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

environmental sieves must be considered positively given the limited
nature of such opportunities.
4.39 The Applicant‟s sieve mapping exercise is not the only technical appraisal
of development opportunities in the Rotherham Borough area. The
AEAT/Gillespies report “Planning for Renewable Energy Targets in
Yorkshire and Humber” (December 2004), which played a major part in the
preparation of the RSS, identifies that there are opportunities for small
scale wind developments in Rotherham in suitable pockets of land within
urban, suburban Green Belt locations. These findings led to the report
recommending a 10 MW wind energy target for Rotherham for 2010 and
15 MW for 2021, with overall renewable energy targets of 11 MW by 2010
and 36 MW by 2021. This report forms part of the evidence base for the
renewable energy targets within the Yorkshire and Humber RSS, which
has used the total figures expressed in the report as the adopted targets
for the region. The Penny Hill scheme is of a scale which fits with this
general approach. While taking differing approaches, the Applicant and the
consultants acting on behalf of the Regional Assembly have reached
complementary conclusions.
4.40 The identification and assessment of the Penny Hill site has taken place
after a detailed constraint mapping exercise which demonstrates that there
are few parts of Rotherham that do not have constraints to wind energy
development. In Rotherham the key constraints of low wind speed and
built-up areas mean that only eight areas within the district were
considered theoretically suitable by the Applicant for a wind farm of a
commercial scale. These are identified on Drawing HJB/681/PA04.
Following the constraint mapping exercise the areas identified have been
examined in more detail. The reasons the Applicant has chosen to
progress the Penny Hill site in preference to the others are discussed in
detail below:
Thurcroft Colliery Tip – A detailed site feasibility study has not been
completed for Thurcroft Colliery Tip because of the immediate issue of
made-up ground. It is likely that it would not be cost effective to build in
this location. Furthermore there would be a risk of releasing
contaminates.
Maltby Colliery Tip – Similarly this site has not been considered in
detail due to the unsuitable ground conditions.
Beacon Hill – This site was considered alongside Penny Hill, but
because the site lies within the RHADS Radar Vectoring Area it was
determined less optimal. There is a reasonable chance that a proposal
here could now be acceptable to RHADS following the authorisation of
controlled airspace. Beacon Hill is also in relatively close proximity to
scheduled monuments SSSIs and the registered garden and Grade I
listed building at Sandbeck Hall.
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Penny Hill Wind Farm
Environmental Statement