Planning, Design and Access Statement

Planning, Design and Access Statement Installation of an agricultural dryer and retrospective permission for a replacement site office and an LV board at: Grange Farm, Snetteron, Norwich On behalf of Grange Farm Renewables Limited October 2015

Grange Farm Renewable Energy Limited Planning, Design and Access Statement

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CONTENTS

1. Introduction 2. Site Overview 3. Proposal 4. Planning Policy 5. Potential Impacts 6. Policy Assessment 7. Conclusion

Appendices Appendix 1 Noise Data

Drawings 106.P1a Location Plan

106.P3 Layout and Elevations

106.P2 General View

106.A4 Drainage

12.1 Dryer Elevation

14 Office Elevations

11 LV Board


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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The proposal being considered in this planning application is the installation of an

agricultural dryer and retrospective planning for a replacement office and an LV board at

Grange Farm, Snetterton.

1.2 Grange Farm is a 400 acre farming unit (mainly arable with diary) and in 2013 consent

was granted planning permission for a 499kW agricultural anaerobic digestion (AD) plant1,

which has now been built. The AD plant is a diversification of farming practices and

utilises agricultural resources (for example, crops and manures) to produce a valuable

source of renewable electricity2 and a natural organic fertiliser (digestate) that is used to

continually improve the land in place of inorganic man made fertilisers from less

sustainable resources.

1.3 Developing the AD plant at Grange Farm supports the farming unit and helps protect it

from the varying fluctuations in domestic and global prices and demands for its products.

From a wider environmental perspective the plant provides a valuable contribution to

cutting greenhouse gas emissions, helps to increase the use of renewable and low carbon

energy and reduces reliance on scarce non-renewable energy resources. Locally the AD

plant provides and helps sustain local employment, is self-sufficient in its power needs

and the utilisation of the digestate reduces reliance on expensive imported inorganic

fertilisers and raw manures and re-cycles essential nutrients and organic carbon back into

the land, completing the recycling chain.

1.4 The introduction of the agricultural dryer seeks to further enhance the sustainability of

agricultural operations at the Grange Farm AD facility. The dryer will produce a drier

digestate using residual heat from the existing CHP unit via a renewable, low carbon

localised decentralised energy scheme. The opportunity to capture and make use of this

residual heat and convert it into something of value is supported by Government and

planning policy, as it will increase the proportion of heat generated from renewable

sources and help the UK meet EU targets to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy

security, reduce reliance on scarce non-renewable energy resources and has the potential

to create ‘green jobs’.

1 Installation of an agricultural anaerobic digestion facility, storage; digester and hydrolysis tanks; clamping area 12 November 2013, reference 3PL/2013/0864/F. 2 Enough for up to 1,285 dwellings


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1.5 Replacing the site office to the centre of the site operations will enable more effective

operational control and management. The LV board is needed for the export of

renewable electricity from the AD site.

2.0 SITE OVERVIEW

2.1 The application site is located in the centre and south of the existing AD development at

Grange Farm, Snetterton, as shown in Figure 1. The dryer is a new piece of plant that

will be integrated with the AD development and share the same access, associated

infrastructure (including the existing separator and sealed drainage system) and

personnel. The office is a replacement of the existing consented office repositioned to the

east of the site. The LV board is required to support the export of renewable electricity to

the National Grid and is located adjacent to the substation and transformer to the south of

the site. The AD site is approximately 0.95Ha in area and the application area within that

is 0.0303Ha.

Figure 1. Proposed Dryer, Replacement Office and LV Board Location within AD Facility

Extract from drw 106.P3 Layout and Elevations

2.2 As with the AD facility, the application site is located in the open countryside. It is

bounded by the AD development, which in itself it bounded by agricultural land to the east,

south and north and existing agricultural buildings of the farmstead to the west, including


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diary sheds. Access to the site is through the existing farm entrance off Chalk Lane, to

the west.

