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The Isles Wind Farm Background to community consultationJuly 2011
To support the production of a Statement of Community Consultation (SOCC) (a requirement of the Planning Act 2008)
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 4
PART 1: ............................................................................................................................. 5
BACKGROUND, STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................... 5
AND GUIDANCE ................................................................................................................. 5
1.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 6
E.ON ................................................................................................................................................. 6
The proposals .................................................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Key requirements of the Planning Act 2008 ...................................................................................... 7
1.3 Other legislation ................................................................................................................................ 8
1.4 Guidance ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Identified aims of pre-application consultation ............................................................................. 9
1.5 Proposed changes to the planning regime for NSIPs ....................................................................... 9
1.6 Key documents relating to the pre-application consultation process ............................................ 10
Statement of Community Consultation (SOCC) ............................................................................ 10
The Isles Wind Farm – Background to Community Consultation document................................ 10
The Consultation Report ............................................................................................................... 10
1.7 Where to find the legislation and guidance .................................................................................... 11
PART 2: ........................................................................................................................... 12
EC&R PLAN FOR CONSULTATION ...................................................................................... 12
AND ENGAGEMENT ......................................................................................................... 12
2.2 Approaching consultation ............................................................................................................... 13
The terms ‘engagement’ and ‘consultation’ .................................................................................. 13
What EC&R mean by ‘stakeholders’ .............................................................................................. 13
‘Inner’ and ‘Outer’ consultation zones ........................................................................................... 14
2.3 The Isles Wind Farm staged consultation methodology................................................................. 14
Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 14
Consultation on environmental information ................................................................................ 15
2.4 Methods of contact ......................................................................................................................... 15
General .......................................................................................................................................... 15
Consultation notifications for those within the inner and outer consultation zones .................. 16
2.5 Methods of consultation and engagement .................................................................................... 16
2.6 Feedback ......................................................................................................................................... 17
How feedback will be recorded .................................................................................................... 17
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Deadlines ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Reporting back to the community ................................................................................................ 17
What will happen to the records? ................................................................................................. 18
Data protection ............................................................................................................................. 18
2.7 The consultation timetable ............................................................................................................. 19
2.8 Other consultations ......................................................................................................................... 19
PART 3: ........................................................................................................................... 20
STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY CONSULTATION (advertised in the Northern Echo) .............. 20
PART 4: ........................................................................................................................... 25
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................... 25
Appendix 3: Stakeholders lists .............................................................................................................. 29
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INTRODUCTION
E.ON Climate and Renewables (EC&R) is proposing to develop a wind farm, to be known as The Isles
Wind Farm, on a site located around 1.5km to the east of Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. This will
require an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to be submitted to the Infrastructure
Planning Commission (IPC) or its successor body, the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit (MIPU)1.
EC&R hope to be in a position to submit the application in 2012.
EC&R will carry out a programme of engagement and consultation with the local community, and
others, before EC&R submit the DCO application. Feedback from the consultation programme will be
used to help shape the proposals.
An assessment will also be made of the significant effects that the wind farm proposal is likely to
have on the environment. To this end, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be carried out
and an Environmental Statement will be produced to accompany the DCO application. Consultation
will also be carried out on Preliminary Environmental Information before the DCO application is
submitted.
Planning legislation requires a ‘Statement of Community Consultation’ (SOCC) to be drawn up in
conjunction with the local planning authority and published in a local newspaper. The purpose of
the SOCC is to set out how people within the vicinity of the land will be consulted before the DCO
application is made.
The purpose of this document, ‘The Isles Wind Farm - Background to Community Consultation’, is to
set out the approach and methodology to be adopted by us for the purposes of the The Isles Wind
Farm community consultation programme. This is then summarised in the SOCC.
Part one of this document provides further context, legislation and guidance applicable to the pre-
application consultation requirement.
Part two sets out the approach and methodology to community consultation adopted for The Isles
Wind Farm project.
Part three contains The Isles Wind Farm SOCC, which will be published in accordance with the
requirements of the legislation.
This document sets out the broad strategy for the staged process of engagement and consultation
that is proposed, recognising the need for some flexibility to allow for possible extra meetings or
additional opportunities for people to comment as the consultation process progresses. There may
also be a need to update the SOCC ahead of the second stage of consultation.
