Explanation MW7

12.30

Renewable energy is the term used to cover those energy flows that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment-energy from the sun, the wind and the oceans and the fall of water. The advantages of using renewable sources of energy, as opposed to fossil fuels, include the contribution that this can make to limiting emissions of green-house gases (and hence restricting the effects of global warming) and also the contribution that it can make to a diversified supply of energy.

12.31

The government has set a target that, by 2010, 10% of the UK's electricity shall be supplied from renewable energy sources.  It also states, in its Energy White Paper ¹⁵, that this figure should be doubled to 20% by 2020, and suggests that more renewable energy will be needed beyond that date.

12.32

The North West region has the potential to generate significant quantities of energy from a wide range of renewable sources including onshore wind, offshore wind, marine technologies (wave and tidal power), landfill gas, biomass, anaerobic digestion, small scale hydroelectric schemes, photovoltaics and energy from biodegradable waste.  Revised regional targets are being prepared for the amount of energy that is supplied from renewable resources. A need has been identified to strengthen the policy framework at the local level, including local planning guidance, to promote the achievement of renewable energy generation targets. 

12.33

The topography of Knowsley limits its potential contribution to the generation of some forms of renewable energy. However, there is considered to be scope to develop renewable energy from:

-  Combustion of energy crops and / or agricultural and forestry biomass;

-  Small anaerobic digestion plants fuelled by farm biogas;

-  Small scale wind turbines e.g. on buildings or within industrial parks.

-  Domestic, commercial and motorway solar photovoltaic (PV) systems (e.g. solar tiles or modules), which convert solar energy into electricity, and which may be installed or integrated into commercial or domestic buildings.

12.34

The impact that renewable energy schemes can have varies significantly according to the type of scheme proposed. For example, in the case of a proposal to install photovoltaic cells on a building the impacts are likely to be primarily of a visual nature – with the range of designs that is available it should in most cases be possible to endure that such schemes have an acceptable visual impact although special considerations will apply in the case of Listed Buildings or buildings in Conservation Areas. Proposals for digestion plants or biomass plants can have significant local effects on amenity, for example as a result of odour. These should therefore normally be sited away from residential properties. Wind turbines can have significant visual impact and also more local impacts in terms of noise. 

12.35

Some renewable energy projects can, if sited within the Green Belt, constitute “inappropriate” development, which may impact on the openness of the Green Belt.  Careful consideration will therefore need to be given to the visual impact of such projects and developers will need to demonstrate very special circumstances that clearly outweigh any harm by reason of inappropriateness in these areas. Such very special circumstances may include the wider environmental and sustainable development benefits associated with increased production of energy from renewable sources. Where renewable energy is proposed in the Green Belt it will be necessary for the applicant to demonstrate compliance with the relevant policies in chapter 9 “Green Belt and the Rural Economy”.

12.36

Where renewable energy developments such as wind turbines are proposed, the potential impact on the operational integrity and safety of Liverpool Airport will be an important consideration – see chapter 8 “Transport”.

12.37

In considering all proposals for renewable energy schemes, the Council will weigh up the benefits of the specific scheme which is proposed, against any adverse impacts which may occur. Potential impacts on the environment may be acceptable if they are minor, or are outweighed by wider benefits, such as contributing to achieving the regional targets for renewable energy production. 

12.38

The Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West proposes in its draft partial review (2004), that proposals for new developments such as housing, industrial and commercial uses should be encouraged to incorporate infrastructure to meet at least some of the energy requirements of the proposed development. Therefore, policy MW7 requires that large scale new residential, commercial and industrial developments will be required to generate at least 10% of the predicted energy requirements from renewable sources. Where a developer considers that it is not feasible to generate 10% of the energy requirement from on-site renewable sources, the developershould provide evidence with the planning application demonstrating why this is the case.

12.39

The Council's proposed Supplementary Planning Document on design issues will contain further advice on incorporation of renewable energy requirements in the design of new development.

Photovoltaic installations on domestic properties will also be considered under policy H8 “Extensions and Alterations to Residential Properties”.

¹⁵ "Our energy future - creating a low carbon economy", CM5761, February 2003.

Next