2.3 Grange Farm is located south of the hamlet of North End in the parish of Snetterton. The

nearest residential properties not in the ownership of the applicant are located about

250m northwest and 300m north of the proposed dryer (the nearest part of the application

boundary). The nearest Listed Building (Grade II) is located about 370m north of the

dryer and there are two further Listed Buildings (Grade II) 460m and 560m north. There

are no public rights of way that cross the site and no scheduled monuments within 1km.

The application site is located in Flood Zone 1, which is at low probability of flooding, and

has no ecological interests, as the surface of the application area is concrete.

3.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

Location

3.1 For a number of reasons the preferred location for the dryer at the farm is within the AD

site. This will maximise the use of the area, enable existing infrastructure to be used,

maximise operational efficiency and control and enable the dryer to be powered by the

renewable energy from the AD facility. The replacement office is located to be more

central to site operations and the LV board is located with the other electricity generating

plant and equipment.

Scale and Appearance

3.2 The AD development comprises a number of structures, plant and machinery, the largest

of which are the digester and digestate storage tanks which are about 12m above ground

level (agl) and 20m/25m diameter, respectively. The proposed agricultural dryer, office

and transformer are a low profile design that will blend unobtrusively with the existing AD

development profiles. The dimensions of the proposed dryer, office and LV board are

shown in Table 1. The dryer is of a similar size and colour to the approved AD CHP

container unit which measures 12m x 2.9m x 2.9m height. The separator is integrated

with the dryer. The existing consented office dimensions are 2.4m (W) x 6m (L) x 2.5m

(H).


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Table 1. Dimensions of Dryer Unit, Office and Transformer – refer to drawings for details

Length Width Height Finish

Dryer Unit 15.8m 3.5m 4.6m (including plinth)

Galvanised steel, Moss Green

Office Unit 9.6m 3m 2.6m Portacabin unit, RAL 7035 Light Grey

LV Board 3.6m 2.6m 2.25m Glass reinforced plastic, 12B29 Juniper Green

Note: the dryer unit includes the separator.

3.3 The dryer unit will have a separately built and dedicated storage bay for the dried output.

A bay for material that has not passed through the dryer is already consented in planning

permission 3PL/2013/0864/F, forming part of the separator (bay approx. 4.3m x 6.3m x

3m), but will be realigned to accommodate the dryer at the same location. The bay

dimensions and finish are provided below.

Table 2. Dryer Bay Dimension – refer to drawing 12.1 for details

Bay Length Width Height Finish Covered dried solid digestate

5m 4.3m 3.5m Impermeable concrete base. Walls to 3 sides: concrete blocks to 2m and aluminium cladding to full height (Moss Green). Cover will be aluminium cladding and Moss Green.

Uncovered solid digestate (from separator)

4.3m 4.3m 3m Impermeable concrete base. Concrete walls to 3 sides.

Digestate Use

3.4 Utilisation of the nutrient rich digestate from the agricultural AD plant at Grange Farm as a

bio-fertiliser to benefit crops is an excellent alternative to bagged artificial fertilisers that

were being imported onto the farm. It also increases the sustainability of farming

practices, as it reduces greenhouse gases associated with inorganic fertiliser

manufacture and transportation and recycles the natural organic humus and nutrients

back into the land. The availability of nutrients from the digestate to crops is also higher

when compared with undigested feedstocks (such as manures).

Forms of Digestate 3.5 Digestate is produced as a mixture (whole digestate) of solid (fibrous) and liquid (liquor)

fractions. All forms contain valuable nutrients but due to their different physical properties

the management and application techniques for each will vary. The ratio of solid to liquid

digestate produced is typically 20:80 and it can be advantageous to farming operations to


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separate the two fractions out to maximise operating potential and reduce the need for

built storage (as whole and liquid digestate are required to be stored in built tanks or

lagoons).

Digestate Production

3.6 The AD plant produces whole digestate which is separated into fibrous and liquor fractions

using a separator on site. This will not change as a result of these proposals.

3.7 The solid fraction typically still has a 70% moisture content and drying it can reduce this to

approximately 20%. Reducing the amount of moisture within the solid digestate helps to:

• Improve its long term storage potential;

• Improve its manageability;

• Allow even spreading of digestate throughout the year;

• Concentrate the level of nutrients within the soil for crop uptake to help crop

yields.

Dryer Operation

Current Method

3.8 Separation of the solid digestate from the liquid digestate currently takes place on the site

in the separator and forms part of the existing consented development. The location of

the separator is shown in Figure 2.

3.9 The process is automatic and starts at the final digestate storage tank, from where

digestate is transported to the separator via an underground pipe. The separator operates

24 hours a day and uses a screw press system to ‘press’ the digestate, separating the

solid fraction from the liquid fraction. About 20% of the digestate going through this

system will form the solid fraction, which itself will comprise about 30% dry matter and

70% moisture. The liquid fraction is returned automatically to the digestate storage

tank via underground pipework and the solid fraction drops onto the concrete pad beneath

the separator pending removal.


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Figure 2. Location of Existing Separator and Separator Bay at Grange Farm AD.

Extract from consented drw 106.P3 Layout and Elevations R5.

Proposed Amendment

3.10 There will be no change to the operation of the separator as part of these proposals.

However, rather than drop onto the concrete bay beneath the separator the solid output

will be conveyed over a very short distance to the adjacent dryer.

3.11 The digestate will pass through the dryer in a layer and dried using renewable heat from

the CHP unit. Any dust generated will be collected and contained in the integrated dust

suppression unit and recycled back through the process. The output from the dryer will

fall into a covered concrete bunker where it will remain until it is removed.

3.12 The dryer, similarly to the CHP and consented separator, will be in operation 24hrs a day

and will not be required to be manned for all of this time.

3.13 If the dryer is at capacity but the separator is still in operation the separated solid fraction

will automatically be diverted to fall onto the concrete bay beneath the separator as

existing.

3.14 The solid digestate from the dryer is the same fibrous compost like product from the

existing separator except that it will have a lower moisture content.


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3.15 The proposals will not increase vehicle movements associated with the operation of the

AD plant.

Access

3.16 Access to the dryer, office and LV board will be via the farm access off Chalk Lane. This

is also utilised by the AD plant.

Landscaping

3.17 The application site sits within the consented AD development and will benefit from the

landscaping approved under the AD planning permission. The area designated for

landscaping as part of the AD development is located to the north of the site, as shown on

drawing 106.P2 General View and comprises a mixture of trees and shrubs. The site was

still under construction in the last planting season and a landscape contractor has been

commissioned to complete the planting in October 2015.

Lighting

3.18 No lighting is required as part of this proposal.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY

European Legislation

The Renewables Directive - Directive 2009/28/EC (April 2009)

4.1 The Renewables Directive is a European Union directive which mandates levels of

renewable energy use within the European Union. The Directive encourages energy

efficiency, energy consumption from renewable sources and the improvement of energy

supply.

4.2 In relation to agriculture the directive states ‘The use of agricultural materials, such as,

manure, slurry and other animal and organic wastes for biogas production has, in the view

of high greenhouse gas emission saving potential, significant environmental advantages

in terms of heat and power production and its use as biofuel. Biogas installations can, as

a result of their decentralised nature and the regional investment structure, contribute


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significantly to sustainable development in rural areas and offer farmers new income

opportunities’.

4.3 In terms of mandatory targets, each Member State has a target calculated according to

the share of energy from renewable sources in its gross final consumption for 2020. The

2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets the UK target as 15% of its total energy

consumption, including transport, from renewable sources.

4.4 The Government assessed this target could be achieved by meeting 30%, 12% and 10%

of the UK’s electricity, heat and transport demand from renewable sources. In 2013 15%

of the UK’s electricity demand was being met from renewable sources but renewable heat

projects were less well developed. To encourage and increase the number of renewable

heat schemes the Government introduced a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme and

is aiming to deliver as many as 124,000 renewable heat installations by 2020.

National Policy And Guidance

Climate Change Act (2008)

4.5 The Climate Change Act sets legally binding emission reduction targets for the UK. The

Act identifies that the UK should reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020 and

at least 80% by 2050 by 1990 levels.

Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan (June 2011)

4.6 The Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan sets out a vision for AD by the

Government. It recognises that AD helps to deliver a sustainable farming sector, where

resources are reused on-farm to reduce greenhouse gases and provide secure and

sustainable inputs.

National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012)

4.7 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s economic,

environmental and social planning policies for England. Taken together, these policies

articulate the Government’s vision of sustainable development and are material

considerations in determining all planning applications.


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4.8 The NPPF sets out the Government’s requirements for the planning system only to the

extent that is relevant, proportionate and necessary to do so; and replaced all national

Planning Policy Statement’s (PPS) and Planning Policy Guidance’s (PPG).

4.9 Paragraph 12 of the NPPF states “proposed development that accords with an up-to-date

Local Plan [Core Strategy] should be approved, and proposed development that conflicts

should be refused unless other material considerations indicate otherwise”.

The principle of sustainable development

4.10 Paragraph 14 identifies that a presumption in favour of sustainable development is at the

heart of the NPPF, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-

making and decision making. To this end, a core principle of the NPPF is that planning

should “support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing climate, taking full

account of flood risk and costal 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)”. Furthermore, paragraph 93

states that supporting the delivery of renewable and low carbon energy and associated

infrastructure is “central to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of

sustainable development”.

The principle of renewable energy

4.11 To help increase the use and supply of renewable and low carbon energy, Local Planning

Authorities should recognise the responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy

generation from renewable or low carbon sources, and as such should have a positive

strategy to promote energy from these energy sources and design their policies to

maximise these energy sources whilst ensuring that adverse impacts are addressed

satisfactorily, including cumulative landscape and visual impacts, as outlined in paragraph

97.

4.12 When determining planning applications, paragraph 98 specifies that Local Planning

Authorities should not “require applicants for energy development to demonstrate the

overall need for renewable or low carbon energy and also recognise that even small-scale

projects provide a valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions”, and that

they should “approve the application if its impacts are (or can be made) acceptable”.


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Landscape and visual impact

4.13 Chapter 11 of the NPPF addresses the impact of proposals on the surrounding landscape

and environment, and states that the planning system should contribute to and enhance

the natural and local environment by protecting and enhancing valued landscapes.

4.14 Paragraph 113 identifies that Local Planning Authorities should set criteria based policies

against which proposals for any development on or affecting protected wildlife or geo-

diversity sites or landscape areas will be judged, and that “distinctions should be made

between the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites, so that

protection is commensurate with their status and gives appropriate weight to their

importance and the contribution that they make to wider ecological networks”.

Noise

4.15 Paragraph 123 states that decisions on planning applications should recognise that

development will often create some noise and therefore should aim to avoid noise as a

result of new development giving rise to significant adverse impacts on health and quality

of life, and should seek to mitigate and reduce to a minimum other adverse impacts on

health and quality of life arising from noise from new development, as outlined in the

Noise Policy Statement for England.

Heritage assets

4.16 Paragraph 131 of the NPPF identifies that when determining planning applications, Local

Planning Authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any

heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of

detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to

understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance.

Development in rural areas

4.17 Paragraph 28 states that economic growth in rural areas should be supported in order to

create jobs and prosperity by taking a positive approach to sustainable new development.

As such, sustainable growth and expansion of all types of business and enterprise in rural

areas should be supported, and the development and diversification of agricultural and

other land-based rural businesses should be promoted.


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Local Planning Policy and Guidance

4.18 In 20043 legislation required existing Local Plans to be replaced by new Local

Development Frameworks and this was further modified in 2012 following the introduction

of Regulations4 stemming from the Localism Act 2011. As part of these Regulations each

local planning authority is required to produce Local Development Schemes listing and

timetabling their new Local Plans and Supplementary Planning Documents.

Breckland District Council Adopted Core Strategy (2009)

4.19 The policies in the Breckland District Core Strategy that are most relevant to this

application are Policy CP1 Spatial Development Strategy, CP 11 Protection and

Enhancement of the Landscape, CP 12 Energy, DC 1 Protection of Amenity, DC 13 Flood

Risk, DC 15 Renewable Energy and DC 21 Farm Diversification.

4.20 Policy CP 1 – Spatial Development Strategy. Identifies the strategy for where

development should be located within the District. Development within the countryside

will be limited to proposals of an appropriate scale which would diversity the local

economy.

4.21 Policy CP 11 – Protection and Enhancement of the Landscape. The landscape of the

District will be protected for the sake of its own intrinsic beauty and its benefit to the rural

character and in the interests of biodiversity, geodiversity and historic conservation.

Development should have particular regard to maintaining the aesthetic and biodiversity

qualities of natural and man-made features within the landscape, including a consideration

of individual or groups of natural features such as trees, hedges and woodlands or rivers,

stream or other topographical features.

4.22 Policy CP 12 – Energy. The Local Authority encourages and will support the provision of

renewable and low-carbon technologies, including micro-renewables secured through new

residential, commercial or industrial development. Opportunities to deliver decentralised

energy systems, particularly those which are powered by a renewable or low-carbon

source, will be supported. Renewable and low-carbon, decentralised systems will be

encouraged to support the sustainable development of major growth locations such as

Snetterton Heath.

3 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 4 The Town and Country Planning (England) Regulations 2012


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4.23 Policy DC 1 – Protection of Amenity. For all new development consideration will need to

be given to the impact upon amenity. Development will not be permitted where there are

unacceptable effects on the amenities of the area or the residential amenity of

neighbouring occupants, or future occupants of the development site. When considering

the impact of the development in terms of the amenities of the area and residential

amenity, regard will be had to the following issues: overlooking and/or privacy loss,

dominance or overshadowing, odour, noise, vibration or other forms of disturbance, other

forms of pollution (including contaminated land, light pollution or the emission of

particulates), important features or characteristics of the area; or quality of the landscape

or townscape.

4.24 Policy DC 13 – Flood Risk. New development should be located in areas at least risk of

flooding. New development will be expected to minimise flood risk to people, property and

places. Proposals which increase the risk of flooding to people, property or places, either

directly or indirectly, will not be permitted in accordance with a risk based approach.

4.25 Policy DC 15 – Renewable Energy. Renewable Energy Proposals for renewable energy

development, will be supported in principle. Permission will be granted for these

developments unless it, or any related infrastructure such as power lines or access roads

etc, has a significant detrimental impact or a cumulative detrimental impact upon: sites of

international, national or local nature and heritage conservation importance; the

surrounding landscape and townscape; local amenity as a result of noise, fumes,

electronic interference or outlook through unacceptable visual intrusion; highway safety.

4.26 Policy DC 21 – Farm Diversification. Proposals to diversify the range of economic

activities operating on a farm will be supported subject to certain criteria, including:

(a) The nature of the development is complementary in kind and compatible

in scale with the continuing farm enterprise.

5.0 POTENTIAL IMPACTS

5.1 The proposed development sees the installation of ancillary infrastructure to be installed

on the consented AD development site. Notwithstanding the consented infrastructure the

proposal has the potential to cause a number of impacts upon the environment and local

amenity, including:


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• Landscape and Visual • Noise • Odour •

Each of these is addressed in turn below.

Landscape and Visual Impact

5.2 The proposed agricultural dryer will be located towards the centre of the AD plant area on

an existing concrete area and within the permitted AD development footprint. It is an

agricultural dryer unit typical of those used on farms and would be considered in this

context. It will be green in colour, in keeping with the other plant on the site. It will be

similar height to the CHP unit and significantly lower than the digester and digestate

storage tanks, as shown in Figure 3. The office and LV board are also positioned within

the AD development footprint. The office replaces an existing office and although it is

slightly larger (longer by 3.6m and wider by 0.6m) its height is very similar (2.5m

compared to 2.4m) and is positioned such that it is screened from any potential views by

the existing AD development. The LV board is situated next the substation and

transformer and is of similar size.

Figure 3. Proposed Dryer and Office with Existing AD Plant Elevations (the dryer and office

are outlined in blue).

Extract from drw 106.P3 Layout and Elevations. The colour of the dryer will be Moss Green and the

Office, light grey.

5.3 The existing agricultural buildings, field bound hedgerows, mature planting along Chalk

Lane and the AD development itself will screen the proposed development.

5.4 Given the above it is not considered that the proposals will have any significant impact on

landscape or visual amenity.


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Noise

5.5 The nearest residential dwellings not financially involved in the proposed development are

located about 250m northwest of the application boundary. A Noise Impact Assessment

(NIA), including full background noise measurements, was undertaken for the AD

development5. The assessment demonstrated that the noise levels from the AD

operation would be of less than marginal significance and that no significant issues

relating to noise impacts were identified. To enforce this the planning permission for the

AD development requires that the development shall not generate a noise rating level

measured at the boundary of the nearest noise sensitive premises greater than 5dBA

above the existing background levels identified in the NIA during day time house (07.00 –

23.00) at location MO1 34dbBA, L90(15mins), location MO2 39dbBA, LA90(15mins) and

location MO3 35dbBA, LA90(15mins) and during night time hours (23.00 – 07.00) at

location MO1 34dbBA, L90(5mins), location MO2 39dbBA, LA90(5mins) and location MO3

35dbBA, LA90(5mins). These locations are identified in Figure 4 below. A Noise

Management Plan (January 2014) further regulates the management of noise at the AD

development (approved pursuant to condition 5 of the AD planning permission) and

includes noise control measures, emission monitoring, noise contingency measures,

emergency plans and management responsibilities and review.

Figure 4. Location of Nearest Noise Sensitive Properties referred to in AD Noise

Impact Assessment

Source: Noise Impact Assessment, September 2013

5 Noise Impact Assessment for a Proposed AD Digester, Grange Farm, Snetterton Enzygo Ltd, September 2013


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5.6 The NIA identified potential sources of noise from the AD plant, including: CHP unit

65dB(A) at 10m; and delivery vehicle movements of 105.5dB(A). The proposed dryer

has the potential to generate noise during operation, from the fans used. The

manufacturers’ noise rating and assessment is provided in Appendix A. This advises the

fans will have a noise level no higher than 66dB(A) at 3m. The equation below

extrapolates the noise impact of the dryer from 3m to 10m:

Attenuation @ 10m

Att = 20 log(10m/3m) 10.5 dBA

Sound pressure @ 10 m 55.5 dBA

5.7 The data above shows that the noise impact of the dryer at 10m is less that that of the

CHP engine. It is therefore considered that the proposed development will not have a

detrimental impact in terms of noise upon the amenity of the local area.

Odour

5.8 An odour assessment was undertaken for the AD development6 that considered the

effects of a number of sources of odour at the site which could cause impacts at sensitive

receptors, in particular the storage and utilisation of feedstocks. The assessment

considered the location of sensitive receptors, potential sources of emissions from the AD

plant, wind direction and respective frequencies. The report concluded that the proposed

development is unlikely to cause loss of amenity at any residential properties in the vicinity

of the site. This took into account the design and operational aspects of the proposals,

including frequency of feedstock delivery, covering of feedstocks in the silage clamps, and

the fact that the farm already handled a lot of feedstocks.

5.9 To support the AD development an Odour Management Plan7 (OMP) was produced to

clarify the potential sources of odour and to set out the procedures to be followed in order

to prevent or minimise odour emissions. It also provided a formal procedure for dealing

with any odour complaints. A similar OMP (September 2015) has been submitted in

support of this application with regard to the operation of the dryer.

6 Odour Assessment, Grange Farm AD Plant, Snetterton, REC 4th September 2013. 7 Odour Management Plan, REC 6th September 2013


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5.10 With regards to the dryer, the material that will be dried within it has already been

processed by the anaerobic digester, so the odour potential of the untreated feedstock

has already been reduced by this process. The material would have also been passed

through the separator at this point and (in the absence of the dyer) will be in the separator

bay pending removal. Therefore no additional potential odour source is created.

5.11 The separated solid fibrous fraction is passed from the separator into the dryer via a short

conveyor. Once dried the output from the dryer is conveyed into an adjacent covered

bunker.

