back 2 business week 2011 - green deal: Phil Thomas on planning
1. Planning for the future…
how the planning system can help you
achieve your energy potential
2. Corporate aims of County Council
• Making Monmouthshire cleaner and greener
• Stimulating strong local economies
• Supporting safer and stronger communities
3. National Planning Policy Context
Substantial Guidance produced by WAG in recent years to
encourage green energy:
• Technical Advice Note 8: Planning for Renewable Energy
• Technical Advice Note 22: Planning for Sustainable Buildings
• A Low Carbon Revolution- The Welsh Assembly Government
Energy Policy Statement
• Best Practice Guidance: Planning for Renewable and Low Carbon
Energy – A Toolkit for Planners
• Planning Implications of Renewable and Low Carbon Energy
• Capturing the Potential: A Green Jobs Strategy for Wales e.g.
Mabey Bridges, Chepstow
• Planning Policy Wales Edition 4
4. Monmouthshire Planning Policy Context
• Current UDP policy not that up to date – only relates to wind
farm developments rather than wider use of other renewables
• LDP Process: Frontloaded approach- Renewable Energy and
Energy Efficiency Study (REEES) (2010) - explores potential for
Wind, Biomass and small scale Hydro Power.
• REEES Addendum imminent – to validate existing REEES against
methodology set out in the Toolkit for Planners. Explores
potential for Biomass (more detail), Solar, Building Integrated
Renewables and District Heat Networks. Provides heat
opportunity mapping and heat poverty mapping for
Monmouthshire.
• LDP policies – Renewable Energy and Sustainable
Construction/Energy Efficiency policies; being prepared within
the broad context of promoting sustainable development.
• LDP policies are yet to be endorsed by the County Council –
reporting on Deposit LDP on 1st July 2011. Public Consultation
will then take place in Autumn.
• Supplementary Planning Guidance (spg) relating to the LDP will
provide detailed guidance for developers for all forms of
renewable energy and the REEES addendum will provide
background detail to this SPG once finalised.
5. Technical Advice Note (TAN)22
Promoting sustainable construction in the planning application process
Code for Sustainable Homes –
this measures the sustainability performance
of a home against nine design categories BREEAM
• Code for Sustainable • BREEAM ‘Very Good’
Homes (CSH)Level 3 standard applies to all
applies to all new build
dwellings (not conversions) commercial (non-
• Code is to ensure new domestic) buildings over
dwellings are built to 1000 sq.m. and is similar
higher standards of to the CSH in improving
insulation, energy building standards to be
efficiency and the more energy efficient,
materials are sourced
sustainably – enforced by etc.
planning conditions
6. Permitted Development Rights
Eased for existing dwellings in
England and Wales Solar tree, Austria
• Solar panels – roof and
ground mounted
• Ground source heat pumps
• Biomass heating systems
(Flues)
• Rules slightly more
stringent for Conservation
Areas
• WAG guide for
householders,
communities and
businesses to creating your
own energy
7. Commercial development and renewables
• Unlike dwellings, commercial
properties do not have
permitted development rights
– yet (Government review in
progress)
• WAG and Mon CC encourage
renewables on business
premises, subject to impact
• Pragmatic approach e.g. solar
panels on factories, where
they do not affect external
appearance are treated as not
needing permission e.g. inner
valley of roof Coil for ground source heat pump – permitted
development for a householder, but not for a
business….
8. How do we work in practice in Monmouthshire?
Case Study 1 Application approved
• Angiddy Hydro electricity
scheme, Tintern
• Community based scheme
to generate electricity for
up to 40 homes
• Development is a new
water channel and turbine
building
• Constraints – AONB,
archaeology; scheduled
ancient monuments and
biodiversity.
9. Angiddy HEP Scheme
Community based scheme
• Example of community
working with the local
authority and other
public bodies to achieve
a small, but worthy
scheme that is
sustainable but also ‘low
impact’
10. Case Study 2: Llancayo Solar Farm
• 5 MW generation
scheme involving up to
22000 PVs - scheme to
benefit from Feed in
Tariff (FIT) scheme
• Site (13 ha) covers three
arable fields north of the
historic group of
buildings at Llancayo,
north of Usk
• Constraints –
biodiversity, landscape
impact, historic
buildings, archaeology
11. Llancayo Solar Farm
• Scheme amended
following input from
Council, CCW, Cadw,
GGAT and EA
• Pressure to determine
quickly to enable
connection to grid by
August 2011
• Scheme approved May
2011 – just over 8
weeks to determine
• Proposal is reversible –
arrays sit on pads Solar farm, France
12. Wind Turbines – a localised approach
• Wind power recognised as
playing key role by WAG
but Monmouthshire not in
SSAs set out by WAG in
TAN8
• Landscape, noise and
biodiversity constraints
• Small scale domestic/
commercial turbines
approved, but small in
number and only single
turbines – no groups
• No permitted development
rights – even for
householders
13. Conclusion
• WAG and Mon CC polices
support green energy
proposals that need planning
permission but a balance is
required to protect the
landscape / built heritage of
the area
• In practice, Mon CC is
pragmatic in dealing with
renewable energy proposals
while safeguarding other
interests like landscape and
biodiversity
• The extension of Permitted
Development is freeing up
householders, enabling the
provision of renewable energy Monnow hydro electricity plant
– expect businesses to be next