1 Refer also to Section 1.5 for future changes that are proposed to the planning system under plans announced
by the Coalition Government.
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PART 1:
BACKGROUND, STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
AND GUIDANCE
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1.1 Background
E.ON
The UK will have to replace a third of its power stations in the next decade, and do it in a way that
ensures the lights stay on, that carbon emissions are reduced and that energy is kept as affordable
as possible for customers.
In order to achieve that, E.ON support the Government’s view that the UK needs a diversity of supply
that includes new nuclear power stations, cleaner fossil fuels and renewables, while also helping
consumers to become more energy efficient.
E.ON Climate and Renewables (EC&R) is a global business responsible for the E.ON Group’s global
renewable energy generation and climate protection activities, and is already one of the largest
renewable energy companies in the world.
In the UK, EC&R is one of the leading renewable energy generators with a portfolio of 21 operational
onshore and offshore wind farms, and one of the largest dedicated biomass power stations in the
UK - the award winning Steven’s Croft power station in Lockerbie.
EC&R believe that wind is a key resource in the UK for meeting the energy challenge set out above.
The proposals
EC&R have identified a potential wind farm site, to be known as The Isles Wind Farm, located
approximately 1.5km to the east of Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. This site has the potential to
accommodate between 25 and 45 turbines, with an installed electrical capacity of 50-115 megawatts
(MW).
Within this range, the wind farm would generate enough electricity for between around 23,000 and
53,000 homes2 each year. A map showing the location of the site and the boundary of the maximum
extent of the site is included in Appendix 1. The site includes an area which has been previously
proposed by us for a wind farm (the A1 Wind Farm) and The Isles Wind Farm would encompass this
proposal. The A1 Wind Farm, which is the subject of a separate planning application, will be
withdrawn as part of this process.
In addition to the wind turbines, the project proposal will need to consider access arrangements,
and electrical connection (though these works are expected to be minor) and construction issues.
EC&R are proposing to submit an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) under the
Planning Act 2008. Effectively, this constitutes the main ‘planning application’ for this project. This is
expected to be ready for submission in 2012. An Environmental Statement will be included with the
DCO, containing more information on the proposals, details of any likely significant environmental
effects and how EC&R will mitigate them.
2 Based on an average annual domestic household electricity consumption of 4,700kWh (Source DECC)
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1.2 Key requirements of the Planning Act 2008
Under the current legislation3, an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) would be
made to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) to permit construction of the The Isles Wind
Farm. This is a requirement of the Planning Act 2008, which provides the legal planning framework
for ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects’ (NSIPs). The Isles Wind Farm proposal would be
classed as a NSIP because it is an onshore generating station in England with an electrical capacity
greater than 50MW.
The Planning Act 2008 also imposes certain duties on the promoters of NSIPs to consult those who
would be directly affected by the proposals, people living within the vicinity of the land proposed for
the development, the general public, local authorities and a range of statutory bodies and other
consultees. This consultation must be carried out before an application for a DCO is submitted to the
IPC, and the intention is that feedback from the consultation will be used to help shape the
proposals.
Pre-application consultation is a particularly important element of the new planning system, and the
IPC can refuse to accept an application if it believes that the pre-application consultation has not
been properly carried out by the promoter.
Some of the key requirements of the Planning Act 2008 that relate to pre-application consultation
are:
Sections 42 – 45 require the promoter to consult a wide range of statutory consultees,
landowners, occupiers, tenants, local authorities for the area in which the development is
proposed and adjoining local authorities. At least 28 days must be allowed for this consultation.
Section 46 requires the promoter to provide all consultation material to the IPC before carrying
out consultation under Section 42.
Section 47 requires the promoter to consult the local community. The promoter must draw up a
‘Statement of Community Consultation’ (SOCC) explaining how it intends to carry out
consultation with the people who live in the vicinity of the land it wants to develop. The
promoter must consult the relevant local authorities for the area within which the development
is proposed and take account of responses it receives on the draft SOCC. It must then publish
the finalised SOCC in a newspaper circulating within the vicinity of the proposed site before
carrying out consultation in accordance with the SOCC.
Section 48 requires the promoter to publicise the proposed application and set a deadline for
the receipt of responses.