5.12 The AD assessment assessed that the management of digestate at the site will not cause

a detrimental odour nuisance upon sensitive receptors. In relation to the dryer, the

potential for the dried digestate to produce odour is further reduced by the reduction in

moisture content.

5.13 With regard to the above and due to the distance to potential receptors of the proposed

dryer (over 200m from the application boundary) it is not considered that the proposed

development will cause any significant odour impacts, on its own or in combination with

the AD development.

6.0 POLICY ASSESSMENT 6.1 This application is a farm based scheme that will utilise an available residual renewable

resources from the existing AD process (that would otherwise go to waste) to further

diversify and improve farming practises and help the UK meet renewable energy targets.

It will also regularise the office facility and its location in a more centralised area of the site

will improve facilities for the control and management of operations. The provision of an

LV board is also necessary for the export of renewable electricity off site.

6.2 In addition to the above it is important to underline that the proposals to install the dryer is

a farm based diversification scheme and that it is a plant typically used on farms. This

agricultural use is in line with the NPPF. Key factors relating to the dryer proposals in

particular include:

• It is necessary for agriculture: it will improve the final digestate output to the benefit of farming practices and management;


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• It will further diversify the local economy and provide financial support to the farm and help sustain existing local employment;

• It is well related to existing farm buildings and developments; • Siting the dryer on the AD site optimises the sustainability of the

development:

It makes best and efficient use of land that has already been developed;

It utilises existing infrastructure;

It is proximate to a renewable heat source, enabling the incorporation of a decentralised energy scheme that will increase energy efficiency.

Utilisation of the residual heat will also have wider environmental benefits as it will reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources and will help the UK meet its mandatory renewable energy targets;

6.3 In terms of other policy requirements the development: has regard to the open countryside

and is appropriate in scale and type to its location (the proposed development is of low

profile and will be seen in the context of the existing agricultural AD development, which is

larger in scale and mass and will be of similar colour); will not impact on existing

landscaping or features of landscape significance; will not harm the character of the area

or cause any unacceptable landscape impacts; will not cause any unacceptable local

amenity impacts; will safeguard ground and surface waters; will not cause any highway

impact; the office and LV board are essential to the AD operation and the dryer will not

compromise the existing AD operations.

6.4 In balancing the principle of development and other material considerations, it has been

demonstrated that the development is agricultural and is therefore appropriate in this

location. With regard to the dryer proposals substantial weight is given to the renewable

energy benefits of the scheme and the farm diversification it facilitates. Minimal harm

would arise in terms of visual impact and the development would result in no

unacceptable environmental issues.

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 This application seeks approval to install an agricultural dryer and retrospective

permission for a replacement site office and LV board on the consented agricultural AD

plant at Grange Farm, Snetterton. The development has significant sustainability

benefits, in particular it will further diversify the farming activities, help sustain local


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employment, support and improve the digestate output to the benefit of farming practices,

make use of residual heat energy through a decentralised energy scheme and will support

the UK’s mandatory renewable energy targets.

7.2 The proposed development has been sited to maximise the use of the existing developed

area within the AD site, thus does not involve any additional land take. The dryer, office

and LV board are of low profile design and will be amongst the existing built form of the

AD development and will also benefit from existing agricultural buildings, mature tree and

hedgerow planting and the AD landscaping. The development will therefore have

minimal impact on landscape and visual amenity.

7.3 The proposals will not give rise to any unacceptable impact on the amenities of

neighbouring properties by virtue of noise or odour. Nor will the scheme have any

unacceptable impact on environmental matters including highways, ecology, ground and

surface waters, flooding or heritage assets.

7.4 This proposal is considered to accord with national and local plan policy with material

considerations weighing in favour of the proposal. In line with section 38(6) of the

Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and for the reasons set out above it is

respectfully requested that this application for the installation of the agricultural dryer and

retrospective permission for the replacement site office and an LV board at Grange Farm

is permitted.


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APPENDIX A

NOISE DATA

Planning, Design and Access Statement

Documents

Transcript of Planning, Design and Access Statement