bearley volume 1 v2cip.southsomerset.gov.uk/planning/streamdocpage/...content=obj.pdf · site...
TRANSCRIPT
Anaerobic Digestion Plant at
Bearley Farm, Tintinhull,
Somerset – Planning
Application
Volume 1 – Supporting
Information
January 2014
On behalf of:
Greener For Life Energy Ltd,
The Cricket Barn, Nomansland,
Tiverton, Devon EX16 8NP
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
Contents
Sections Page
Introduction 2
Proposed Development 3
Planning Statement 7
Planning Policy 7
National Planning Guidance 7
Regional Planning Policy 10
Local Planning Policy- District Level 11
Design and Access Statement 14
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
Introduction
1. This series of supporting documentation has been written in
support of a planning application that seeks to install an
anaerobic digestion facility on an agricultural holding at
Bearley Farm, Bearley Lane, Tintinhull, Yeovil, BA22 8PE.
2. The documentation is set out in four volumes -
• Volume 1 – Supporting Statement (Including Design and
Access Statement)
• Volume 2 – Process Information
• Volume 3 – Environmental Review
• Volume 4 – Figures and Appendices
3. The proposed development includes the erection of an
anaerobic digestion plant, associated equipment and on-site
infrastructure for the purpose of generating renewable
energy from cow slurry, farmyard manure, chicken litter, beet,
rye, grass and maize silage.
4. The installation would provide the farm with a modern
sustainable method to treat farm wastes and in the process
provide renewable energy and a fertiliser replacement (ie.
the digestate).
5. This supporting documentation should be read in conjunction
with the planning application form and associated
documents.
Volume 1
Applicant Details
6. The applicant is Greener for Life Energy Ltd, The Cricket Barn,
Tiverton, Devon EX16 8NP.
7. The site is owned by Mr S Walters, Bearley Farm, Bearley Lane,
Tintinhull, Yeovil, BA22 8PE.
Site Description
8. The applicant’s site for the anaerobic digester and
associated equipment comprises 2.24 hectares of land with
the centre point of the proposed site at NGR ST 49533 22067.
The site is located approximately 1.5km west of the village of
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
Tintinhull and 5km west of Yeovil (the nearest major town to
the site).
9. The proposed site is currently used for arable farming. The
field is bounded on its four sides by hedgerows and sits off a
private lane located at the end of Bearley Lane,
approximately 2km from the Bearley Lane junction with the
A303. Access to the site would be via the existing track that
runs down the hedgeline.
10. The site has been selected owing to its close proximity to the
areas where much of the silage feedstock would be
produced and the land onto which the liquid digestate
would be spread. The site uses the topography of the land to
act as a natural screen for the plant.
Proposed Development
11. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process by which naturally
occurring anaerobic bacteria break down organic matter
resulting in the production of biogas, heat and digestate.
12. The proposed development would have a capacity of
producing 1.3MW of electricity per hour. Some of this
electricity is converted from biogas via the CHP unit on site; it
is then used to run the plant with any excess exported to
national grid. However the majority of the biogas is exported
directly into the national gas grid.
Plant Construction
13. The proposed development of an on-farm anaerobic
digestion plant, associated equipment and on-site
infrastructure would include the following –
• 3 silage clamps measuring 85m long, 30m wide and
4m high.
• Pre-slurry tank and buffer tank separator measuring
12m diameter and 4m high. This will be dug into the
ground to a depth of 3.75m.
• Substrate feeders (x2) 80m3 capacity 7.4m long, 2.98m
wide and 3.35m high.
• Pumping station (container) measuring 2.48m wide,
6.6m long and 2.66m high.
• Digester 45m diameter, 7m high. This contains a
primary digester (45m digester) and a secondary
digester (27m diameter). This will be dug into the
ground to a depth of 4.8m.
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
• Digestate tank a) 30m diameter, 7m high. A
Gasholder double membrane dome measuring 30m
diameter 7.5m high will sit on top of digestate tank a).
This will be dug into the ground to a depth of 2m.
