Landscape Character Supplementary Planning Document ...

City of Bradford Metropolitan District CouncilLocal Development Framework For Bradford8.15 Within landscape character the component attributes of the landscape are shaped tovarying degrees by climatic conditions. The climate influences both natural (for examplevegetation, land use patterns and associations of species and habitats) and cultural (forinstance the siting and style of settlement) landscapes attributes. The most effective andfundamental means of managing the interactions between climate change andlandscape change is at a higher level through managing and reducing the carbon dioxideemissions that contribute to climate change. Bradford Council has aimed to address thisissue through its corporate Climate Change agenda. Mitigating measures in the form ofrenewable energy sources will also contribute towards landscape change, as describedbelow.Flood Management8.16 As a result of a changing climate, many areas are experiencing flooding on anunprecedented scale. Within the Bradford District a proportion of the landscape is withinthe floodplain of the rivers Aire and Wharfe and already experience flooding, particularlywithin the winter months. It is recognised that flooding has a direct impact upon thelandscape character areas and this could also change a number of elements within. It isimportant that mitigation measures are considered and put into place to manage thisnatural occurrence to protect the natural landscape and people who live in these affectedareas. An updated Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) will be undertaken by theCouncil to provide background evidence for the Core Strategy.Renewable Energy Initiatives8.17 The Government are committed to renewable energy initiatives with a target of 15% ofthe UK energy to come from renewable sources by 2020, to help offset CO2 emissionsand the depletion and high cost of fossil fuels. There are a number of renewable energysources, including wind power, solar energy and biomass production to fuel powerstations. Within the Bradford District, wind powered turbines are likely to have thegreatest effect as over half the districts land mass has wind speeds suitable for windturbines. The District currently contains a small number of individual wind turbines, andthe largest wind farm is just over the District boundary at Ovendon Moor in Calderdale,which consists of 23 No. 49m high turbines. This can be seen from many areas withinthe district. There is however potentially immense pressure on the districts landscapesto accommodate more turbines in the future with the trend being for taller structures inexcess of 100m. Whilst this pressure is recognised, it is essential that any proposal befully assessed in terms of its visual impact to ensure that it would not be at detriment tothe landscape and its setting.Landscape Character Supplementary Planning DocumentOctober 2008 Page 38