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LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

the local authority. If plastic powder coated then choice of a colour would be dark so as to provide a visually recessive and less obtrusive colour.

Mitigation Measures

4.6The proposed development will seek to retain and enhance existing landscape elements to further integrate the proposals into the surrounding landscape. The mitigation measures therefore seek to achieve the following overall objectives:

•To retain and enhance all existing landscape features, particularly the mature trees and hedgerows forming the site boundaries;

•To strengthen, enhance or where appropriate recreate characteristic landscape features in accordance with the policies in the adopted Local Plan and the landscape guidelines in the Suffolk Landscape Character Assessment for the area; and

•To minimise any unnecessary overshadowing of the solar panels.

4.7Based on the findings of this Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, site specific mitigation measures are considered in section 9.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

5.PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

Current Situation – Interim Planning Policy

5.1The Local Development Framework for Suffolk Coastal District Council (SCDC) is still progressing, so the ‘saved’ policies in the adopted Suffolk Coastal Local Plan 2006 provide the current local planning policy context relating to the application site. However, the LDF Core Strategy has now been submitted to the Secretary of the State for Examination by an independent Planning Inspector. Consequently, the policies it contains are now a 'material consideration' to be taken into account when considering planning applications. They do not replace the 'saved policies' from the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan, but sit alongside them and the other documents which form the Development Plan.

National Planning Policy

5.2The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published on the 27th March 2012, was introduced by the Government with the intended purpose of overhauling and simplifying the current planning process. The NPPF sets out the up-to-date Government planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. With the introduction of the NPPF, much of the recognised Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) and Planning Policy Strategies (PPS) for England have been abolished.

5.3The NPPF outlines the manner in which local planning authorities should set out in their Local Plan to create a positive strategy for delivering sustainable development reflecting the vision and aspiration of local communities. It set out the Government’s economic, environmental and social planning policies for England and their vision for sustainable development. At the heart of the NPPF is a presumption in favour of sustainable development (paragraph 14). However, the companion guide for renewable energy (PPS22) remains a material consideration under the new NPPF.

5.4The environmental role of the NPPF is: ‘contributing to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment; 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.’

Core Planning Principles

5.5The framework proposes that development that accords with an up-to-date Local Plan should be approved, while proposed development that conflicts with it should be

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

refused unless other material considerations indicate otherwise. It sets out 12 core land-use planning principles which should underpin both plan-making and decisiontaking. One of these principles states that planning should ‘take account of the differing roles and character of different areas, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and supporting thriving rural communities.’

5.6Further principles include to ‘support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing climate...and encourage the use of renewable resources,’ and to ‘contribute to conserving and enhancing the natural environment and reducing pollution.’

Delivering Sustainable Development

5.7The NPPF sets out 13 aspects relating to the delivery of sustainable development, three of which have relevance to these proposals; ‘Supporting a prosperous rural economy’, ‘Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change’ and ‘Conserving and enhancing the natural environment.’ These core aims are designed to guide and influence local authorities in developing their local plans, demonstrating the government’s commitment to ensure the planning system does everything it can to support sustainable economic growth.

5.8Within the ‘Supporting a prosperous rural economy’ section it states that local plans should ‘support economic growth in rural areas promoting development and diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural businesses.’

5.9Within the ‘Meeting the challenge of climate change section’, planning is highlighted as playing a key role in ‘helping shape places to secure radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, minimising vulnerability and providing resilience to the impacts of climate change, and supporting the delivery of renewable and low carbon energy and associated infrastructure.’ This is viewed as central to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

5.10In Section 10 of the NPPF, paragraph 97 notes that ‘to help increase the use and supply of renewable and low carbon energy, local planning authorities should recognise the responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources. They should:

•have a positive strategy to promote energy from renewable and low carbon sources;

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

•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.’

5.11The NPPF aims to ‘help increase the use and supply of renewable and low carbon energy,’ and places responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources.

5.12In determining an application for renewable energy development there will not be a requirement for applicants to demonstrate the overall need for renewable or low carbon energy but recognises small-scale projects provide a valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

5.13Within the ‘Conserving and enhancing the natural environment’ section it states that planning should ‘contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment,’ which includes by protection and enhancement of valued landscapes and minimising impacts on biodiversity and providing net gains in biodiversity where possible.

PPS22 - Renewable Energy Companion Guide

5.14The companion guide to PPS22 identifies planning policy issues at regional and local levels relating to renewable energy developments. These include issues relating to protection of the landscape, and the sensitivity of a landscape to accommodate specific types of renewable energy development.

5.15The use of criteria based policies based upon landscape character assessment is considered as suitable to ensure the protection of locally valued landscapes outside of nationally designated landscapes.

Regional Planning Policy

5.16Regional planning policies that relate to the site and surrounding area currently includes policies within the revised East of England Plan (2008-2021) and the ‘saved policies’ from the Suffolk Structure Plan (2001). Relevant policies within the revised East of England Plan (2008-2021) are found within Section 8, Environment. These policies include environment policies ENV 2 to ENV 7 and renewable energy policy ENG 1 and ENG 2. However, the Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) are in the process of being revoked by the government and may not be valid in the future.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

5.17Relevant ‘saved policies’ from the Suffolk Structure Plan (2001) that had previously been superseded are contained within Chapter 6, Environment. These policies include ENV 1, ENV 3, ENV 4, ENV 8, ENV 9, ENV 16, ENV 17 and ENV 18 which correspond with local planning policy.

Local Planning Policy

5.18The relevant ‘saved policies’ within the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan 2006 relating to the site in respect of landscape and visual considerations, include:

5.19Policy AP1 – Conservation Areas (Control of Development and Enhancement), states that “the form, scale, design and detailing of new building, alterations to existing buildings, and the space around buildings (including landscape schemes, roads and fencing) should be in harmony with, and relate satisfactorily to, their surroundings”. The site is not located within or directly adjacent to a Conservation Area.

5.20Policy AP4 – Parks and Gardens of Historic or Landscape Interest, states that “the District Council will encourage the preservation and/or enhancement of parks and gardens of historic and landscape interest and their surroundings. Planning permission for any proposed development will not be granted if it would have a materially adverse impact on their character, features or immediate setting”. The site is not located within or directly adjacent to a historic park or garden.

5.21Policy AP8 – Countryside Protection, states that “The landscape quality and character of the Countryside will be protected for its own sake by generally restricting development to that which is essential for the efficient operation of agriculture, forestry and horticulture or is otherwise permitted by other policies in the Local Plan”. The proposed development would permit the continuation of agricultural land uses beneath the solar panels.

5.22Policy AP13 – Special Landscape Areas, states that “the valleys and tributaries of the Rivers Alde, Blyth, Deben, Fynn, Hundred, Mill, Minsmere, Ore and Yox, and the Parks and Gardens of Historic or Landscape Interest are designated as Special Landscape Areas and shown on the Proposals Map. The District Council will ensure that no development takes place that would be to the material detriment of, or materially detract from, the special landscape quality”. The site is located within the Special Landscape Area designation identified by the adopted Local Plan, but it should be noted that this may be amended or deleted as the LDF develops.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

5.23Policy AP14 – Wildlife and Habitats, states that “development will not be permitted if it could result in the loss, or significant alteration of important habitats, including heathland, woodland, dunes, water meadows, other permanent pasture, parkland, marshes, saltmarshes, vegetated shingle, mudflats, streams, ponds, reedbeds, green lanes, trees and hedges”.

5.24Policy AP17 – Trees, Hedgerows and Woodlands, states that “the retention, improvement and management of existing trees, hedgerows and woodlands will be encouraged for their economic, landscape and ecological value and historic or conservation interest”.

5.25Policy AP21 – Design in Areas of High Landscape Value, states that “in Special Landscape Areas the form of buildings, choice of materials, and colours must be sympathetic to the general character of the area and seek to reduce visual impact”. The proposed solar panels and security fencing would be muted in colour to appear visually ‘recessive’ against the surrounding landscape elements.

5.26Policy AP98 – Renewable Energy, states that “in view of the environmental benefits associated with harnessing renewable energy sources, the District Council will support the development of renewable energy schemes provided that it can be shown that such development would not cause significant harm to interests of acknowledged importance in the local environment”.

SCDC Core Strategy and Development Management Policies

5.27The SCDC Core Strategy and Development Management Policies state that “in accordance with national and global priorities, addressing the impact of climate change will be at the forefront of this Core Strategy” and that the “area is also well placed and contributes to energy production at the national and more local level and is part of a low carbon energy corridor”. It is concluded that the Core Strategy should “encourage the generation of renewable energy” but should also “seek to protect the environmental assets of the area”.

5.28The Core Strategy states that it is important for the different character areas within the District to be conserved and enhanced, but that “this must be integrated with the need to accommodate change in order to address social or economic objectives and meet the needs of communities”. In doing so it is identified that it will be necessary “to ensure that not only is harm to the environment minimised, but also that opportunities are taken to bring about improvements wherever

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

possible.” This principle applies whether the initiative for change is brought about by

land management decisions or new development.

5.29The key landscape policy is therefore Strategic Policy SP15 – Landscape and Townscape. This states that:

“The policy of the Council will be to protect and enhance the various landscape character areas within the district either through opportunities linked to development or through other strategies.

In addition to the protected landscape of the AONB, the valleys and tributaries of the Rivers Alde, Blyth, Deben, Fynn, Hundred, Mill, Minsmere, Ore, Orwell and Yox, and the designated Parks and Gardens of Historic or Landscape Interest are considered to be particularly significant………….”

5.30The Core Strategy does not specifically retain the existing Special Landscape Areas policy, but states that any decision that may be taken in the longer term to either delete or amend the SLA designation would be based on the findings of the Landscape Character Assessment and the success in implementing any guidelines generated by it. However, in the meantime, it is stated that the SLA boundaries will continue to apply and that these will be set out in the Site Allocations and Area Specific Policies Development Plan Documents.

5.31Other emerging polices within the SCDC Core Strategy relating to the site in respect of landscape and visual considerations include:

5.32Policy DM21 – Design Aesthetics, states that “proposals that comprise poor visual design and layout, or otherwise seriously detract from the character of their surroundings will not be permitted. Development will only be permitted where the following criteria are met:

(a)“Proposals should relate well to the scale and character of their surroundings particularly in terms of their siting, height, massing and form

(e)Layouts should incorporate and protect existing site features of landscape, ecological or amenity value as well as enhance such features e.g. habitat creation

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

The District Council will support and strongly encourage the conservation of energy and the use of alternative and renewable sources of energy in the design and layout of proposals for new buildings and conversion of existing buildings, provided it would not seriously detract from the character of the area”.

5.33Policy DM 27 – Biodiversity and Geodiversity, states that “development will not be permitted where there is an unacceptable impact on biodiversity and geodiversity”.

Compliance with Policy

5.34The layout of the proposed solar installation has been designed to retain all the positive characteristic landscape features and elements of the site. The layout will therefore protect and enhance the biodiversity value of the site and opportunities for habitat creation, restoration and enhancement form an integral part of the development proposals and its mitigation measures.

5.35With regards to compliance with local planning policy, the following conclusions have been reached:

•The development would retain and enhance all woodland, hedgerows, trees and areas of scrub. New hedgerows would also be planted to the north, south and east to fully enclose the site;

•There will be no significant adverse effects on the district’s character and opportunities will be taken to improve and enhance local distinctiveness;

•The proposed development is located outside of the visual context of Conservation Area designations at Easton, Wickham Market and Marlesford;

•The only Scheduled Monument with views towards the site would be Moat Hall, but there would be no significant effects on its setting; and

•The site is located near a number of local historic parklands but the site is not visible from any of these designations.

