Natural England's approach to onshore wind energy - Regensw
Natural England’s approach to onshore wind energy Simon Stonehouse Environmental Advice & Analysis Team
Our role and responsibilities • Natural England is a NDPB established under the NERC Act 2006. Our statutory purpose as outlined in the Act is: … to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced, and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
Our role in planning • Statutory consultee for spatial plans; SEA • Statutory consultee for all development proposals affecting our statutory interests and on all developments that require an EIA • Statutory duties in relation to protected sites at national (SSSI/NNR) and EU level (SPAs/SACs) • Consenting powers in relation to activities affecting protected species under UK and EU legislation • Designating body for National Parks and AONBs and duty to advise on development proposals affecting them • Our statutory advice is a core part of the planning process and relied upon by most decision-makers
The need for us to engage with wind energy •
The drive for a low carbon economy; tackling emissions and securing supplies
•
60GW of new generation needed by 2025
•
Renewable Energy Directive - 15% of UK energy from renewable sources by 2020 (c.30% of electricity generation)
•
Onshore wind, UK 2020 – 7 fold expansion from 2 to 14 GW (~ over 5000 additional turbines)
‘Barriers’ and issues • Impacts on the natural environment • RES emphasises need for swifter delivery and for “our planning system to enable renewable energy in appropriate places...while ensuring that we continue to protect our environment and natural heritage and respond to the legitimate concerns of local communities.” • RES sets out measures for: Improving planning process Ensuring a strategic approach to planning Address the impacts of renewables deployment
• Where does Natural England stand on these issues?
Wind energy • has an important role to play • can have positive and adverse impacts on natural environment • but can be deployed sustainably with good strategic planning, site selection and design • Natural England is committed to helping deliver more renewable energy in a sustainable manner.
Developing our approach • Decided we could contribute by exploring how wind energy can be deployed sustainably • “We will help find the space for renewable energy by publishing a map of suitable locations for onshore wind energy developments” • Desire for a spatial, geographically literate, approach
• We looked at other approaches....
SNH Locational Guidance
Wales – TAN 8
Mapping constraints Initial work we did in 2008 – mapping constraints to commercial scale wind energy. Showed that key constraint is population distribution, not environment. Useful for highlighting the difficulties, but less so for guiding where the natural environment might best accommodate development
Stakeholder workshops – spring 2009 •
Most stakeholders understood our general approach to ecological/geophysical aspects
•
Concerns and perception of inconsistency with how we approached landscape and visual aspects of wind energy development
•
Vast majority of stakeholders strongly opposed to NE guidance taking a spatial or „mapping‟ approach
•
Preferred to see criteria-based guidance on the approach NE will take to forming judgements on wind energy development, especially on landscape
Main reasons given against spatial approach • NE‟s interests are too narrow • Mapping capacity/opportunity is too restrictive • NE would be exceeding its remit
• Landscape capacity is too subjective to map
Consultation, Summer 2009 • Criteria–based, not taking a mapping approach and dropped the commitment to produce stand-alone Natural England assessments for all 159 NCAs • Set out series of ecological/geophysical and landscape criteria or „factors‟ that we will use to assess the capacity for wind energy development in a given area • GIS maps included, but only factual to assist with application of criteria Consultation responses • Criteria and principles too prescriptive • Clarity on approach to protected landscapes and making judgements
Making Space for Renewable Energy • Primary purpose: to assist Natural England staff to deliver a consistent and clear approach to the discharge of our statutory responsibilities
• Provides a systematic and transparent framework for assessing the key factors that influence the degree to which the natural environment can accommodate wind energy development. • Applicable at the strategic level and to individual proposals • Does not obviate the need for specialist, detailed assessment and advice, for example on landscape character
Ecological & geophysical factors Factor
Effect on degree natural environment can accommodate wind energy
Statutory protected sites
Will substantially reduce
Non-statutory sites
May generally reduce
Presence of protected & priority BAP species
May generally reduce
Areas of deep peat
Will generally reduce
Landscape & visual factors Factor
Effect on degree natural environment can accommodate wind energy
Statutory protected landscapes
Will substantially reduce
Landscape character
Extent to which wind energy development can be accommodated in a place will be influenced by the development‟s potential impact on landscape character
Historic environment and cultural heritage
Where historic or cultural heritage factors are integral to their landscape setting then should be part of landscape character assessment.