• Digestate tank b) 32m diameter and 7m high. This will
be dug into the ground to a depth of 2m.
• Operation building containing a CHP unit and the
control panels for the AD 5.5m high, 7.4m long and
10m wide and 4m high x 6m long and 10m wide.
• Gas flare – 5.2m high. Separator – 6.6m high x 7m long
and 2.5m wide.
• Gas conversion plant – 1 x 40ft container, 4 x 2m
diameter and 2.5m high containers, 2 x 10ft containers
and 1 grid entry module box 5.5m long, 3.5m wide and
3m high. 3 x 4tonne propane tanks.
• A concrete yard for vehicular movements.
Feedstock
14. The proposed facility would treat 38,314 tonnes of farm
feedstock per annum.
15. Feedstock for the process of anaerobic digestion would be in
the form of cow slurry, farmyard manure, chicken litter, rye,
beet, grass and maize silage in the following proportions (per
annum) –
• Cow slurry – 7,000 tonnes
• Farmyard manure – 2,500 tonnes
• Chicken litter – 4,500 tonnes
• Beet – 3,000 tonnes
• Wholecrop Rye – 6,164 tonnes
• Maize silage – 4,000 tonnes
• Grass silage – 11,150 tonnes
16. No animal by-products other than slurry/manure would be
processed at the plant.
Feedstock Delivery
17. The feedstock for the anaerobic digester would be provided
by the applicant from the farm business. Cow slurry would be
pumped to the site and held in the buffer tank before
entering the anaerobic digester.
18. Grass and maize silage, wholecrop rye and beet fodder
grown on the farm would be taken to the site in 15 tonne
trailers during harvest periods. It would be stored in the
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
proposed silage clamps on site and fed into the solids feeder
as required.
19. Farmyard manure from Bearley Farm would be brought to the
site, as required, in 15 tonne trailers and fed directly into the
solids feeder.
20. Scheduled deliveries of poultry manure and some rye would
be brought to the site in 29 tonne articulated lorry and fed
directly into the solids feeder.
21. A review analysing the traffic impact of the proposed
development is include in the Transport Statement in Volume
4, Appendix 6.
Products
22. The resulting products of anaerobic digestion are digestate,
heat and biogas.
23. Digestate would be separated as it leaves the digester tank.
Liquid digestate would be pumped into the digestate store
and solid digestate fibres would fall down into a small clamp
located under the separator, where it would be stored.
24. Heat produced during the process of anaerobic digestion
would be used on site to heat the anaerobic digester and
the Operations Building.
25. Liquid digestate would be used on the farm as an organic
fertiliser and the solid (fibre) digestate would be used as a soil
conditioner. This will reduce all the farms involved in supplying
feedstocks to the plant existing requirements for inorganic
fertilisers and improve the quality of the soil in the area.
26. Liquid digestate would be stored in the digestate tank and
then piped via an underground pipe for spreading on the
surrounding land as a fertiliser. Access points are located
along the length of the pipe to enable a tractor to collect
digestate in the area onto which it would be spread by
umbilical pipe. This would reduce the volume of tractor and
tanker movement on the local roads.
27. Biogas is stored in the dome at the top of the digester tank
and pumped into the CHP unit where it is converted to
electricity.
Grid Connection
28. The proposed development would be connected to the
National Electricity Grid using the existing grid connection. A
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
pipe link to the nearest connection point to the National Gas
Grid will be installed.
Operating Hours
29. The usual operating hours of the facility would be 07.00 to
18.00 Monday to Sunday although movements to and from
the site would not be continuous during this period. The
movements to site are outlined in detail in the Transport
Statement (Volume 4 Appendix 6).
Staff
30. The proposed development would employ one full time
member of staff.
Environmental Permit
31. An Environmental Permit application will be made to the
Environment Agency to coincide with the consultation period
for the planning application.
Operating Procedures and Risk Assessment
32. Management systems and risk assessments would be
implemented to ensure that the plant operates safely and to
ensure there are no adverse environmental impacts.