5.36The adopted Suffolk Coastal Local Plan designates the area around the site as a ‘Special Landscape Areas’. The Core Strategy notes that given the status of these areas as a local level designation, it is not considered appropriate for them to be addressed at the current stage of the Core Strategy. The adopted Local Plan Policy AP13 therefore remains extant. Otherwise, the site is not subject to any landscape or environmental designations and would not be regarded as a sensitive location.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

5.37The development would initially have a localised adverse effect on part of the Special Landscape Area designated by the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan. However, it should be noted that a review of the SLA approach, including whether to retain this designation and, if so, which areas should be covered, will be dealt with in the subsequent Site Allocations or Development Management Policies document.

5.38Consequently, while the SLA policy currently forms part of the Development Plan, the future relevance of the designation is uncertain. Furthermore, once the mitigation measures are fully established, the proposals would be integrated into the landscape pattern surrounding the site. These measures would maintain or enhance the special landscape qualities of the area in accordance with the other emerging policies in the Core Strategy and the guidelines identified in the Suffolk Landscape Character Assessment. It is therefore concluded that the proposals would not result in any significantly long-term adverse impacts on the overall character of the SLA.

5.39The proposed development would have limited effects on nearby residents as the majority of the site is screened by a combination of intervening vegetation and the landform. Local views from properties would be restricted to those at Abbey Farm, Parham Old Hall and the buildings around Blonvyle Hall. The significance of the effects on these views is considered in section 7. Any more distant views from private properties would be limited to upper storey windows, and the significance of any initial effects would be reduced by the distance from the site. These impacts would be progressively reduced as the mitigation measures become established, such that there would be no significant residual effects.

5.40The presence of the large areas of woodland to the north and west of the site, together with the flat, plateau landscape of the site and its surroundings means that there would be no significant adverse effects on sensitive skylines or hillsides. The absence of any continuous noise or lighting as part of the development means there would be no adverse effect on the area’s tranquillity or nocturnal character.

5.41Consequently, the proposed solar installation would be compliant with national, regional and local planning polices and guidance in respect of landscape, visual amenity and the environment.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

6.EFFECT ON LANDSCAPE CHARACTER

National Landscape Character (The Countryside Agency, 1999)

6.1The Countryside Agency (now Natural England) assessed and mapped the character of England’s landscapes into separate National Character Areas (NCAs). The application site falls within the South Norfolk and High Suffolk Claylands NCA 83 although the boundary of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths NCA 82 is approximately 5km to the south east of the site. As the boundaries between areas tend to be characterised by gradual transitions rather than abrupt changes, it is possible that the site and surroundings may exhibit some of the key characteristics from both of these National Character Areas (NCAs).

6.2The assessment of South Norfolk and High Suffolk Claylands NCA 83 is reproduced as Appendix 6 and the relevant characteristics are summarised below:

•“Large area of chalky boulder clay plateau with little relief, except where incised by small rivers and streams and the river Waveney

•Slightly undulating topography, more varied along valley sides but flat to south of Wymondham and north-west of Framlingham with strong contrast between intimate, small-scale wooded valleys fringing coast and heath areas and open, arable plateau

•Area of relatively small, individual landholdings, with scattered small parkland estates

•Mix of remnant medieval Ancient countryside (irregular small fields with pollard hedgerow oaks), early co-axial field patterns (east of Scole) and large modern fields devoid of hedges and trees

•Round-towered Saxo-Norman and medieval churches, often isolated, are a prominent feature as are large common grazing lands, greens or commons with settlement around the edge

•Large number of isolated, moated timber-framed farmhouses, mainly 1400-1730, with steeply pitched pantile or pegtile roofs. Little flint, some brick (especially in towns)

•Small villages and nucleated market towns with architectural variety and colour

•Almost entirely arable, except for pasture in river valleys, remnant parkland, commons and greens