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environmental statement - Rotherham's Online Application for ...

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deliver effective <strong>environmental</strong> management on their land. The Defra<br />

website 16 provides the following description:<br />

„The scheme is intended to build on the recognised success of the<br />

Environmental Sensitive Areas scheme and the Countryside<br />

Stewardship Scheme. Its primary objectives are to:<br />

Conserve wildlife (biodiversity);<br />

Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character;<br />

Protect the historic environment and natural resources;<br />

Promote public access and understanding of the countryside; and<br />

Natural resource protection.‟<br />

16.9 The total land take of the wind farm, including foundations, temporary<br />

crane pads, construction compound, access tracks, control building,<br />

substation and meteorological mast is estimated to be no greater than six<br />

hectares during construction. This represents a maximum of 4.8% of the<br />

planning application area, which encompasses approximately 125.5<br />

hectares. Upon commissioning and the completion of site restoration<br />

works the actual footprint of the wind farm infrastructure would only be<br />

approximately 2.5 hectares, representing only 2% of the planning<br />

application area. There<strong>for</strong>e once constructed, the proposed development<br />

would only take up a small proportion of the site and it is not expected that<br />

this would have an adverse impact on the management of the site under<br />

the two agreements detailed above.<br />

PUBLIC SAFETY<br />

16.10 Wind turbine technology has a tried and tested track record in the UK.<br />

The companion guide accompanying “PPS22 - Renewable Energy”<br />

considers the safety issues raised by the emerging and existing renewable<br />

energy technologies in the country and states the following at paragraphs<br />

49 – 51:<br />

„Experience indicates that properly designed and maintained wind<br />

turbines are a safe technology. The very few accidents that have<br />

occurred involving injury to humans have been caused by failure to<br />

observe manufacturers‟ and operators‟ instructions <strong>for</strong> the operation of<br />

the machines. There has been no example of injury to a member of<br />

the public.<br />

The only source of possible danger to human or animal life from a wind<br />

turbine would be the loss of a piece of the blade, or in most exceptional<br />

16 http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/schemes/es<br />

302<br />

Penny Hill Wind Farm<br />

Environmental Statement

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