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

6.107 It should be noted that local landscape designations are no longer
favoured by Government, especially with regards to restricting otherwise
sustainable development. National planning guidance on local landscape
designations is provided in PPS 7: Sustainable Development in Rural
Areas (2004).
6.108 Paragraph 24 of PPS 7 states:
„The Government believes that carefully drafted, criteria based policies in
LDDs (Local Development Documents), utilising tools such as landscape
character assessment, should provide sufficient protection for these areas
(landscapes which are highly valued locally), without the need for rigid
local designations that may unduly restrict acceptable, sustainable
development.‟
6.109 Paragraph 25 of PP7 states that local landscape designations should only
be maintained:
„where it can be clearly shown that criteria-based planning policies cannot
provide the necessary protection.‟
6.110 Therefore the fact that the proposed development is within an AHLV does
not in itself compromise the ability of the site to accommodate wind
energy. Paragraph 15 of PPS 22 confirms that „local landscape
designations should not be used themselves to refuse planning permission
for renewable energy developments.‟
6.111 It is noted that the recently approved Loscar development is also within an
AHLV and in this application, the AHLV designation was not considered a
sufficiently good reason to refuse permission for the site.
CONSERVATION AREAS
6.112 There are five Conservation Areas within a 5km radius of the centre of the
site and these are listed in the Archaeology & Cultural Heritage section of
this ES.
6.113 In the wider 20km study area there are several more Conservation Areas,
however, at distances over 5km it is considered highly unlikely that
turbines would be prominent enough to affect their setting.
LISTED BUILDINGS
6.114 Within a 5km radius of the centre of the site there are many listed buildings
which are discussed further in the Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
section. None of these are within 1km of the nearest turbine. The Grade I
and Grade II* listed buildings within 5km of the site are listed within the
Archaeology section.
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Penny Hill Wind Farm
Environmental Statement