Recreation & access factors Factor
Effect on degree natural environment can accommodate wind energy
Recreation & access
Presence of National Trails , National Parks and potentially Open Access land may reduce degree
Approach to Protected Landscapes • The process of assessment and judgement is the same as for non-designated areas: the difference arises from taking into account the value society places on the special qualities of these areas and the additional determinative test of assessing whether major development is likely to compromise the objectives of designation. • So, not „no-go areas‟ but the bar is higher for proposals affecting a protected landscape (same for NP and AONB) • Wind energy development the affect the setting of a protected landscape can potentially compromise the purposes of designation
GIS datasets • Not mapping „opportunities‟, but provides number of GIS datasets to assist with identifying features • Ecological/Geological; Landscape & Visual; Access & Recreation • should not be interpreted literally to mean that Natural England will automatically object to any proposals within or in close proximity to a feature. • should be noted that many landscape and visual factors do not lend themselves to be easily quantified and mapped, and their consideration will need to be based on qualitative information
Our Wind Energy Guidance
Natural England's Positions Energy, Wind Energy, Landscape etc
Making Space for Renewable Energy: Natural England's approach to assessing onshore wind energy developments
Procedural guidance for Natural England staff on engaging with wind energy proposals (casework)
Procedural guidance for Natural England staff on assessing wind energy in spatial plans and capacity studies
Published Other relevant guidance (eg bats, peat, birds, etc)
Internal
Adding wider value to deployment process...? • A consistent, nationally applicable approach which has a broad base of support • Explaining our approach to others • Informing spatial planning; identification of „broad areas‟ • Informing site selection and design • Contribute to the right development in the right place?
Related work Renewable Energy Development Environmental Issues Board (REDEI) • Led by DECC with statutory environmental advisers • Statement which makes it very clear that all the UK environmental statutory bodies fully recognise the imperative need to decarbonise energy generation • Natural England - Early engagement; voluntary protocol, good practice
Regional capacity assessments, spatial plans and NPS Capacity building within Natural England
• Doesn‟t provide all the answers
• But, we hope that you see a step in the right direction and benefits that can follow
• Thanks........Any questions?
Our role and responsibilities • Natural England is a NDPB established under the NERC Act 2006. Our statutory purpose as outlined in the Act is: … to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced, and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
Our role in planning • Statutory consultee for spatial plans; SEA • Statutory consultee for all development proposals affecting our statutory interests and on all developments that require an EIA • Statutory duties in relation to protected sites at national (SSSI/NNR) and EU level (SPAs/SACs) • Consenting powers in relation to activities affecting protected species under UK and EU legislation • Designating body for National Parks and AONBs and duty to advise on development proposals affecting them • Our statutory advice is a core part of the planning process and relied upon by most decision-makers
The need for us to engage with wind energy •
The drive for a low carbon economy; tackling emissions and securing supplies
•
60GW of new generation needed by 2025
•
Renewable Energy Directive - 15% of UK energy from renewable sources by 2020 (c.30% of electricity generation)
•
Onshore wind, UK 2020 – 7 fold expansion from 2 to 14 GW (~ over 5000 additional turbines)
‘Barriers’ and issues • Impacts on the natural environment • RES emphasises need for swifter delivery and for “our planning system to enable renewable energy in appropriate places...while ensuring that we continue to protect our environment and natural heritage and respond to the legitimate concerns of local communities.” • RES sets out measures for: Improving planning process Ensuring a strategic approach to planning Address the impacts of renewables deployment
• Where does Natural England stand on these issues?
Wind energy • has an important role to play • can have positive and adverse impacts on natural environment • but can be deployed sustainably with good strategic planning, site selection and design • Natural England is committed to helping deliver more renewable energy in a sustainable manner.
Developing our approach • Decided we could contribute by exploring how wind energy can be deployed sustainably • “We will help find the space for renewable energy by publishing a map of suitable locations for onshore wind energy developments” • Desire for a spatial, geographically literate, approach
• We looked at other approaches....
