Local
Section 45 (1) of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 requires that all applications must have regard to the local plan, so far as material to the application, and all other material considerations. Section 6(4) states that in making any determination where regard is to be had to the local development plan (LDP), the determination must be made in accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The adopted LDP for the proposed site is the
Strabane Area Plan (SAP) 1986 – 2001. The site is located within the rural area outside
any designations.
Draft Derry City and Strabane District Council Plan Strategy 2032
It is anticipated The Draft Derry City and Strabane District Council Plan Strategy 2032 (dDCSPS) will be adopted in late 2024 or early 2025. On this basis the dCSPS is likely to be the adopted Plan for the determination of the proposed planning application.
The dDCSPS includes a number of objectives, which include the following:
(iv) To recognise the North West’s significant renewable energy resource and encourage the use of sustainable energy both as a means of generating money for the local economy, attracting investment in enterprise and providing sustainable and affordable electrical power for the population.
Strategic Designations
The dDCSPS includes two Strategic Environmental Spatial Designations – a Special Countryside Area (“SCA”; Designation SCA 1) related to the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (“AONB”), and a number of Areas of High Landscape Importance (“AHLI”; Designation AHLI 1). None of the identified areas for these designations are in or close to the proposed site.
The dDCSPS also designates Wind Energy Capacity Areas (“WECA”; Designation WEC). These are localised areas of the District that have experienced significant pressure from wind farms and single turbines (existing, operational and approved) so need careful consideration of any further such proposals, to prevent unacceptable further development. The proposed site does not fall within any of these areas.
The dDCSPS designates two areas of Greenbelt (Designation GB 1), one around Derry City and one around Strabane. It also identifies Development Pressure Areas (Designation DPA 1). Development in these areas is restricted due to having been identified as being under particular development pressure, or that have particular potential for such. The site is not located within either of the identified designations.
Regional
Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) and Planning Policy Statement 21 (PPS 21) ‘Sustainable Development in the Countryside The SPPS and PPS 21 state that planning permission will be granted for renewable energy projects in accordance with Planning Policy Statement 18 (PPS 18) ‘Renewable Energy’.
PPS 18 ‘Renewable Energy Development’
PPS 18 Policy RE1 ‘Renewable Energy Development’ sets out the criteria in which all energy generating development from renewable sources, including wind energy development, will be assessed.
Policy RE1 also requires that all proposals for renewable energy development should have account to the following supplementary guidance:
1. Best Practice Guidance to Planning Policy Statement 18 ‘Renewable Energy’; and
2. Wind Energy Development in Northern Ireland’s Landscapes.
There is also a renewable energy policy in the draft Plan Strategy – Policy RED 1 – Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Development – General Criteria. This policy closely reflects the requirements of Policy RE 1 of PPS18.
An Environmental Statement and Design and Access Statement will be submitted with a full planning application and set out in detail how the proposal complies with the relevant regional planning policy and supplementary guidance.