Consultation
33. This project does not trigger levels at which a formal
Environmental Statement is required. It falls outside the
thresholds set within The Town and Country Planning
(Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 and
DETR circular 02/99.
34. A pre-planning letter was sent to South Somerset District
Council outlining the level of consultation for the proposed
development. A copy of the letter is enclosed in Volume 4,
Appendix 2. A pre-planning meeting was then held on-site
with a Planning Officer and Landscape Officer in December
2013. As a result the following have been included for the site
at Bearley Farm –
• Flood Risk Assessment (Volume 4, Appendix 3)
• Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report (Ecology)
(Volume 4, Appendix 4)
• Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (Volume 4,
Appendix 5)
• Transport Statement (Volume 4, Appendix 6)
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
35. A request for pre-planning advice from the Environment
Agency was sent on 19th August 2013 and a response
received on 18th September 2013. This is enclosed in Volume
4, Appendix 1.
Planning Statement
Planning Policy
Introduction
36. The planning policy context under which proposals for the
establishment of renewable energy developments are
considered, is set at national level (in England) by the
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2012. The NPPF
was published in March 2012 and replaces many of the now
revoked Planning Policy Statements.
37. At national level, Planning Policy Statement 10 (PPS10)
‘Planning for Sustainable Waste Management’ sets out the
Government’s policy to be taken into account by waste
planning authorities and forms part of the national waste
management plan for the UK. This policy is still extant despite
the revocation of a number of the Planning Policy Statements
in March 2012.
38. In 2007, a Government Energy White Paper was published
which refers to the need for renewable energy and suggests
targets and aspirations for percentages of renewable energy
generated as a proportion of energy supplies.
National Planning Guidance
39. The principal source of planning policy guidance relating to
renewable energy schemes in England is the National
Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2012.
40. At the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a
presumption in favour of sustainable development. The NPPF
states that there are three dimensions to this – economic,
social and environmental, each arising to the planning
system having to perform a number of roles. The
environmental role is defined as such -
• an environmental role - contributing to protecting and
enhancing our natural, built and historic environment;
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
and, as part of this, helping to improve biodiversity, use
natural resources prudently, minimise waste and
pollution, and mitigate and adapt to climate change
including moving to a low carbon economy.
41. The NPPF has outlined a set of core land-use planning
principles that should underpin plan-making and decision-
taking. One of the core planning principles stated in the
NPPF states that planning should –
support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing
climate, taking full account of flood risk and coastal change,
and encourage the reuse of existing resources, including
conversion of existing buildings and encourage the use of
renewable resources (for example, by the development of
renewable energy).
42. The NPPF also supports a prosperous rural economy in order
to create jobs and prosperity. To promote a strong rural
economy, local and neighbourhood plans should, “promote
the development and diversification of agricultural and other
land-based rural businesses”.
43. The NPPF outlines that local planning authorities should
recognise the requirement for all communities to contribute
to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources.
Local planning authorities should –
• have a positive strategy to promote energy from
renewable and low carbon sources;
• design their policies to maximise renewable and low
carbon energy development while ensuring that
adverse impacts are addressed satisfactorily, including
cumulative landscape and visual impacts;
• consider identifying suitable areas for renewable and low
carbon energy sources, and supporting infrastructure ,
where this would help secure the development of such
sources;
• support community-led initiatives for renewable and low
carbon energy, including developments outside such
areas being taken forward through neighbourhood
planning; and
• identify opportunities where development can draw its
energy supply from decentralised, renewable or low
carbon energy supply systems and for co-locating
potential heat suppliers and customers.
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
44. The NPPF also states that applicants for energy development
should not need to demonstrate the overall need for
renewable or low carbon energy.
45. In addition to the NPPF, other statements of national policy
must also be taken into account in considering the principles
of such development.
46. Having regard to the current proposal for an AD plant
Planning Policy Statement 10 (PPS10) “Planning for
Sustainable Waste Management” (2005) is of relevance.
