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

Countryside Commission and English Nature and determined the
sensitivity of landscape character within each JCA to wind energy
development.
6.157 The independent consultants determined that JCA 38 (Nottinghamshire,
Derbyshire & Yorkshire Coalfields) had a low sensitivity to wind energy
development as is illustrated on Map 2 of Volume 3 of the Report.
6.158 This was determined by considering the sensitivity of the JCA against
various physical and perceptual criteria.
6.159 Out of the 24 JCAs represented within the Yorkshire and Humber region, it
was determined that JCA 38 had the lowest sensitivity to wind energy
development apart from JCA 42 (Lincolnshire Coast and Marshes). It
should be noted that JCA 42 is not represented either within the
Rotherham borough or within the 20km study area of the site and therefore
JCA 38 has been independently determined to have the lowest sensitivity
to wind energy in the study area.
6.160 It is acknowledged that JCA 38 covers a wide area and extends beyond
the limits of the Rotherham Borough. The fact that the site is within a
Green Belt does not in itself increase the sensitivity of the landscape
character immediately surrounding the landscape. The Green Belt has not
been designated for its particularly sensitive landscape character and is
not necessarily a reflection of landscape quality. The functions of Green
Belt are set out in PPG 2 and are outlined within the Landscape Planning
Policies and Designations earlier within this section.
6.161 It is also acknowledged that the site falls within an Area of High Landscape
Value as designated in the Rotherham UDP saved policies. Although
Government policy guidance no longer favours the use of local landscape
designations the fact that this tract of landscape has been designated as
such in a soon to be replaced development plan is an indication that it is of
slightly higher landscape quality than other areas within the district.
6.162 It is important to note that the concept of „landscape quality‟, as historically
used to designate the AHLVs in Rotherham, is not the same as the
concept of „landscape sensitivity to a particular type of development‟. This
difference is discussed at length in Topic Paper 6 to the Guidelines for
Landscape Character Assessment, (2002) Countryside Agency and
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
6.163 Essentially a landscape can be of high quality but of low sensitivity to a
particular type of development.
6.164 There is no published justification available to support the designation of
the Ulley-Whiston area as an AHLV. However based on field observations
undertaken as part of the assessment, it is noted that the landscape
immediately surrounding the site has a strong field pattern with good
vegetation cover in the form of mature hedgerows and tree groups which
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Penny Hill Wind Farm
Environmental Statement