Green Belt Objections
Below is a list of objection paragraphs relating to the Green Belt. They are not in any particular order. Either cut and paste the relevant objections into your letter, or use them as seeds for your own ideas.* West Lancashire is a relatively developed county area and our limited green belt is constantly under threat from development. I hope the Council will resist further intrusion by wind turbines in order to maintain the openness which is the essential characteristic of the green belt.* The large columnar structure of a wind turbine will not enhance the landscape and is at odds with the Council’s requirement to preserve the green belt as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and embedded in the West Lancashire Core Strategy.* The openness of the green belt will be severely restricted by the construction of wind turbines and will spoil the visual amenity for residents and for the many visitors who come to Wrightington to enjoy the tranquil rural setting and peaceful walks on and around Harrock Hill.* The character of the area would be altered permanently by the construction of a wind turbine hence changing the Local Distinctiveness of the area without in any way enhancing the character of the landscape.* Wrightington is an area with characteristics of low hills, ancient countryside, long distance views from high points, ancient woodlands and a high proportion of pasture providing a continuous green landscape. The introduction of a tall columnar construction would have a seriously detrimental effect on this landscape and would conflict with the aims of the West Lancashire Replacement Local Plan – Supplementary Planning Guidance – Updated 2007.* The introduction of an industrial type of structure such as a wind turbine into a rural area will cause serious damage to the visual amenity as enjoyed by residents and visitors.
* A recent High Court Judge ruled their right (local Villagers) to preserve their landscape was more important than the Government’s renewable energy targets.
* We have a limited amount of green belt within West Lancashire which is constantly under threat of being eroded with wind turbines being the new blight set to target our green and pleasant land.
* I consider the large columnar structure of a wind turbine to be out of place in our green belt and it will not enhance the landscape of our region but only detract from historical buildings and structures which are of significant importance. If they are allowed within our borough they could not fail to spoil the magnificent visual amenity we all share.
* Wind Turbines within the green belt reduce the openness of the countryside and spoil the visual amenity for those living in the area and the urban population visiting. Many rural footpaths have long reaching views that will become blighted unless we form a policy of saying no to large wind turbine developments.
* Lancashire County Council policies in the green belt are based as far as possible on the results of a Consultation on planning issues which showed that people felt that more could be done to protect the districts landscapes, biodiversity and historic features.
* The impact of any large scale wind turbines will have a negative environmental impact on wildlife in the area and the character of the location could be altered permanently, resulting in the Local Distinctiveness of and area changing without any enhancements to the landscape’s character or consideration for its historic and local importance.
* In West Lancashire we are facing an invasion of large scale wind turbine applications which are bound to have a negative environmental impact on the area.
* I would like to see the council promote a sustainable way forward to dealing with planning applications for wind turbines that takes West Lancashire County Policy to Protect and Safeguard all Sites of County and Local Importance into consideration
* We live in a green belt area were building new structures is restricted. This particular proposal will result in a loss of visual amenity within the green belt and have a detrimental effect on wildlife. I believe the green belt area here to be stated by Lancashire CC as of “County Importance” & “significant in local terms”.
Below is the Green Belt Planning Policy Relating To WrightingtonGreen Belt Planning Policy - to base objections on
NB: Quotations from planning documents are in italics
NPPF – March 2012 -9 – Protecting the Green Belt Land
9. Protecting Green Belt land
79. The Government attaches great importance to Green Belts. The fundamental
aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land
permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their
openness and their permanence.
81. Once Green Belts have been defined, local planning authorities should plan
positively to enhance the beneficial use of the Green Belt, such as looking for
opportunities to provide access; to provide opportunities for outdoor sport
and recreation; to retain and enhance landscapes, visual amenity and
biodiversity; or to improve damaged and derelict land.
87 As with previous Green Belt policy, inappropriate development is, by
definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in
very special circumstances.
88. When considering any planning application, local planning authorities should ensure that substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt. ‘Very
special circumstances’ will not exist unless the potential harm to the Green
Belt by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly
outweighed by other considerations.
91. When located in the Green Belt, elements of many renewable energy projects
will comprise inappropriate development. In such cases developers will need
to demonstrate very special circumstances if projects are to proceed. Such
very special circumstances may include the wider environmental benefits
associated with increased production of energy from renewable sources
11. Conserving and enhancing the natural environment
123. Planning policies and decisions should aim to:
●identify and protect areas of tranquillity which have remained relatively
undisturbed by noise and are prized for their recreational and amenity
value for this reason
NB: The West Lancashire Local Plan 2012-2027 (the New Plan) will replace the current Local Plan (2001-2016) if approved in July by the inspectorate. This Plan will then be adopted and it will immediately replace the current Local Plan (2001-2016).
If referring to policies in the New Plan, be aware that, until adoption, these do not carry as much material weight as the policies of the Old Plan. However, its policies are relevant and do carry some material weight.
It is therefore important to refer to the policies of both Plans.
West Lancashire Local Plan – 2012 – 2027 (yet to be adopted)
Chapter 5 General Development Policies
5.3 Policy GN3: Criteria for Sustainable Development
Policy GN3
Development will be assessed against the following criteria, in addition to meeting other
policy requirements within the Local Plan.