47. The overall objective of Government policy on waste, as set
out in the strategy for sustainable development is to protect
human health and the environment by producing less waste
and by using it as a resource wherever possible. Positive
planning has an important role in delivering sustainable
waste management.
48. PPS10 contains a number of Key Objectives. One of these
requires that planning authorities should recognise the
particular locational needs of some types of waste
management facilities and these, together with the wider
environmental and economic benefits of sustainable waste
management, are material considerations that should be
given significant weight in determining whether proposals
should be given planning permission.
49. The policies contained in PPS10 are material considerations
which may supersede the policies in a development plan
when considering planning applications for waste
management facilities before those plans are reviewed.
Planning applications for sites that have not been identified,
or are not located in an area identified, in a development
plan document as suitable for new waste management
facilities should be considered favourably when consistent
with the policies in PPS10 and the waste planning authority's
core strategy.
50. Annex E to PPS10 sets out location criteria to test the suitability
of sites and areas for waste management facilities.
a. protection of water resources
b. land instability
c. visual intrusion
d. nature conservation
e. historic environment and built heritage
f. traffic and access
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
g. air emissions including dust
h. odours
i. vermin and birds
j. noise and vibration
k. litter
l. potential land use conflict
51. A Government Energy White Paper published in May 2007
states that,
“Renewables are key to our strategy to tackle climate
change and deploy cleaner sources of energy. We have a
target that aims to see renewables grow as a proportion of
our electricity supplies to 10% by 2010, with an aspiration for
this level to double by 2020.”
52. This approach accords with current European energy policy
set out in “An Energy Policy for Europe” (2007), which requires
all European Member States to increase the proportion of
electricity they produce from renewable sources to 20% by
2020.
53. Existing development plan policy documents have to be
viewed in the context of these up to date statements of
Government policy. However, the development of
renewable energy resources on a commercial scale is a
crucial element in meeting the Government’s commitments
on reducing emissions and combating climate change.
54. It is irrefutable that Government policy is to stimulate the
exploitation and development of renewable energy sources
wherever they have the prospects of being economically
attractive and environmentally acceptable, in the interests of
sustainable development.
Regional Planning Policy
55. The Regional Planning Guidance for the South West (RPG10)
has been revoked under the Localism Act 2011, however key
extracts published in September 2001 have been considered
in the upcoming South Somerset District Local Plan -
Energy Generation and Use
• The development of renewable sources of energy; the
use of energy efficient measures in new buildings (through
appropriate siting, design and use of materials), giving
priority to locating new development in or adjacent to
urban areas and the introduction of measures to reduce
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
the need to travel and increase the use of public
transport, will all help to ensure consumption of energy is
reduced.
• The use of renewable energy sources and the
encouragement of such energy efficient methods as
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Community
Heating schemes offer the opportunity of increasing the
diversity of energy supply. By using energy more efficiently
it can reduce harmful emissions to the environment and
preserve finite fossil fuels for future generations.
Local Planning Policy- District Level
56. The South Somerset Local Plan (SSLP) (1991-2011) was
adopted on 27 April 2006 and “saved” until 26 April 2009
pending the preparation of replacement Local Development
Framework (LDF) documents. In July 2013 the District Council
voted to suspend the Local Plan (2006-2028) process for 7-8
months so additional work and studies could be undertaken
to address a Government Planning Inspector's concerns.
While consideration can be given to the emerging Plan
Policies, material weight must be considered of the currently
adopted SSLP.
57. The following polices are of particular relevance for
consideration with this proposal:-
Policy ST3 - Outside the defined development areas of towns,
rural centres and villages, development will be strictly
controlled and restricted to that which benefits economic
activity, maintains or enhances the environment and does
not foster growth in the need to travel.
