Agenda item

Planning Reference – 220026

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Link.

Planning Officer:  Lucy Greene

The Committee had before it a report by the Interim Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, which recommended:-

That the application for Detailed Planning Permission for the erection of an energy storage facility including containers of batteries, power converters, transformers, stores, meter building, security fencing and associated infrastructure at site to the north west of Helix House, Kirkton Drive Aberdeen, be approved subject to the following conditions.

Conditions

1.               That in the event that any battery installed and commissioned fails to commercially operate as intended for a continuous period of six-months and there is no plan in place to bring the battery in to operation within a further period of six-months, then unless agreed in writing with the Planning Authority, the facility will deemed to have ceased to be required. If deemed to have ceased to be required, the battery, battery storage container and its ancillary equipment will be dismantled and removed from the site, with the cells being appropriately disposed and/ or recycled/ re-purposed, and the ground being re-instated to the specification and satisfaction of the Planning Authority by the operator within the following three-month period.

Reason: to ensure that any redundant facilities are removed from the site, in the interests of safety, amenity and environmental protection.

2.               That in the event of the development hereby approved not operating on a commercial basis to the grid network for a continuous period of 12 months, the company must immediately notify the Planning Authority in writing of the situation and shall, if directed by the Planning Authority decommission the development and reinstate the site to the specification and satisfaction of the Planning Authority.  The Planning Authority shall have due regard to the circumstances surrounding the failure to store electricity.

Reason: to ensure the decommissioning and removal of the development in an appropriate and environmentally acceptable manner and the restoration of the site. In the interests of safety, amenity and environmental protection.

3.               That no development shall take place other than in accordance with the plans unless and until full details of the proposed battery storage containers (and ancillary infrastructure) hereby permitted has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. These details shall include:

(a) design, power rating, sound power level modelled at the most sensitive receptor (if deviating from the Noise Impact Assessment accompanying the application), layout and dimensions of the battery storage containers (and ancillary infrastructure) and the metering building to be installed.

(b) detailed site layout plan, including surfacing materials, boundary treatment, surface water drainage measures and planting.

Thereafter, the battery storage containers and associated infrastructure shall be installed and operate in accordance with these approved details.

Reason: to protect the visual amenity of the area.

4.               That no development shall commence until details of the final drainage design has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. The development shall be constructed in accordance with the approved details and thereafter maintained in perpetuity.

Reason: in order to ensure that the site is adequately drained. 

5.        That no trees shall be removed during the bird nesting season (beginning of April to end of August) unless there has been carried out a nesting bird survey by a suitably qualified specialist, and that specialist remains on site for the duration of the removal operation.

Reason: in the interests of the protection of breeding birds.

6.       That no development shall take place unless tree protection fencing is in place on site. This shall be in accordance with a scheme that has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority.

Reason: In the interests of biodiversity and visual amenity.

7.        That no development shall commence until details of the final landscaping and drainage design has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. The development shall be constructed in accordance with the approved details and thereafter maintained in perpetuity.

Reason: in order to ensure that the site is adequately drained. 

8.        That prior to the commencement of development, the Fire Safety Management Procedure shall be submitted to, and agreed in writing by the Planning Authority. Thereafter the plan shall be implemented and retained in perpetuity, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Planning Authority.

Reason: in the interests of fire safety and in the amenity of the surrounding area.

The Committee heard from Ms Lucy Greene, Senior Planner who spoke in furtherance of the application and answered various questions from members.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the application conditionally in line with the officer recommendation and an Informative added to read:-

SAFEGUARDING OF ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CRANES)

Attention is drawn to the requirement within the British Standard Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Cranes (BS7121), specifically section 9.9.3 (Crane Control in the Vicinity of Aerodromes) which requires the responsible person to consult the aerodrome manager for permission to work if a crane is to be used within 6km of an aerodrome and its height would exceed 10m or that of surrounding trees and structures.

Use of cranes, or other tall construction equipment must be notified to Aberdeen International Airport Safeguarding Manager (abzsafeguard@aiairport.com / 01224 725756) at least one month prior to use. Failure to do so may result in any responsible person being guilty of an offence under Article 137 (Endangering Safety of Aircraft) of the Air Navigation Order (CAP 393) which states that a person must not recklessly or negligently act in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft.