Bearley Volume 1 v2cip.southsomerset.gov.uk/Planning/StreamDocPage/...content=obj.pdf · Site...

Anaerobic Digestion Plant at

Bearley Farm, Tintinhull,

Somerset – Planning

Application

Volume 1 – Supporting

Information

January 2014

On behalf of:

Greener For Life Energy Ltd,

The Cricket Barn, Nomansland,

Tiverton, Devon EX16 8NP

Greener for Life Energy Limited VOLUME 1 Bearley, Tintinhull, Somerset

Contents

Sections Page

Introduction 2

Proposed Development 3

Planning Statement 7

Planning Policy 7

National Planning Guidance 7

Regional Planning Policy 10

Local Planning Policy- District Level 11

Design and Access Statement 14


Introduction

1. This series of supporting documentation has been written in

support of a planning application that seeks to install an

anaerobic digestion facility on an agricultural holding at

Bearley Farm, Bearley Lane, Tintinhull, Yeovil, BA22 8PE.

2. The documentation is set out in four volumes -

• Volume 1 – Supporting Statement (Including Design and

Access Statement)

• Volume 2 – Process Information

• Volume 3 – Environmental Review

• Volume 4 – Figures and Appendices

3. The proposed development includes the erection of an

anaerobic digestion plant, associated equipment and on-site

infrastructure for the purpose of generating renewable

energy from cow slurry, farmyard manure, chicken litter, beet,

rye, grass and maize silage.

4. The installation would provide the farm with a modern

sustainable method to treat farm wastes and in the process

provide renewable energy and a fertiliser replacement (ie.

the digestate).

5. This supporting documentation should be read in conjunction

with the planning application form and associated

documents.

Volume 1

Applicant Details

6. The applicant is Greener for Life Energy Ltd, The Cricket Barn,

Tiverton, Devon EX16 8NP.

7. The site is owned by Mr S Walters, Bearley Farm, Bearley Lane,

Tintinhull, Yeovil, BA22 8PE.

Site Description

8. The applicant’s site for the anaerobic digester and

associated equipment comprises 2.24 hectares of land with

the centre point of the proposed site at NGR ST 49533 22067.

The site is located approximately 1.5km west of the village of


Tintinhull and 5km west of Yeovil (the nearest major town to

the site).

9. The proposed site is currently used for arable farming. The

field is bounded on its four sides by hedgerows and sits off a

private lane located at the end of Bearley Lane,

approximately 2km from the Bearley Lane junction with the

A303. Access to the site would be via the existing track that

runs down the hedgeline.

10. The site has been selected owing to its close proximity to the

areas where much of the silage feedstock would be

produced and the land onto which the liquid digestate

would be spread. The site uses the topography of the land to

act as a natural screen for the plant.

Proposed Development

11. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process by which naturally

occurring anaerobic bacteria break down organic matter

resulting in the production of biogas, heat and digestate.

12. The proposed development would have a capacity of

producing 1.3MW of electricity per hour. Some of this

electricity is converted from biogas via the CHP unit on site; it

is then used to run the plant with any excess exported to

national grid. However the majority of the biogas is exported

directly into the national gas grid.

Plant Construction

13. The proposed development of an on-farm anaerobic

digestion plant, associated equipment and on-site

infrastructure would include the following –

• 3 silage clamps measuring 85m long, 30m wide and

4m high.

• Pre-slurry tank and buffer tank separator measuring

12m diameter and 4m high. This will be dug into the

ground to a depth of 3.75m.

• Substrate feeders (x2) 80m3 capacity 7.4m long, 2.98m

wide and 3.35m high.

• Pumping station (container) measuring 2.48m wide,

6.6m long and 2.66m high.

• Digester 45m diameter, 7m high. This contains a

primary digester (45m digester) and a secondary

digester (27m diameter). This will be dug into the

ground to a depth of 4.8m.


• Digestate tank a) 30m diameter, 7m high. A

Gasholder double membrane dome measuring 30m

diameter 7.5m high will sit on top of digestate tank a).

This will be dug into the ground to a depth of 2m.

• Digestate tank b) 32m diameter and 7m high. This will

be dug into the ground to a depth of 2m.

• Operation building containing a CHP unit and the

control panels for the AD 5.5m high, 7.4m long and

10m wide and 4m high x 6m long and 10m wide.

• Gas flare – 5.2m high. Separator – 6.6m high x 7m long

and 2.5m wide.

• Gas conversion plant – 1 x 40ft container, 4 x 2m

diameter and 2.5m high containers, 2 x 10ft containers

and 1 grid entry module box 5.5m long, 3.5m wide and

3m high. 3 x 4tonne propane tanks.

• A concrete yard for vehicular movements.

Feedstock

14. The proposed facility would treat 38,314 tonnes of farm

feedstock per annum.

15. Feedstock for the process of anaerobic digestion would be in

the form of cow slurry, farmyard manure, chicken litter, rye,

beet, grass and maize silage in the following proportions (per

annum) –

• Cow slurry – 7,000 tonnes

• Farmyard manure – 2,500 tonnes

• Chicken litter – 4,500 tonnes

• Beet – 3,000 tonnes

• Wholecrop Rye – 6,164 tonnes

• Maize silage – 4,000 tonnes

• Grass silage – 11,150 tonnes

16. No animal by-products other than slurry/manure would be

processed at the plant.

Feedstock Delivery

17. The feedstock for the anaerobic digester would be provided

by the applicant from the farm business. Cow slurry would be

pumped to the site and held in the buffer tank before

entering the anaerobic digester.

18. Grass and maize silage, wholecrop rye and beet fodder

grown on the farm would be taken to the site in 15 tonne

trailers during harvest periods. It would be stored in the


proposed silage clamps on site and fed into the solids feeder

as required.

19. Farmyard manure from Bearley Farm would be brought to the

site, as required, in 15 tonne trailers and fed directly into the

solids feeder.

20. Scheduled deliveries of poultry manure and some rye would

be brought to the site in 29 tonne articulated lorry and fed

directly into the solids feeder.

21. A review analysing the traffic impact of the proposed

development is include in the Transport Statement in Volume

4, Appendix 6.

Products

22. The resulting products of anaerobic digestion are digestate,

heat and biogas.

23. Digestate would be separated as it leaves the digester tank.

Liquid digestate would be pumped into the digestate store

and solid digestate fibres would fall down into a small clamp

located under the separator, where it would be stored.

24. Heat produced during the process of anaerobic digestion

would be used on site to heat the anaerobic digester and

the Operations Building.

25. Liquid digestate would be used on the farm as an organic

fertiliser and the solid (fibre) digestate would be used as a soil

conditioner. This will reduce all the farms involved in supplying

feedstocks to the plant existing requirements for inorganic

fertilisers and improve the quality of the soil in the area.

26. Liquid digestate would be stored in the digestate tank and

then piped via an underground pipe for spreading on the

surrounding land as a fertiliser. Access points are located

along the length of the pipe to enable a tractor to collect

digestate in the area onto which it would be spread by

umbilical pipe. This would reduce the volume of tractor and

tanker movement on the local roads.

27. Biogas is stored in the dome at the top of the digester tank

and pumped into the CHP unit where it is converted to

electricity.

Grid Connection

28. The proposed development would be connected to the

National Electricity Grid using the existing grid connection. A


pipe link to the nearest connection point to the National Gas

Grid will be installed.

Operating Hours

29. The usual operating hours of the facility would be 07.00 to

18.00 Monday to Sunday although movements to and from

the site would not be continuous during this period. The

movements to site are outlined in detail in the Transport

Statement (Volume 4 Appendix 6).

Staff

30. The proposed development would employ one full time

member of staff.

Environmental Permit

31. An Environmental Permit application will be made to the

Environment Agency to coincide with the consultation period

for the planning application.

Operating Procedures and Risk Assessment

32. Management systems and risk assessments would be

implemented to ensure that the plant operates safely and to

ensure there are no adverse environmental impacts.

Consultation

33. This project does not trigger levels at which a formal

Environmental Statement is required. It falls outside the

thresholds set within The Town and Country Planning

(Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 and

DETR circular 02/99.

34. A pre-planning letter was sent to South Somerset District

Council outlining the level of consultation for the proposed

development. A copy of the letter is enclosed in Volume 4,

Appendix 2. A pre-planning meeting was then held on-site

with a Planning Officer and Landscape Officer in December

2013. As a result the following have been included for the site

at Bearley Farm –

• Flood Risk Assessment (Volume 4, Appendix 3)

• Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report (Ecology)

(Volume 4, Appendix 4)

• Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (Volume 4,

Appendix 5)

• Transport Statement (Volume 4, Appendix 6)


35. A request for pre-planning advice from the Environment

Agency was sent on 19th August 2013 and a response

received on 18th September 2013. This is enclosed in Volume

4, Appendix 1.

Planning Statement

Planning Policy

Introduction

36. The planning policy context under which proposals for the

establishment of renewable energy developments are

considered, is set at national level (in England) by the

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2012. The NPPF

was published in March 2012 and replaces many of the now

revoked Planning Policy Statements.

37. At national level, Planning Policy Statement 10 (PPS10)

‘Planning for Sustainable Waste Management’ sets out the

Government’s policy to be taken into account by waste

planning authorities and forms part of the national waste

management plan for the UK. This policy is still extant despite

the revocation of a number of the Planning Policy Statements

in March 2012.

38. In 2007, a Government Energy White Paper was published

which refers to the need for renewable energy and suggests

targets and aspirations for percentages of renewable energy

generated as a proportion of energy supplies.

National Planning Guidance

39. The principal source of planning policy guidance relating to

renewable energy schemes in England is the National

Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2012.

40. At the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a

presumption in favour of sustainable development. The NPPF

states that there are three dimensions to this – economic,

social and environmental, each arising to the planning

system having to perform a number of roles. The

environmental role is defined as such -

• an environmental role - contributing to protecting and

enhancing our natural, built and historic environment;


and, as part of this, helping to improve biodiversity, use

natural resources prudently, minimise waste and

pollution, and mitigate and adapt to climate change

including moving to a low carbon economy.

41. The NPPF has outlined a set of core land-use planning

principles that should underpin plan-making and decision-

taking. One of the core planning principles stated in the

NPPF states that planning should –

support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing

climate, taking full account of flood risk and coastal change,

and encourage the reuse of existing resources, including

conversion of existing buildings and encourage the use of

renewable resources (for example, by the development of

renewable energy).

42. The NPPF also supports a prosperous rural economy in order

to create jobs and prosperity. To promote a strong rural

economy, local and neighbourhood plans should, “promote

the development and diversification of agricultural and other

land-based rural businesses”.

43. The NPPF outlines that local planning authorities should

recognise the requirement for all communities to contribute

to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources.

Local planning authorities should –

• have a positive strategy to promote energy from

renewable and low carbon sources;

• design their policies to maximise renewable and low

carbon energy development while ensuring that

adverse impacts are addressed satisfactorily, including

cumulative landscape and visual impacts;

• consider identifying suitable areas for renewable and low

carbon energy sources, and supporting infrastructure ,

where this would help secure the development of such

sources;

• support community-led initiatives for renewable and low

carbon energy, including developments outside such

areas being taken forward through neighbourhood

planning; and

• identify opportunities where development can draw its

energy supply from decentralised, renewable or low

carbon energy supply systems and for co-locating

potential heat suppliers and customers.


44. The NPPF also states that applicants for energy development

should not need to demonstrate the overall need for

renewable or low carbon energy.

45. In addition to the NPPF, other statements of national policy

must also be taken into account in considering the principles

of such development.

46. Having regard to the current proposal for an AD plant

Planning Policy Statement 10 (PPS10) “Planning for

Sustainable Waste Management” (2005) is of relevance.

47. The overall objective of Government policy on waste, as set

out in the strategy for sustainable development is to protect

human health and the environment by producing less waste

and by using it as a resource wherever possible. Positive

planning has an important role in delivering sustainable

waste management.

48. PPS10 contains a number of Key Objectives. One of these

requires that planning authorities should recognise the

particular locational needs of some types of waste

management facilities and these, together with the wider

environmental and economic benefits of sustainable waste

management, are material considerations that should be

given significant weight in determining whether proposals

should be given planning permission.

49. The policies contained in PPS10 are material considerations

which may supersede the policies in a development plan

when considering planning applications for waste

management facilities before those plans are reviewed.

Planning applications for sites that have not been identified,

or are not located in an area identified, in a development

plan document as suitable for new waste management

facilities should be considered favourably when consistent

with the policies in PPS10 and the waste planning authority's

core strategy.

50. Annex E to PPS10 sets out location criteria to test the suitability

of sites and areas for waste management facilities.

a. protection of water resources

b. land instability

c. visual intrusion

d. nature conservation

e. historic environment and built heritage

f. traffic and access


g. air emissions including dust

h. odours

i. vermin and birds

j. noise and vibration

k. litter

l. potential land use conflict

51. A Government Energy White Paper published in May 2007

states that,

“Renewables are key to our strategy to tackle climate

change and deploy cleaner sources of energy. We have a

target that aims to see renewables grow as a proportion of

our electricity supplies to 10% by 2010, with an aspiration for

this level to double by 2020.”

52. This approach accords with current European energy policy

set out in “An Energy Policy for Europe” (2007), which requires

all European Member States to increase the proportion of

electricity they produce from renewable sources to 20% by

2020.

53. Existing development plan policy documents have to be

viewed in the context of these up to date statements of

Government policy. However, the development of

renewable energy resources on a commercial scale is a

crucial element in meeting the Government’s commitments

on reducing emissions and combating climate change.

54. It is irrefutable that Government policy is to stimulate the

exploitation and development of renewable energy sources

wherever they have the prospects of being economically

attractive and environmentally acceptable, in the interests of

sustainable development.

Regional Planning Policy

55. The Regional Planning Guidance for the South West (RPG10)

has been revoked under the Localism Act 2011, however key

extracts published in September 2001 have been considered

in the upcoming South Somerset District Local Plan -

Energy Generation and Use

• The development of renewable sources of energy; the

use of energy efficient measures in new buildings (through

appropriate siting, design and use of materials), giving

priority to locating new development in or adjacent to

urban areas and the introduction of measures to reduce


the need to travel and increase the use of public

transport, will all help to ensure consumption of energy is

reduced.

• The use of renewable energy sources and the

encouragement of such energy efficient methods as

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Community

Heating schemes offer the opportunity of increasing the

diversity of energy supply. By using energy more efficiently

it can reduce harmful emissions to the environment and

preserve finite fossil fuels for future generations.

Local Planning Policy- District Level

56. The South Somerset Local Plan (SSLP) (1991-2011) was

adopted on 27 April 2006 and “saved” until 26 April 2009

pending the preparation of replacement Local Development

Framework (LDF) documents. In July 2013 the District Council

voted to suspend the Local Plan (2006-2028) process for 7-8

months so additional work and studies could be undertaken

to address a Government Planning Inspector's concerns.

While consideration can be given to the emerging Plan

Policies, material weight must be considered of the currently

adopted SSLP.

57. The following polices are of particular relevance for

consideration with this proposal:-

Policy ST3 - Outside the defined development areas of towns,

rural centres and villages, development will be strictly

controlled and restricted to that which benefits economic

activity, maintains or enhances the environment and does

not foster growth in the need to travel.

Policy ST5 - Proposals for development will be considered

against the following criteria:

• The proposal promotes of a pattern of land use and

transport which reduces the need to travel, minimises the

length of journeys and provides accessibility by a choice

of means of transport;

• The proposal makes efficient use of land and give priority

to the use of recycled land and other appropriate sites

within urban areas first;

• The proposal conserves the biodiversity and

environmental assets, particularly nationally and

internationally designated areas, and the historic heritage

of the district;

• The proposal respects the form, character and setting of

the locality;

• The proposal makes provision for a satisfactory means of

access into and within the site and traffic resulting from


development can be accommodated on the local

transport network;

• The proposal avoids placing people and property at risk

from flooding, ground instability, contaminated land,

pollution or hazardous substances; and

Policy ST6 - Proposals for new development, otherwise

acceptable in principle, will be permitted where the

following design criteria are met:

• The architectural and landscape design satisfactorily

respects the form, character and setting of the settlement

or local environment.

• They preserve and complement the key characteristics of

the location, to maintain its local distinctiveness.

• They do not result in the unavoidable loss of open spaces

(including gaps and frontages) with visual or

environmental value.

• They do not cause unavoidable harm to the natural and

built environment of the locality and the broader

landscape.

• Their density, form, scale, mass, height and proportions

respect and relate to the character of their surroundings.

Policy ST8 - Development will be permitted where it is clearly

demonstrated that energy conservation has been fully

considered in the design, orientation, layout and siting of the

proposal and that all measures which are practicable are

included as part of the scheme.

Policy EC1 - Where development of agricultural land is

unavoidable, poorer quality land should be used in

preference to that of higher quality (defined as grades 1, 2

and 3a of the agricultural land classification), except where

other sustainability considerations outweigh the agricultural

land value.

Policy EC3 - Outside development areas, development

proposals which are otherwise acceptable will be permitted

provided that they do not cause unacceptable harm to the

distinctive character and quality of the local landscape. In

particular, development should:

• Respect or enhance the characteristic pattern and

features of the surrounding landscape; and,

• Avoid built forms whose visual profiles would be out-of-

keeping with and uncharacteristic of the surrounding

landscape when viewed from publicly accessible

vantage points.

Policy EP9 - Applications for development which are a

potential source of pollution (of land, air or water by factors

including noise, dust, polluting chemicals, odour, vibration,

light or heat) will be required to be accompanied by full

details of means of pollution control.

Permission will be granted where the pollutant can be

adequately controlled and where the pollution control


measures would not be unacceptably harmful, in themselves,

to the character of the area or the amenity of neighbouring

sites. Planning permission may be refused on air quality

grounds where a statutory air quality objective is exceeded

as a direct consequence of the proposed development.

Policy EU3 - Planning permission will be granted for

development proposals employing non-mains sewerage

arrangements provided that the proposed sewerage and

disposal arrangements would not lead to a significant

environmental, public health or amenity problem in the area.

Policy EU4 - Development will be permitted only where:

• Existing or proposed water supplies are sufficient and

wholesome, and do not adversely affect the water

environment;

• Adequate drainage, sewerage and sewage treatment

facilities are available or where suitable arrangements are

made for their provision;

• In sewered areas, foul discharge from new development

is connected to mains foul sewerage unless it is

demonstrated that such a connection is not feasible;

• The use of more sustainable drainage systems, designed

to control surface water as near to its source as possible,

will be promoted. Where the use of such a system is

inappropriate, separate surface water sewers with outfall

to a watercourse may be permitted.

Policy EU6 - Development which disrupts or adversely affects

the character, hydrology or ecology of watercourses in an

unacceptable manner will not be permitted.

Policy EU7 - Development proposals which would adversely

affect the quality of groundwater and in particular those in

defined groundwater catchment areas will not be permitted.

In addition, development proposals which would physically

disturb aquifers, lower groundwater levels, or impede

groundwater flow will not be permitted, unless sustainable

mitigation measures are agreed and provided.

Policy ME5 - Well conceived proposals for farm diversification

schemes for business purposes which are consistent in their

scale with their rural location will be permitted subject to their

compliance with other plan policies and provided that no

unacceptable harm is caused.

58. The Draft Core Strategy 2008-2028 Strategic Objective 8 is

“Movement toward a Carbon Neutral economy by 2030”.

The Supporting Policy of specific relevance over and above

those outlined above is Policy EQ1 – Addressing Climate

Change in South Somerset. All new development in South

Somerset should demonstrate how it has fully mitigated and

adapted to climate change through inclusion of the

following measures (as appropriate):


• New development will ensure CO2 reductions are maximised

by complying with the following energy hierarchy:

∼ energy efficiency measures;

∼ on-site decentralised energy and directly connected

heat technologies; and finally

∼ 'allowable solutions' to achieve carbon reduction

• Development of decentralised and renewable or low

carbon energy generation will be encouraged and

permitted, providing there are no unacceptable adverse

effects on residential amenity, the landscape, townscape,

historic features, and biodiversity interest.

• Development should reduce and manage the impact of

flood risk through location, layout, design, choice of

materials and the use of sustainable drainage systems.

Climate change should be considered in the design of all

new development, incorporating measures such as solar

orientation, maximising natural shade and cooling, water

efficiency and flood resilience.

• Ensure that susceptibility to climate change is taken into

account on all development sites with biodiversity interest.

Design and Access Statement

Introduction

59. Despite recent changes published by the Department for

Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in the

requirements for supplying a Design and Access Statement,

the information provided within a Design and Access

Statement is pertinent to this application and has been

provided below.

60. This Design and Access Statement has been prepared to

support the proposal by Greener for Life Energy Ltd, The

Cricket Barn, Tiverton for the construction of an anaerobic

digester, associated equipment and on-site infrastructure for

the purpose of generating renewable energy at Bearley

Farm, Tintinhull.

61. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process by which naturally

occurring anaerobic bacteria break down organic matter

resulting in the production of biogas, heat and digestate.

62. This statement follows the guidance set out in the

Communities and Local Government publication ‘Guidance

on information requirements and validation’ and the

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment


(CABE)’s ‘Design and access statements – How to write, read

and use them’.

63. Both documents also indicate the issues that need to be

addressed as part of any Design and Access Statement,

these being the amount of development, layout of the

buildings, scale of buildings, landscaping and appearance:

the CABE document also makes reference to use. All six

matters are addressed within this document.

64. This Design and Access Statement should be read in

conjunction with the planning application form and

associated documents.

Physical Context

65. The proposed AD plant would be located in a field currently

used for arable agricultural use. Feedstock for the AD facility

would be 38,314 tonnes of cow slurry, farmyard manure,

chicken litter, rye, beet, grass and maize silage annually.

66. The proposed site is located approximately 1.5km west of the

village of Tintinhull and 5km west of Yeovil (the nearest major

town to the site).

67. The proposed site is currently used for arable farming. The

field is bounded on its four sides by hedgerows and sits off a

private lane located at the end of Bearley Lane,

approximately 2km from the Bearley Lane junction with the

A303. Access to the site would be via the existing track that

runs down the hedgeline.

68. The site is located in landscape that is typical of the Central

Plain, Moors and River Basin area of South Somerset having a

gentle landform, with a series of rolling ridges and shallow

vales.

69. The site has been selected owing to its close proximity to the

areas where much of the silage feedstock would be

produced and the land onto which the liquid digestate

would be spread and to use the natural topography to act as

a natural screen for the plant.

70. The proposed site does not lie within an area at risk of

flooding as defined in the Environment Agency’s Flood Maps.

71. The proposed site has no designation in the South Somerset

Local Plan. It is therefore considered to be within open

countryside.


Social Context

72. The proposed development would be accommodated

within the current landscape with limited and acceptable

impact upon the characteristics of the current site.

73. The nearest properties lie approximately 434m to the south,

1.5km to the southwest, 1.7km southeast, 2km to the west,

2.3km to the east northeast and 2.5km to the north.

74. The proposed development is not visible from view points to

the east, south and north as it is hidden in the natural

topography of the land. It is also not visible from the minor

roads that bound the site and to residents in properties to the

southeast- due to their distance from the site (approximately

450km) . The proposal includes the planting of thicket density

mix of trees and shrubs along the southwest roadside field

boundary and northwest track boundary for screening

purposes (please refer to Volume 4, Appendix 7 and Figure 5

– Planting Scheme. More information about the effects of the

proposed development can be found in Volume 4, Appendix

5 – Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment.

75. No protected species were found at the site and the site

does not lie in any specific designated areas. For more

information, please refer to Volume 4, Appendix 4 – Extended

Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report (Ecology).

76. At present the agricultural element of Bearley Farm comprises

of predominantly arable land. In order to service and

maintain the land and distribute the crops a significant

number of deliveries to and from the farm are currently

made. In addition to the arable operation of the farm,

Bearley Farm has a contract in place with Viridor for the use

of a lagoon for which the waste/soiled water resulting from

the washing process at local dairies is held. At present the

contract is for 10 loads per day. The contract that Bearley

Farm has with Viridor will be renewed on an annual basis from

December 2013.

77. In order to prevent an increase in vehicle movements should

the AD plant be constructed and to stay within the 10 loads

per day currently generated, the contractual obligations with

Viridor would be reduced to such a level that would allow for

any additional movements associated with the AD plant.

Thus while the proposed AD plant would change the nature

of the deliveries to and from Bearley Farm there will be no

material impact on the surrounding highway network should

the AD plant be approved. For more information on the


traffic movements and implications from this proposal please

refer to Volume 4 – Appendix 6, Transport Statement.

78. The proposed anaerobic digester would treat its feedstock

within a fully enclosed environment thus controlling odour

emissions so as not to cause nuisance to surrounding

receptors. Slurry would be held in a buffer tank and from

there be pumped direct to the anaerobic digester.

79. The resulting digestate would have significantly lower odour

impact than slurry and would as such reduce odour emissions

during periods of spreading.

Economic Context

80. The proposed development would employ one full time

member of staff, which is of obvious benefit to the local

economy.

81. It is anticipated that during the construction of the plant, a

number of jobs would be created some of which may involve

the use of a local workforce. In addition, during the

construction phase, temporary workers may increase the

revenue of local services.

Planning Policy

82. Details of planning policies within the development plan for

the local area have been provided in the Supporting

Statement along with national planning policies and

guidance (paragraphs 37 – 59 above).

83. With regard to the design and access of the proposed

development, the following documents are of relevance and

have been duly considered.

84. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has an over-

riding presumption in favour of sustainable development and

promotes the use of renewable energy. In addition, the

document outlines that good design and function is key to

sustainable development.

85. At local level, the emerging Draft Core Strategy 2008-2028

has a key objective of Movement toward a Carbon Neutral

economy by 2030. This is underpinned by a policy to Address

Climate Change in South Somerset.

86. The current adopted Local Plan (1991-2011) outlines the

importance of the design and visual impact of the

development whilst minimising the impact on biodiversity.

Policies further state that new development should respect


the character of the surrounding area, minimise impacts on

the environment, maintain road safety, conserve habitats

and utilise renewable energy.

Design

Use

87. The proposed anaerobic digester would provide an on-site

capacity to treat cow slurry, farmyard manure and chicken

litter in order to provide a soil conditioner and fertiliser in the

form of digestate.

88. In addition, the anaerobic digester would generate a source

of renewable energy for use on the farm. The proposed

development would reduce odours in the local vicinity by

maintaining slurry in a closed system (digester and digestate

store are covered tanks) and by the spreading of digestate,

rather than slurry, on the land through a network of

underground pipes.

Amount

89. As detailed on the accompanying drawings, the proposed

development would comprise a digester tank, two digestate

stores, a pre-slurry buffer tank separator, two solids feeders, a

pumping station, an operational building containing a CHP

unit, a gas flare, gas conversion plant, a three bay silage

clamp and a concrete yard for vehicular movements.

Layout

90. The site layout of the proposed development is shown in

Volume 4, Figure 2 – Block Plan.