3 Refer also to Section 1.5 for future changes that are proposed to the planning system under plans announced
by the Coalition Government
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Section 49 requires the promoter to have regard to relevant responses to all consultation and
publicity undertaken under Sections 42, 47 and 48. This will be important for the promoter in
deciding the final form of the proposal and the associated DCO application.
Section 37 includes a requirement for the promoter to produce a Consultation Report to accompany
the DCO application. This document is required to set out what has been done to comply with
Sections 42, 47 and 48 in relation to the application for development consent, and will also set out
how responses have been taken into account in shaping proposals.
A one page simplified schematic (with explanation) has been produced to explain how the process
is intended to work for The Isles Wind Farm proposal, and this is included at Appendix 2.
NOTE: Reference is made above to the Section 42 consultation process with statutory and other
consultees. This is intended to provide the reader with a more complete picture of the requirements
for promoters. However, The Isles Wind Farm - Background to Community Consultation document
has been written to explain how the community consultation will be carried out under Section 47 of
the Planning Act 2008, providing background to the SOCC. The detail of the Section 42 process and
its outcomes will be provided in the Consultation Report which will accompany the application to
the IPC.
1.3 Other legislation
As well as the primary legislation laid down by the Planning Act 2008, regulations exist to provide
more clarity on how the Planning Act should be implemented. Two of particular relevance to pre-
application consultation are:
The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations
2009
The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2009
The latter includes a requirement (Regulation 10) to consult upon preliminary environmental
information. This applies to The Isles Wind Farm proposal because EC&R judge this to be a
development for which an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should be carried out. The output
of the EIA process will be reported in an Environmental Statement produced to accompany the DCO
application.
1.4 Guidance
Applicants for development consent are required to take account of guidance which is issued by the
Government and the IPC and which relate to pre-application consultation. As such, the following
guidance has been taken into consideration in the preparation of this Background to Community
Consultation document:
Guidance on pre-application consultation, Department for Communities and Local
Government, September 2009 (CLG Guidance)
IPC Guidance Note 1 on Pre-Application Stages (Chapter 2 of the Planning Act 2008), Revision
1, 29 March 2010)
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Identified aims of pre-application consultation
CLG Guidance sets out a number of principles for pre-application consultation. It notes for example
that the early involvement of local communities, local authorities and statutory consultees can bring
the following benefits:
To allow members of the public to influence the way projects are developed
To help local people understand better what a particular project means for them
To obtain important information about the economic, social and environmental impact of
the scheme from consultees
To enable potential mitigation measures to be considered and, in some cases, built into the
project before an application is submitted
It may identify ways in which the project could, without significant costs to promoters,
support wider strategic objectives.
In addition, it is noted that the IPC will place a high value on:
Ensuring the local community and stakeholders have access to all relevant information,
including the consultation process
The developer seeking the advice of the local authority with regard to developing a
consultation strategy
Ensuring all statutory consultees have an opportunity to influence plans before they are
submitted
A range of methods being used during consultation to ensure all groups are reached at an
early stage.
In terms of consultation methods, the CLG Guidance encourages promoters to consider using a
range of methods, possibly including:
Local exhibitions
Drop-in sessions
Workshops
Telephone advice lines
Citizen panels
Parish, town and community councils and their representative bodies
Internet
Media
1.5 Proposed changes to the planning regime for NSIPs
On 29th June 2010, the Coalition Government announced plans to abolish the IPC and to replace it
with a new body to be responsible for examining (but not deciding upon) NSIP applications. The
Localism Bill published on 13 December 2010 provides the statutory mechanism by which the IPC
will be abolished and replaced with a new body, to be known as the Major Infrastructure Planning
Unit (MIPU). The Localism Bill is currently the subject of parliamentary process. Under the Coalition
Government’s proposals, the final decision on DCO applications would be taken by the Secretary of
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State. The pre-application requirements, including those relating to consultation are expected to be
similar to those currently in place.
The existing system prevails until new or transitional arrangements are in place, and reference
continues to be made to the IPC throughout this document and the SOCC.
1.6 Key documents relating to the pre-application consultation process
Statement of Community Consultation (SOCC)
The requirement for a SOCC was set out earlier in Section 1.2.
