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LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

9.MITIGATION PRINCIPLES

9.1The proposed development will seek to incorporate a number of mitigation principles. Generally, it will seek to retain and enhance all the existing landscape elements that make a positive contribution to the local landscape character and will incorporate opportunities to enhance the biodiversity of the site in accordance with the policies in the adopted Local Plan and the landscape guidelines for the Ancient Estate Claylands character area in the Suffolk Landscape Character Assessment.

9.2The following general principles have therefore guided the development of the mitigation measures:

•To plant new hedgerows along the southern and eastern boundaries to enhance lower level screening of any views towards the solar installation in a manner compatible with the local landscape character;

•To provide an ecological buffer along the edge of the existing areas of ancient woodland and manage this area to improve bio-diversity;

•To strengthen existing vegetation around the site boundaries by planting up gappy hedgerows using locally characteristic species;

•To retain the existing semi-dry pond in the centre of the site and review options for its enhancement;

•To incorporate opportunities to increase the bio-diversity of the site by enhancing habitat corridors within and around the site; and

•To minimise any unnecessary overshadowing of the solar panels.

9.3Consequently, in response to the general principles set out above and the findings of the landscape and visual assessment, the following site specific measures will be incorporated into the detailed design stage. The locations of the measures are shown on the Indicative Layout and Mitigation Measures Plan in Appendix 11:

1.Maintain a 50m buffer strip between the site security fence and the areas of woodland to west of site and manage area to maximise biodiversity.

2.Plant new hedgerow along southern edge of site 5m to the south of the alignment of existing powerlines. Hedgerow to be maintained at a height of approximately 3m high. This will progressively screen lower level views into the site, but will also help to integrate the powerlines into the landscape in the longer-term.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

3.The field to south of site to remain in agricultural production, providing visual separation from Easton Lane.

4.An enhanced habitat corridor will be established around the perimeter of site, linking with the existing off-site ponds adjacent to site boundary.

5.Plant new hedgerow with trees along eastern boundary of site. This will ensure that there any no available views into the site from properties in Hacheston and the hedgerow trees will help to integrate the powerlines into the landscape in the longer-term.

6.The field to east of site to remain in agricultural production, providing significant visual separation from Hacheston.

7.New tree planting in gaps along northern boundary to reinforce existing vegetation and screen views from public footpath network.

8.New hedgerow planting with trees to replace missing landscape feature along site boundary adjacent to Sally’s Grove.

9.Retain existing pond and associated trees in centre of site and investigate enhancement options.

10.Create enhanced habitat corridor around Horseclose Belt and manage to increase biodiversity.

11.Maintain existing management operations within Horseclose Belt and investigate options for linking copse to surrounding habitat corridors.

9.4Compared to other power generation technologies, Solar PV farms can be easily and economically decommissioned and removed from site at the end of their economic life. Consequently, the panels are ephemeral in nature and could be removed from the site with negligible residual landscape or visual effects. The site could therefore be returned to its original condition with little or no trace that the solar park had existed. However, the landscape enhancement measures outlined above would remain, providing long-term benefits to the local landscape character of the area in accordance with the objectives in the Suffolk Landscape Character Assessment for the Ancient Estate Claylands area.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

10.CONCLUSIONS

10.1This LVIA considered the potential impacts of the proposed Hacheston Solar Park. The proposals would be located on land that is currently used for intensive arable production and would introduce new energy infrastructure into the landscape. With the proposed mitigation measures fully established, the proposals would be successfully integrated into its surroundings and would be consistent with the form, scale and pattern of the existing landscape.

10.2The relevant planning policies relate primarily to the need for good sustainable design, the provision of renewable energy and the need to protect and enhance the landscape character and biodiversity of the area. The proposed development would be a significant net producer of renewable energy and would be designed in such a way as to help comply with the relevant policies relating to landscape character and the need to protect and enhance local landscape features.

10.3The adopted Suffolk Coastal Local Plan designates the area around the site as a ‘Special Landscape Area’. The Core Strategy notes that given the status of these areas as a local level designation and as an inherently site specific matter, it is not considered appropriate for them to be addressed at this stage within the Core Strategy. The adopted Local Plan Policy AP13 therefore remains extant. The development would initially have a localised adverse effect on part of the Special Landscape Area designated by the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan.

10.4However, 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.

10.5Consequently, 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 policies in the Local Plan 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.

10.6Otherwise, 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

10.7It is concluded that the proposed development would not harm any of the existing positive landscape elements associated with the site. The existing flat landform of the site would remain largely unchanged except possibly at a very localised level during the construction period. The development would introduce new boundary hedgerows and groups of hedgerow trees that would reinforce and enhance local landscape character, resulting in a beneficial residual effect.

10.8Opportunities to enhance the local distinctiveness, character and biodiversity of the area have been introduced as part of the proposed mitigation measures. These will allow for the creation of new hedgerows and tree planting that will be incorporate into enhanced habitat corridors around the site. These measures will provide local screening of views towards the proposals, but would also be consistent with the District Council’s aspirations to enhance the local landscape character of the area. Consequently as a result of the proposed planting measures, the residual effect on the landscape character would progressively change from adverse to beneficial.

10.9This LVIA has demonstrated that the actual area that the proposed development would be visible from is considerably smaller than that identified by the ZTV. The visual assessment shows that visibility would be restricted by a combination of the landform, distance from the site and the enclosure provided by intervening vegetation and the woodlands surrounding the site. Due to the low profile of the panels, they would not be easily perceptible in the majority of distant views from publicly available viewpoints and the layering effects of intervening vegetation will successful integrate them into the landscape. Impacts would be limited to within 2km of the site, with the visual effects on completion being most apparent from Easton Lane to the south of the site and from the public footpaths across the gentle ridgeline to the north.

10.10Although there would be some visual effects to the composition of views at the local level, only the views from the Easton Lane to the south of the site and from the public footpaths to the north would be potentially significant. However, once the new hedgerow along the southern boundary and the mitigation measures along the northern boundary are fully established, these effects would be significantly reduced and the long-term effect would be beneficial.

10.11The new and existing landscape features within the site will benefit from an agreed programme of management which would help to ensure their long term viability within the landscape. The relatively small area of herbaceous vegetation on site could be increased dramatically to provide a beneficial effect for biodiversity and wildlife.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT –

CHURCH FARM SOLAR PARK, HACHESTON, SUFFOLK

10.12Following decommissioning at the end of the operational life of the panels, the site could be easily and economically returned to its current condition. There would be minor long-term benefits to the local landscape character arising from the mitigation measures and the enhancements to bio-diversity within the site.

10.13Since the effects of the scheme are reversible, it is concluded that any impacts would be short to medium term in duration and that there would be beneficial long-term or residual landscape and visual impacts. These would be in accordance with the longterm landscape strategy objectives and guidelines set out for the Ancient Estate Claylands landscape type in the Suffolk County Landscape Character Assessment. The long-term benefits of the scheme would therefore outweigh any short-term local adverse effects that would result from the proposals.

Summary

10.14This assessment demonstrates that the proposed development could be successfully accommodated within the existing landscape pattern and could be assimilated into the surrounding landscape without causing any long-term harm to the landscape character, visual amenity or existing landscape attributes of the area. Overall, the residual effects would be beneficial.

10.15This LVIA therefore concludes that the proposed solar park would be compliant with all the relevant national and local planning policies. It would be compatible with the relevant guidance in respect of landscape and the environment and would contribute positively to the aspirations set out in the policies in the adopted Local Plan, the emerging Core Strategy and the landscape guidelines in the Suffolk Landscape Character Assessment.

10.16Consequently, it is concluded that the landform of the site makes this location ideal for utilisation as a solar installation of the type proposed and any short-term local impacts could be successfully mitigated by the proposed planting measures. Consequently, the development would not result in any unacceptable residual landscape or visual impacts. In accordance with the relevant national, regional and local policies, there are no landscape or visual reasons why permission for the scheme should not be granted.