91. The layout of the proposed AD facility has taken into

consideration a number of technical, environmental and

commercial considerations.

Scale

92. Details of the size of the proposed development are given in

this Volume 1 Supporting Statement (paragraph 13 above)

and in Volume 4 Figure 2 – Block Plan and Figure 3 – Elevation

Plan of the Planning Application.

93. The size of the proposed anaerobic digester and associated

equipment is directly related to the volume of feedstock to

be processed at the site.


Landscaping

94. The position of the proposed AD facility at Bearley Farm has

been selected with several considerations in mind, in

particular that there would be minimal visual disturbance.

95. The anaerobic digester tank, digestate storage tanks and

buffer tank would all be dug into the ground to depths of

between 2m - 4.8m below the current ground level.

96. The proposal includes the planting of trees and shrubs along

sections of the site boundary to minimise the visual impact of

the site in addition to enriching habitats and improving

biodiversity.

Appearance

97. The appearance of the proposed plant is related to its

proposed function but would be sympathetic to the

character of the local countryside. The appearance of the

site is shown in Volume 4, Figure 2 – Block Plan and Figure 3 –

Elevation Plan.

98. The proposed buildings and tanks could be compared to

agricultural buildings (such as barns and silos) and as such

would fit in with other agricultural development.

99. Established hedgerows would be retained and in places

supplemented, to provide screening.

100. All proposed structures would be green in colour (Juniper

Green 12B29) to complement their surroundings.

101. Low level lighting would be installed on the side of the

digester tank to give visibility to the solids feeder. In addition,

there would be an outside light on the operations building.

Access

Public Rights of Way

102. The proposed site is located on private land. It is not

designated access land (designated under the CRoW Act

2000). There is public access land at the Wild Fowl Reserve

approximately 0.75km southwest of the proposed site.

103. There are no public Rights of Way within the proposed site.

There is a public footpath that runs from northwest to

northeast of the proposed site. The Witcombe Drove runs

west of the proposed site, and the Thornhill Drove track and

Ash Drove track run south and west of the site. There would


be no direct effects on the nearby Public Rights of Way as a

result of the proposed development.

Traffic Access

104. Access to the proposed site would be via a track off a

private road (Bearley Lane). Access at the Bearley

Lane/A303 junction would follow the current Traffic

Management Agreement in terms of direction of travel

required.

Traffic Impact

105. At present the agricultural element of Bearley Farm comprises

of predominantly arable land. In order to service and

maintain the land and distribute the crops a significant

number of deliveries to and from the farm are currently

made. In addition to the arable operation of the farm,

Bearley Farm has a contract in place with Viridor for the use

of a lagoon for which the waste/soiled water resulting from

the washing process at local dairies is held. At present the

contract is for 10 loads per day. The contract that Bearley

Farm has with Viridor will be renewed on an annual basis from

December 2013.

106. In order to prevent an increase in vehicle movements should

the AD plant be constructed and to stay within the 10 loads

per day currently generated, the contractual obligations with

Viridor would be reduced to such a level that would allow for

any additional movements associated with the AD plant.

Thus while the proposed AD plant would change the nature

of the deliveries to and from Bearley Farm there will be no

material impact on the surrounding highway network should

the AD plant be approved.

107. The proposed anaerobic digester would result in no material

change to the highway network. For more information,

please refer to Volume 4, Appendix 6 – Transport Statement.

108. Two car parking spaces would be included at the proposed

site.

Summary

109. This Design and Access Statement outlines the design and

access concepts that have been used for the proposed

anaerobic digester at Bearley Farm.

110. The proposal to erect an anaerobic digester at the Bearley

Farm site, in order to treat animal slurry and farmyard manure

to generate renewable energy and digestate, has


undergone an extensive design process resulting in the

scheme outlined in this Design and Access Statement and

associated documents

111. In conclusion, it is believed that the proposed development

offers a sustainable and modern approach whilst complying

with relevant planning policy.

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