The Isles Wind Farm SOCC sets out our commitment to community consultation. In accordance with
legislative requirements, Durham County Council has been consulted upon the content and publicity
of the SOCC, and its views have been taken into account. The SOCC will be published in the Northern
Echo newspaper. For reference, the SOCC is contained in Part 3 of this document.
The Isles Wind Farm – Background to Community Consultation document
To keep the SOCC reasonably succinct and readable (and capable of being published in a newspaper
notice), the IPC’s Guidance Note 1 recognises that it may be useful to have a separate background
document to set out more information behind the SOCC. This document has been produced to
provide background information to The Isles Wind Farm SOCC.
The Consultation Report
The legislative requirement for a Consultation Report was set out earlier in Section 1.2. It will provide
a record of the formal pre-application consultation, a summary of the responses received and how
relevant responses have been taken into account. CLG Guidance indicates that the Consultation
Report should set out:
A general description of the consultation process
Specifically what the promoter has done in compliance with the requirements of the
Planning Act 2008, IPC and CLG Guidance
How the promoter has taken into account any response to consultation with local
authorities on what should be in the Statement of Community Consultation
A summary of responses to the consultation
A description of how the application was influenced by those responses, outlining any
changes made as a result, and showing how significant relevant responses will be
addressed
An explanation as to why any significant relevant responses were not followed, including
relevant advice on impacts from the statutory consultee
Where the promoter has not followed the advice of the local authority, not complied with
the CLG Guidance or any relevant guidance published by the IPC, providing an explanation
for the action taken.
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In addition, the CLG Guidance notes that those that have contributed to the consultation process
should receive feedback. This may require respondents to be provided with the Consultation Report
or a simplified, shorter version. Importantly, this will need to indicate how the information received
by the promoters has been taken into account, as well as how outstanding issues have been
addressed.
1.7 Where to find the legislation and guidance
The key legislation and guidance is available to download from the IPC website:
http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/
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PART 2:
EC&R PLAN FOR CONSULTATION
AND ENGAGEMENT
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2.1 Objective
Our objectives are to:
Inform and educate stakeholders about The Isles Wind Farm proposal in a clear and
unambiguous manner
Provide access to information at all stages of the engagement and consultation process so
that stakeholders can develop a well informed understanding of the development proposals
Enable opportunities for views to be made, expressed, understood and recorded
Facilitate opportunities for stakeholders to meet with our staff and other members of the
project team
Give proper consideration to comments received in the formulation of our proposals, and
provide feedback to those who have responded.
2.2 Approaching consultation
The terms ‘engagement’ and ‘consultation’
The terms ‘engagement’ and ‘consultation’ can be easily confused. EC&R have tried to set out what
EC&R mean here for the process of community involvement as follows.
EC&R will seek to be open and engaging, by making people aware of the proposal and providing
information about it in a variety of different ways, and EC&R will be fully open and receptive to views
EC&R receive about the project. EC&R see this as a process of engagement.
However, there will be certain times in the development process when EC&R particularly need the
input of the community on specific aspects of the project. These formal ‘consultations’ will be well
advertised in the press, by direct notification for those living close to the site and on The Isles Wind
Farm project’s web pages. The consultations are, therefore, designed to reach out to a wide
audience to gather the views of the public and community. Such consultations will be carried out in
accordance with the requirements of Section 47 of the Planning Act 2008, the guidance of the IPC
and CLG and in accordance with the SOCC and will be carefully recorded such that a true record of
the questions, responses and our subsequent actions can be submitted as part of the Consultation
Report to the IPC with the DCO application.
Public comment will be an important factor to be taken into account, along with the views of
statutory and non statutory bodies including local authorities, the advice of our consultants and of
course relevant national and local policies. EC&R will then need to reach decisions and move the
proposal forward.
What EC&R mean by ‘stakeholders’
Part 1 of this document provided an overview of the two different consultation processes – one
aimed at public and the community (the ‘Section 47’ requirement), the other aimed at statutory and
other bodies (the ‘Section 42’ requirement). The output from both the Section 42 and Section 47
consultation processes will be documented within the Consultation Report to be submitted with the
DCO application.