Proposals for development should:
ii. Respect the historic character of the local landscape and townscape;
iii. Retain or create reasonable levels of privacy, amenity and sufficient garden/outdoor
space for occupiers of the neighbouring and proposed properties;
iv. Respect visual amenity and complement or enhance any attractive attributes and/or
local distinctiveness within its surroundings through sensitive design, including
appropriate siting, orientation, scale, materials, landscaping, boundary treatment,
detailing and use of art features where appropriate;
4. Landscaping and the Natural Environment
Proposals for development should:
i. Maintain or enhance the distinctive character and visual quality of any Landscape
Character Areas in which it is located
Chapter 9 Sustaining the Borough's Environment and Addressing
Climate Change
9.1 Policy EN1: Low Carbon Development and Energy Infrastructure
2. Low and Zero Carbon Energy Infrastructure
iv. supporting proposals for renewable, low carbon or decentralised energy schemes
provided they can demonstrate that they will not result in unacceptable harm to the
local environment, having regard to Policy EN2, which cannot be satisfactorily
addressed and which is not outweighed by the benefits of such proposals. Renewable
and low carbon energy development proposals within the Green Belt will need to
demonstrate that the harm to the Green Belt is outweighed by the wider benefits of
the development.
.
3. Wind Energy Development
Developers must provide evidence to support their proposals, considering the following:-
Wind energy development potential is significant within West Lancashire and developers
are required to provide evidence to support their proposals considering the following:
i. singular or cumulative impacts on landscape character and value;
The objector may wish to provide evidence to show that the developer has not made an objective case for the impact of a wind turbine using plans/maps/photographs etc showing the true impact from more relevant vantage points.
The evidence will be required to demonstrate that any impacts can be satisfactorily addressed but need only be proportional to the scale and nature of development.
9.2 Policy EN2: Preserving and Enhancing West Lancashire's Natural
Environment
9.14
West Lancashire is a predominantly rural authority with an array of natural assets
including green spaces, landscapes, land resources and some of the most valuable habitats
to a wide range of protected species.
9.15 The Borough’s land resources include some of the best agricultural land in the country,
vast areas of deep peat and many opportunities for recreational access for residents. These
natural assets combined with the historic buildings and settings mean that West Lancashire
has some of the most important landscape character areas in the region. It will be important
to ensure that any development respects and enhances the special historical and
environmental significance of areas of landscape importance.
9.16 These spaces, assets and landscapes are multi-functional and contain a variety of
roles, including helping to provide amenity space, improving the visual aspects of the Borough,
preserving the countryside and providing a high quality, attractive landscape which helps
make West Lancashire an attractive place to live, work and visit.
West Lancashire Replacement Local Plan 2001 – 2016 (still in place until new plan has been adopted)
Chapter 4 – Protecting and Enhancing the Environment
Policy EN 2 Protection of Agricultural Land
Development of the best and most versatile agricultural land (Grades 1,2 & 3a) will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that no suitable site is available to accommodate the development on.
Supplementary Planning Guidance
NATURAL AREAS AND AREAS OF LANDSCAPE HISTORY IMPORTANCE
This planning document offers important protection to Wrightington from the development of Wind Turbines.
Priority Objection
1.6 General Principles
The aim should be for any development to result in a benefit in environmental and landscape terms. Development should be sustainable in line with the principles outlines in Planning Policy
Statement 1 (Delivering Sustainable Development) and should therefore not deny future generations the best of today’s environment. Within the framework of the planning process this is ultimately translated into a need to assess the impact of any proposal on the environment, and depends on the sensitive location, design and layout of development through an appreciation of local distinctiveness.
1.7 Local Distinctiveness
The interrelationship of features within the landscape imparts character to the landscape, appropriately summed up as local distinctiveness. Diversity in the landscape is the result of variance in character from one area to another. Diversity and distinctiveness are under threat from
change and standardisation of designs which are devoid of any local character.
1.9 Replacement Local Plan Policy GD1
Replacement Local Plan Policy GD1 is concerned with the design of development and parts (i), (viii) and (ix) ensure that new development is in keeping with the visual, historical and ecological characteristics of each area, in order to maintain local distinctiveness and a sense of place. This approach provides a mechanism for ensuring that development complies with Government guidance, which requires development to be well designed and in keeping with the character of
its surroundings.
With regard to natural areas and areas of landscape history importance Policy GD1 states that:
‘Development will be permitted if it complies with other policies in the Plan and if it meets the following criteria:
(i) it maintains or enhances the distinctive character and visual quality of the Landscape Character Area, as shown on the proposals Map, in which it is located.
(viii) it respects the historic character of the local landscape and townscape, as defined by the Areas of Landscape History Importance as shown on the Proposals Map;
(ix) It compliments or enhances any attractive attributes of its surroundings through sensitive design which includes appropriate siting, orientation, scale, materials, landscaping, boundary treatment, detailing and use of art features where appropriate
http://www.westlancs.gov.uk/PDF/SPG_Natural-Areas_Landscape-History-Importance09.pdf
NB: see checklist 4 page 50 for further information
Priority objection
CHECKLIST: 4 – WOOD / PASTURE
General characteristics of Wrightington area
• Low hills in regional terms, but prominent and significant in local terms Steep slopes, poorer soils, complex mosaic of topography, pastures, lanes, rivers, steams, banks, hedges and woodlands
• Ancient Countryside. Long distance views from high points
Mechanism for minimising environmental impact
• Avoid introduction of tall columnar constructions.
• Careful siting (away from higher ground or against a backdrop of existing vegetation) and landscaping of developments is possible in this landscape to minimise visual impact.
• Avoid uncharacteristic or visually intrusive development, including earthworks, which would damage foreground views.
• Avoid interference with long-distance views from high points accessible to public.
• Larger-scale developments to be well landscaped internally to break up roof lines
This guidance has been produced by the Wrightington Residents Against Turbines. The WRAT Pack.
All advice give is from research undertaken by residents. We are not paid professionals but we are very passionate about our village location and hope our shared experience will assist you
Wrightington Residents Against Turbines (The WRAT Pack)