Policy ST5 - Proposals for development will be considered
against the following criteria:
• The proposal promotes of a pattern of land use and
transport which reduces the need to travel, minimises the
length of journeys and provides accessibility by a choice
of means of transport;
• The proposal makes efficient use of land and give priority
to the use of recycled land and other appropriate sites
within urban areas first;
• The proposal conserves the biodiversity and
environmental assets, particularly nationally and
internationally designated areas, and the historic heritage
of the district;
• The proposal respects the form, character and setting of
the locality;
• The proposal makes provision for a satisfactory means of
access into and within the site and traffic resulting from
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
development can be accommodated on the local
transport network;
• The proposal avoids placing people and property at risk
from flooding, ground instability, contaminated land,
pollution or hazardous substances; and
Policy ST6 - Proposals for new development, otherwise
acceptable in principle, will be permitted where the
following design criteria are met:
• The architectural and landscape design satisfactorily
respects the form, character and setting of the settlement
or local environment.
• They preserve and complement the key characteristics of
the location, to maintain its local distinctiveness.
• They do not result in the unavoidable loss of open spaces
(including gaps and frontages) with visual or
environmental value.
• They do not cause unavoidable harm to the natural and
built environment of the locality and the broader
landscape.
• Their density, form, scale, mass, height and proportions
respect and relate to the character of their surroundings.
Policy ST8 - Development will be permitted where it is clearly
demonstrated that energy conservation has been fully
considered in the design, orientation, layout and siting of the
proposal and that all measures which are practicable are
included as part of the scheme.
Policy EC1 - Where development of agricultural land is
unavoidable, poorer quality land should be used in
preference to that of higher quality (defined as grades 1, 2
and 3a of the agricultural land classification), except where
other sustainability considerations outweigh the agricultural
land value.
Policy EC3 - Outside development areas, development
proposals which are otherwise acceptable will be permitted
provided that they do not cause unacceptable harm to the
distinctive character and quality of the local landscape. In
particular, development should:
• Respect or enhance the characteristic pattern and
features of the surrounding landscape; and,
• Avoid built forms whose visual profiles would be out-of-
keeping with and uncharacteristic of the surrounding
landscape when viewed from publicly accessible
vantage points.
Policy EP9 - Applications for development which are a
potential source of pollution (of land, air or water by factors
including noise, dust, polluting chemicals, odour, vibration,
light or heat) will be required to be accompanied by full
details of means of pollution control.
Permission will be granted where the pollutant can be
adequately controlled and where the pollution control
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
measures would not be unacceptably harmful, in themselves,
to the character of the area or the amenity of neighbouring
sites. Planning permission may be refused on air quality
grounds where a statutory air quality objective is exceeded
as a direct consequence of the proposed development.
Policy EU3 - Planning permission will be granted for
development proposals employing non-mains sewerage
arrangements provided that the proposed sewerage and
disposal arrangements would not lead to a significant
environmental, public health or amenity problem in the area.
Policy EU4 - Development will be permitted only where:
• Existing or proposed water supplies are sufficient and
wholesome, and do not adversely affect the water
environment;
• Adequate drainage, sewerage and sewage treatment
facilities are available or where suitable arrangements are
made for their provision;
• In sewered areas, foul discharge from new development
is connected to mains foul sewerage unless it is
demonstrated that such a connection is not feasible;
• The use of more sustainable drainage systems, designed
to control surface water as near to its source as possible,
will be promoted. Where the use of such a system is
inappropriate, separate surface water sewers with outfall
to a watercourse may be permitted.
Policy EU6 - Development which disrupts or adversely affects
the character, hydrology or ecology of watercourses in an
unacceptable manner will not be permitted.
Policy EU7 - Development proposals which would adversely
affect the quality of groundwater and in particular those in
defined groundwater catchment areas will not be permitted.
In addition, development proposals which would physically
disturb aquifers, lower groundwater levels, or impede
groundwater flow will not be permitted, unless sustainable
mitigation measures are agreed and provided.
Policy ME5 - Well conceived proposals for farm diversification
schemes for business purposes which are consistent in their
scale with their rural location will be permitted subject to their
compliance with other plan policies and provided that no
unacceptable harm is caused.