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For the purpose of the SOCC, where the focus is on the Section 47 community consultation process,
‘stakeholder’ means those individuals, groups or organisations with an interest in the project and
those living within the vicinity of the land where The Isles Wind Farm is proposed to be developed.
For the purposes of the public and community engagement, stakeholders are considered in two
broad categories:
In accordance with Section 47 of the Planning Act 2008:
Members of the public / residents living in the vicinity of the land
Land owners
Community groups
In relation to associated guidance:
Businesses
Educational organisations
Voluntary and charity groups
Ecological groups
Political (local) groups
These lists are expanded upon further within Appendix 3, although it is accepted that this list is not
exhaustive and may need to be reviewed and amended as the consultation process develops (a final
list of consultees will be included within the Consultation Report).
‘Inner’ and ‘Outer’ consultation zones
Whilst anyone will be able to participate in the consultations, with the aim of maximising local
awareness and participation in the consultation process, and in conjunction with Durham County
Council, EC&R have identified two zones around the maximum possible site boundary. The inner and
outer zones are shown on the map in Appendix 4.
The identification of stakeholders and the use of zones have helped in developing a more targeted
method for engagement and consultation (see Sections 2.4, 2.5 and the consultation schedules in
Sections 2.7 for further details).
2.3 The Isles Wind Farm staged consultation methodology
Overview
For a development of this nature, a two-stage consultation strategy is being adopted as follows:
Stage One: In the first stage of the consultation, views will be sought on a number of possible wind
farm layouts, and various constraints criteria will be explained to show how these
layouts were identified. The Stage One consultation will help in preparing a preliminary
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layout for further consultation in Stage Two. Access arrangements, electrical connection
and construction management will not be considered at this stage.
Stage Two: Following consideration and assessment of responses to the Stage One consultation, a
preliminary layout of the wind farm will be drawn up. A second stage of consultation
will then take place on this layout and other supporting material. This will include
information on other aspects of the proposal such as access arrangements, electrical
connection and construction management.
National energy policy will be outside of the scope of the consultations. The IPC will need to decide
the application in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act 2008, taking into account the
Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1) and the National Policy Statement for
Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3), once designated by Government and the specifics of the
DCO application.
For both stages of consultation a Consultation Document and Non Technical Summary of the
Consultation document will be widely available. Further reference is made to the Consultation
Document in further Sections of this document.
Consultation on environmental information
By virtue of this being an EIA application for which an Environmental Statement will be needed,
there will also be a need to consult on Preliminary Environmental Information (PEI) before
submitting the DCO application. This is information which will be compiled by us to assess the likely
significant environmental effects of the proposed wind farm. Consultation on PEI will take place
when sufficient environmental information is available, which is likely to be after the Stage Two
consultation. Details will be publicised in advance.
It is proposed that the overall programme of engagement and consultation will run for
approximately 12 months, ending with the submission of the application for the Development
Consent Order (DCO) in 2012.
2.4 Methods of contact
General
In order to inform stakeholders about the proposals and the consultation and engagement process
effectively, a range of communication tools and different media will be used. Examples include:
Invitation letter and Non Technical Summary of the Consultation document – to be provided to
those within the inner consultation zone, as well as a variety of other stakeholders (Appendix 3
provides a guide to the identification of such recipients) providing information on the project and
details of the consultations. A questionnaire on the scheme will be provided in due course, (see
Section 2.5, below).
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Advertising – information on public exhibitions and key milestones in the project development
process will be shared with a wide audience through advertising in local newspapers and online
media.
Posters – to be displayed in high foot fall areas or places of local relevance.
Consultation questionnaire forms – these will available at events and public exhibitions.
Web pages - online methods will be utilised for the dissemination of information, providing an
update on the project, advertising engagement and consultation events, contact details and
providing a mechanism for people to respond to the consultation. The web address will be included
within The Isles Wind Farm SOCC.
Community phone line – a freephone number will be publicised and included within The Isles Wind
Farm SOCC. Out of hours, an answer machine facility will ensure that people can leave their views, or
request a call back.
Post – A free postal address will be made available for those wishing to make contact and for
responses to the consultation. The address will be included within The Isles Wind Farm SOCC.
Consultation notifications for those within the inner and outer consultation zones
Proactive notification of consultations will be communicated to those within the inner consultation
zone to make them aware of the events directly. Beyond that, the emphasis will be on indirect
awareness raising such as newspapers and information posted on The Isles Wind Farm web pages.