SNH Locational Guidance
Wales – TAN 8
Mapping constraints Initial work we did in 2008 – mapping constraints to commercial scale wind energy. Showed that key constraint is population distribution, not environment. Useful for highlighting the difficulties, but less so for guiding where the natural environment might best accommodate development
Stakeholder workshops – spring 2009 •
Most stakeholders understood our general approach to ecological/geophysical aspects
•
Concerns and perception of inconsistency with how we approached landscape and visual aspects of wind energy development
•
Vast majority of stakeholders strongly opposed to NE guidance taking a spatial or „mapping‟ approach
•
Preferred to see criteria-based guidance on the approach NE will take to forming judgements on wind energy development, especially on landscape
Main reasons given against spatial approach • NE‟s interests are too narrow • Mapping capacity/opportunity is too restrictive • NE would be exceeding its remit
• Landscape capacity is too subjective to map
Consultation, Summer 2009 • Criteria–based, not taking a mapping approach and dropped the commitment to produce stand-alone Natural England assessments for all 159 NCAs • Set out series of ecological/geophysical and landscape criteria or „factors‟ that we will use to assess the capacity for wind energy development in a given area • GIS maps included, but only factual to assist with application of criteria Consultation responses • Criteria and principles too prescriptive • Clarity on approach to protected landscapes and making judgements
Making Space for Renewable Energy • Primary purpose: to assist Natural England staff to deliver a consistent and clear approach to the discharge of our statutory responsibilities
• Provides a systematic and transparent framework for assessing the key factors that influence the degree to which the natural environment can accommodate wind energy development. • Applicable at the strategic level and to individual proposals • Does not obviate the need for specialist, detailed assessment and advice, for example on landscape character
Ecological & geophysical factors Factor
Effect on degree natural environment can accommodate wind energy
Statutory protected sites
Will substantially reduce
Non-statutory sites
May generally reduce
Presence of protected & priority BAP species
May generally reduce
Areas of deep peat
Will generally reduce
Landscape & visual factors Factor
Effect on degree natural environment can accommodate wind energy
Statutory protected landscapes
Will substantially reduce
Landscape character
Extent to which wind energy development can be accommodated in a place will be influenced by the development‟s potential impact on landscape character
Historic environment and cultural heritage
Where historic or cultural heritage factors are integral to their landscape setting then should be part of landscape character assessment.
Recreation & access factors Factor
Effect on degree natural environment can accommodate wind energy
Recreation & access
Presence of National Trails , National Parks and potentially Open Access land may reduce degree
Approach to Protected Landscapes • The process of assessment and judgement is the same as for non-designated areas: the difference arises from taking into account the value society places on the special qualities of these areas and the additional determinative test of assessing whether major development is likely to compromise the objectives of designation. • So, not „no-go areas‟ but the bar is higher for proposals affecting a protected landscape (same for NP and AONB) • Wind energy development the affect the setting of a protected landscape can potentially compromise the purposes of designation
GIS datasets • Not mapping „opportunities‟, but provides number of GIS datasets to assist with identifying features • Ecological/Geological; Landscape & Visual; Access & Recreation • should not be interpreted literally to mean that Natural England will automatically object to any proposals within or in close proximity to a feature. • should be noted that many landscape and visual factors do not lend themselves to be easily quantified and mapped, and their consideration will need to be based on qualitative information
Our Wind Energy Guidance
Natural England's Positions Energy, Wind Energy, Landscape etc
Making Space for Renewable Energy: Natural England's approach to assessing onshore wind energy developments
Procedural guidance for Natural England staff on engaging with wind energy proposals (casework)
Procedural guidance for Natural England staff on assessing wind energy in spatial plans and capacity studies
Published Other relevant guidance (eg bats, peat, birds, etc)
Internal
Adding wider value to deployment process...? • A consistent, nationally applicable approach which has a broad base of support • Explaining our approach to others • Informing spatial planning; identification of „broad areas‟ • Informing site selection and design • Contribute to the right development in the right place?
Related work Renewable Energy Development Environmental Issues Board (REDEI) • Led by DECC with statutory environmental advisers • Statement which makes it very clear that all the UK environmental statutory bodies fully recognise the imperative need to decarbonise energy generation • Natural England - Early engagement; voluntary protocol, good practice
Regional capacity assessments, spatial plans and NPS Capacity building within Natural England
• Doesn‟t provide all the answers
• But, we hope that you see a step in the right direction and benefits that can follow
• Thanks........Any questions?