58. The Draft Core Strategy 2008-2028 Strategic Objective 8 is
“Movement toward a Carbon Neutral economy by 2030”.
The Supporting Policy of specific relevance over and above
those outlined above is Policy EQ1 – Addressing Climate
Change in South Somerset. All new development in South
Somerset should demonstrate how it has fully mitigated and
adapted to climate change through inclusion of the
following measures (as appropriate):
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
• New development will ensure CO2 reductions are maximised
by complying with the following energy hierarchy:
∼ energy efficiency measures;
∼ on-site decentralised energy and directly connected
heat technologies; and finally
∼ 'allowable solutions' to achieve carbon reduction
• Development of decentralised and renewable or low
carbon energy generation will be encouraged and
permitted, providing there are no unacceptable adverse
effects on residential amenity, the landscape, townscape,
historic features, and biodiversity interest.
• Development should reduce and manage the impact of
flood risk through location, layout, design, choice of
materials and the use of sustainable drainage systems.
Climate change should be considered in the design of all
new development, incorporating measures such as solar
orientation, maximising natural shade and cooling, water
efficiency and flood resilience.
• Ensure that susceptibility to climate change is taken into
account on all development sites with biodiversity interest.
Design and Access Statement
Introduction
59. Despite recent changes published by the Department for
Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in the
requirements for supplying a Design and Access Statement,
the information provided within a Design and Access
Statement is pertinent to this application and has been
provided below.
60. This Design and Access Statement has been prepared to
support the proposal by Greener for Life Energy Ltd, The
Cricket Barn, Tiverton for the construction of an anaerobic
digester, associated equipment and on-site infrastructure for
the purpose of generating renewable energy at Bearley
Farm, Tintinhull.
61. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process by which naturally
occurring anaerobic bacteria break down organic matter
resulting in the production of biogas, heat and digestate.
62. This statement follows the guidance set out in the
Communities and Local Government publication ‘Guidance
on information requirements and validation’ and the
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
(CABE)’s ‘Design and access statements – How to write, read
and use them’.
63. Both documents also indicate the issues that need to be
addressed as part of any Design and Access Statement,
these being the amount of development, layout of the
buildings, scale of buildings, landscaping and appearance:
the CABE document also makes reference to use. All six
matters are addressed within this document.
64. This Design and Access Statement should be read in
conjunction with the planning application form and
associated documents.
Physical Context
65. The proposed AD plant would be located in a field currently
used for arable agricultural use. Feedstock for the AD facility
would be 38,314 tonnes of cow slurry, farmyard manure,
chicken litter, rye, beet, grass and maize silage annually.
66. The proposed site is located approximately 1.5km west of the
village of Tintinhull and 5km west of Yeovil (the nearest major
town to the site).
67. The proposed site is currently used for arable farming. The
field is bounded on its four sides by hedgerows and sits off a
private lane located at the end of Bearley Lane,
approximately 2km from the Bearley Lane junction with the
A303. Access to the site would be via the existing track that
runs down the hedgeline.
68. The site is located in landscape that is typical of the Central
Plain, Moors and River Basin area of South Somerset having a
gentle landform, with a series of rolling ridges and shallow
vales.
69. The site has been selected owing to its close proximity to the
areas where much of the silage feedstock would be
produced and the land onto which the liquid digestate
would be spread and to use the natural topography to act as
a natural screen for the plant.
70. The proposed site does not lie within an area at risk of
flooding as defined in the Environment Agency’s Flood Maps.
71. The proposed site has no designation in the South Somerset
Local Plan. It is therefore considered to be within open
countryside.
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
Social Context
72. The proposed development would be accommodated
within the current landscape with limited and acceptable
impact upon the characteristics of the current site.
73. The nearest properties lie approximately 434m to the south,
1.5km to the southwest, 1.7km southeast, 2km to the west,
2.3km to the east northeast and 2.5km to the north.
