01. Newcasle West Local Area Plan ( pdf file - 3593 kb in size)

NEWCASTLE WEST Local Area Plan 2008Protocol and EU Directive, to have at least 13% of its energygenerated from renewable energy sources by 2010 and, assuch, the Council will support renewable energy projects thatcan reasonably be provided.The Council also recognises that renewable energyprovides and opportunity for the matching of local energyneeds to local energy sources and has the potential forboth local employment creation and economicdevelopment and for increasing local competitiveness.POLICY E1: Renewable EnergyThe provision of renewable energy schemes, particularlyfrom wind, solar and biomass resources, will beencouraged by the Council. Proposals will be consideredagainst the following criteria, according to the scale andnature of the scheme:(a) The proposed development would not have adetrimental effect on the environment and characterof the Plan area, including visual impact andgeneration of emissions;(b) The development is located and designed in amanner which would be sensitive to the character ofany buildings or landscapes affected;(c) The location of the scheme does not impinge ontransport routes; and(d) The scheme does not cause unreasonable adverseeffect on existing dwellings and business premises.Adequate supporting information, which assesses theextent of possible environmental effects and how they canbe satisfactorily mitigated, will be required to accompanyany planning application for this form of development.Domestic scale Renewable Energy proposals will beencouraged by the Council where appropriate.not be depleted by the pressures that the human race placesupon them. Accordingly the Council is committed tominimising the use of all forms of non-renewable resources.POLICY E2: Protection of Irreplaceable ResourcesAll development within the Plan area will be expected tominimise the depletion of irreplaceable resources, such asenergy, surface and ground water, soils, habitats andhistoric features. A thorough assessment ofproposals will be carried out to determine:(a) The extent to which such resources are affected;(b) The availability of appropriate alternative sites forthe proposed form of development which wouldhave a lesser effect on such resources;(c) The scope to minimise impact through the designof development and to mitigate any proven impact;(d) The opportunity to compensate effectively for anyapparent loss of resources.Explanation:Any development proposal, even one which conforms to thegeneral provisions of this LAP and is thereby acceptable inprinciple, could cause a degree of harm on local resourcesin some way. The Council will therefore wish to consider theentire ‘package’ of the scheme to ensure that any negativeimpact is minimised as far as possible. There may also bepotential to incorporate measures into a scheme, whichpositively manage or enhance valuable features within ordirectly associated with the site. Where appropriate,measures will be sought to compensate for features lost ordiminished as a result of a development proposal.Explanation:Increased development of renewable energy, together withpolicies on energy efficiency, is essential for facilitating thedelivery of the Government’s commitment on both climatechange and renewable energy. Where appropriate, theCouncil will explore the full range of renewable energyresources, their differing characteristics, locationalrequirements and the potential for exploiting them, subject tonecessary environmental safeguards.Depletion of Non-renewable ResourcesOne of the fundamental principles of sustainabledevelopment is that the earth’s resources are finite and willSection 5: DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT POLICIES47