols, signs, logos or other lettering (other than those required for health and safety reasons) shall be displayed on the turbines, other buildings or structures within the site without the written approval of the planning authority; (8) That in the event that this turbine becomes obsolete or redundant, it must be removed within six months of such event.  In the event that the turbine and associated equipment is removed, the site shall be made good, in accordance with a scheme to be submitted and approved in writing by the planning authority, within one month of such removal; (9) That unless otherwise agreed in writing by the planning authority, noise from the wind turbine should be limited to a rating level, measured under free-field conditions, of 40 dB LA90, or 5 dB above the pre-established prevailing background noise level, for sensitive day-time hours, whichever is the greater, at any residential property lawfully occupied at the date of this consent.  Sensitive day-time hours are defined as Monday to Friday 1800 to 2300 hours; Saturday 1300 to 2300 hours and Sundays 0700 to 2300 hours. The rating level shall be calculated from the measured noise level plus a correction to account for any tonal components in the noise, to be derived according to the procedure outlined in ETSU-R-97; and (10)  That noise from the wind turbine should be limited to a rating level, measured under free-field conditions, of 43 dB LA90, or 5 dB above the pre-established prevailing background noise level for night-time hours, whichever is the greater, at any residential property lawfully occupied at the date of this consent. Night-time hours are defined as 2300 to 0700 hours. The rating level shall be calculated from the measured noise level plus a correction to account for any tonal components in the noise, to be derived according the procedure outlined in ETSU-R-97. Noise limits should be set at the nearest noise sensitive property.

The Sub Committee was addressed by Ms Lucy Greene, Senior Planner, Planning and Sustainable Development, who summarised the application and answered questions from members relating to the application.

The Convener concluded the visit to this particular site by reminding members that the determination of the application would be undertaken by the Sub Committee at its next meeting on 23 August 2012.