74. The proposed development is not visible from view points to
the east, south and north as it is hidden in the natural
topography of the land. It is also not visible from the minor
roads that bound the site and to residents in properties to the
southeast- due to their distance from the site (approximately
450km) . The proposal includes the planting of thicket density
mix of trees and shrubs along the southwest roadside field
boundary and northwest track boundary for screening
purposes (please refer to Volume 4, Appendix 7 and Figure 5
– Planting Scheme. More information about the effects of the
proposed development can be found in Volume 4, Appendix
5 – Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment.
75. No protected species were found at the site and the site
does not lie in any specific designated areas. For more
information, please refer to Volume 4, Appendix 4 – Extended
Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report (Ecology).
76. At present the agricultural element of Bearley Farm comprises
of predominantly arable land. In order to service and
maintain the land and distribute the crops a significant
number of deliveries to and from the farm are currently
made. In addition to the arable operation of the farm,
Bearley Farm has a contract in place with Viridor for the use
of a lagoon for which the waste/soiled water resulting from
the washing process at local dairies is held. At present the
contract is for 10 loads per day. The contract that Bearley
Farm has with Viridor will be renewed on an annual basis from
December 2013.
77. In order to prevent an increase in vehicle movements should
the AD plant be constructed and to stay within the 10 loads
per day currently generated, the contractual obligations with
Viridor would be reduced to such a level that would allow for
any additional movements associated with the AD plant.
Thus while the proposed AD plant would change the nature
of the deliveries to and from Bearley Farm there will be no
material impact on the surrounding highway network should
the AD plant be approved. For more information on the
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
traffic movements and implications from this proposal please
refer to Volume 4 – Appendix 6, Transport Statement.
78. The proposed anaerobic digester would treat its feedstock
within a fully enclosed environment thus controlling odour
emissions so as not to cause nuisance to surrounding
receptors. Slurry would be held in a buffer tank and from
there be pumped direct to the anaerobic digester.
79. The resulting digestate would have significantly lower odour
impact than slurry and would as such reduce odour emissions
during periods of spreading.
Economic Context
80. The proposed development would employ one full time
member of staff, which is of obvious benefit to the local
economy.
81. It is anticipated that during the construction of the plant, a
number of jobs would be created some of which may involve
the use of a local workforce. In addition, during the
construction phase, temporary workers may increase the
revenue of local services.
Planning Policy
82. Details of planning policies within the development plan for
the local area have been provided in the Supporting
Statement along with national planning policies and
guidance (paragraphs 37 – 59 above).
83. With regard to the design and access of the proposed
development, the following documents are of relevance and
have been duly considered.
84. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has an over-
riding presumption in favour of sustainable development and
promotes the use of renewable energy. In addition, the
document outlines that good design and function is key to
sustainable development.
85. At local level, the emerging Draft Core Strategy 2008-2028
has a key objective of Movement toward a Carbon Neutral
economy by 2030. This is underpinned by a policy to Address
Climate Change in South Somerset.
86. The current adopted Local Plan (1991-2011) outlines the
importance of the design and visual impact of the
development whilst minimising the impact on biodiversity.
Policies further state that new development should respect
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
the character of the surrounding area, minimise impacts on
the environment, maintain road safety, conserve habitats
and utilise renewable energy.
Design
Use
87. The proposed anaerobic digester would provide an on-site
capacity to treat cow slurry, farmyard manure and chicken
litter in order to provide a soil conditioner and fertiliser in the
form of digestate.
88. In addition, the anaerobic digester would generate a source
of renewable energy for use on the farm. The proposed
development would reduce odours in the local vicinity by
maintaining slurry in a closed system (digester and digestate
store are covered tanks) and by the spreading of digestate,
rather than slurry, on the land through a network of
underground pipes.
Amount
89. As detailed on the accompanying drawings, the proposed
development would comprise a digester tank, two digestate
stores, a pre-slurry buffer tank separator, two solids feeders, a
pumping station, an operational building containing a CHP
unit, a gas flare, gas conversion plant, a three bay silage
clamp and a concrete yard for vehicular movements.
Layout
90. The site layout of the proposed development is shown in
Volume 4, Figure 2 – Block Plan.
91. The layout of the proposed AD facility has taken into
consideration a number of technical, environmental and
commercial considerations.
Scale
92. Details of the size of the proposed development are given in
this Volume 1 Supporting Statement (paragraph 13 above)
and in Volume 4 Figure 2 – Block Plan and Figure 3 – Elevation
Plan of the Planning Application.
93. The size of the proposed anaerobic digester and associated
equipment is directly related to the volume of feedstock to
be processed at the site.
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
Landscaping
94. The position of the proposed AD facility at Bearley Farm has
been selected with several considerations in mind, in
particular that there would be minimal visual disturbance.
95. The anaerobic digester tank, digestate storage tanks and
buffer tank would all be dug into the ground to depths of
between 2m - 4.8m below the current ground level.
96. The proposal includes the planting of trees and shrubs along
sections of the site boundary to minimise the visual impact of
the site in addition to enriching habitats and improving
biodiversity.
Appearance
97. The appearance of the proposed plant is related to its
proposed function but would be sympathetic to the
character of the local countryside. The appearance of the
site is shown in Volume 4, Figure 2 – Block Plan and Figure 3 –
Elevation Plan.
98. The proposed buildings and tanks could be compared to
agricultural buildings (such as barns and silos) and as such
would fit in with other agricultural development.
99. Established hedgerows would be retained and in places
supplemented, to provide screening.
100. All proposed structures would be green in colour (Juniper
Green 12B29) to complement their surroundings.
101. Low level lighting would be installed on the side of the
digester tank to give visibility to the solids feeder. In addition,
there would be an outside light on the operations building.
Access
Public Rights of Way
102. The proposed site is located on private land. It is not
designated access land (designated under the CRoW Act
2000). There is public access land at the Wild Fowl Reserve
approximately 0.75km southwest of the proposed site.
103. There are no public Rights of Way within the proposed site.
There is a public footpath that runs from northwest to
northeast of the proposed site. The Witcombe Drove runs
west of the proposed site, and the Thornhill Drove track and
Ash Drove track run south and west of the site. There would
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
be no direct effects on the nearby Public Rights of Way as a
result of the proposed development.
Traffic Access
104. Access to the proposed site would be via a track off a
private road (Bearley Lane). Access at the Bearley
Lane/A303 junction would follow the current Traffic
Management Agreement in terms of direction of travel
required.
Traffic Impact
105. At present the agricultural element of Bearley Farm comprises
of predominantly arable land. In order to service and
maintain the land and distribute the crops a significant
number of deliveries to and from the farm are currently
made. In addition to the arable operation of the farm,
Bearley Farm has a contract in place with Viridor for the use
of a lagoon for which the waste/soiled water resulting from
the washing process at local dairies is held. At present the
contract is for 10 loads per day. The contract that Bearley
Farm has with Viridor will be renewed on an annual basis from
December 2013.
106. In order to prevent an increase in vehicle movements should
the AD plant be constructed and to stay within the 10 loads
per day currently generated, the contractual obligations with
Viridor would be reduced to such a level that would allow for
any additional movements associated with the AD plant.
Thus while the proposed AD plant would change the nature
of the deliveries to and from Bearley Farm there will be no
material impact on the surrounding highway network should
the AD plant be approved.
107. The proposed anaerobic digester would result in no material
change to the highway network. For more information,
please refer to Volume 4, Appendix 6 – Transport Statement.
108. Two car parking spaces would be included at the proposed
site.
Summary
109. This Design and Access Statement outlines the design and
access concepts that have been used for the proposed
anaerobic digester at Bearley Farm.
110. The proposal to erect an anaerobic digester at the Bearley
Farm site, in order to treat animal slurry and farmyard manure
to generate renewable energy and digestate, has
Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset
undergone an extensive design process resulting in the
scheme outlined in this Design and Access Statement and
associated documents
111. In conclusion, it is believed that the proposed development
offers a sustainable and modern approach whilst complying
with relevant planning policy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------