Advertising within selected local newspapers will raise awareness of the proposal and consultation
events within the outer consultation zone agreed with Durham County Council.
2.5 Methods of consultation and engagement
Listed below are some of the methods EC&R will use to engage and consult on the scheme:
Consultation document – The consultation document will include the material associated with each
stage of consultation. It will be made available at the exhibitions and in a number of other locations
which are easily accessible to the public. This information will also be available to download from
The Isles Wind Farm web pages. A Non Technical Summary of the consultation document will also be
produced and included with a covering letter to those in the inner consultation zone as well as
being made available on the web pages and to a number of other bodies (Appendix 3 provides a
guide to the identification of such recipients).
Exhibitions – These are an essential component of our strategy in taking information to local
residents and others interested in the proposals at all stages of the development process.
Exhibitions will be fully accessible to all local residents and will be held at convenient times so that
people who work or have other commitments are not excluded. In addition, our public exhibition
boards will be uploaded onto the web pages, allowing stakeholders who are unable to attend in
person to view them at their leisure. The exhibitions will be held at a variety of venues and over a
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number of days to encourage a wide range of visitors. It will provide an opportunity for discussion
and comments regarding the development proposal.
Online tools – The Isles Wind Farm web pages will provide the opportunity for people to feed back
their views on the project and to provide responses to the associated consultations.
Briefing sessions – used for political and community groups to update on progress and discuss key
issues. These sessions will allow us to tailor information for the audience, so that they receive
maximum benefit from the meeting.
Stakeholder workshop – will bring together stakeholders to discuss the scheme in detail, managed
by an independent facilitator.
2.6 Feedback
Capturing and responding to feedback is an essential part of the pre-application process,
particularly when EC&R are carrying out the formal consultation on our proposals, but also through
our general engagement activities where EC&R will capture more general views on the project. As
set out earlier, EC&R will record and analyse comments that EC&R receive, and they will be used to
help shape our proposals. The Consultation Report will provide a detailed account of the
consultation carried out, opinions received and the actions EC&R have taken in response to this
information. EC&R will also provide an account of the less formal engagement activities within the
Consultation Report.
How feedback will be recorded
A number of methods will be utilised to capture feedback in a manner that will allow the data to be
recorded, processed, analysed and the information used to help shape the final DCO application.
Recording methods will include:
Feedback forms
Questionnaires
Online feedback mechanism
Deadlines
Respondents will be given at least 28 days from the end of the last public exhibition, in accordance
with the Planning Act 2008 guidance. The timetable will be made clear to consultees at the start of
any activity and will be supported by public notices as well as notices featured on feedback forms
and other feedback mechanisms.
Reporting back to the community
EC&R will provide feedback from Stage One consultation as part of the context for the second stage
and this information will also be provided on the web pages.
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What will happen to the records?
The Consultation Report will summarise the views received through the processes of engagement
and consultation. There is no requirement to include within it the raw data such as letters, feedback
forms and meeting notes. However, this information can be requested by the IPC to check the
validity of the Consultation Report and will therefore be retained whilst the examination of the
application takes place.
Data protection
Contact details and other relevant information from respondents will be important in assisting with
the analysis of responses. Such information will therefore be requested.
To provide reassurance and openness for those taking part in consultation activity, EC&R will publish
our procedure on handling personal information. The following statement will appear on the web
pages, with concise versions on consultation materials:
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THE USE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
EC&R will encourage you to submit your name and/or email/postal address with any response as it
supports the planning process and may help assess the potential impact of the proposed
development.
If you choose to submit your name and/or email/postal address you should note that:
information you submit will be processed and analysed by us
EC&R may be required to forward information EC&R receive from you to Durham County Council
and the Infrastructure Planning Commission (or its successors)
the planning process is a public process, meaning that documents submitted are matters of
public record and are available to the public to view.
To protect your privacy, EC&R will:
only use information you submit in connection with the planning process
not pass any information to additional third parties
require that all of our employees and consultants who have access to your personal information
or are associated with the handling of that information are obliged to respect your
confidentiality
hold all information you submit in accordance with the legal requirements of the Data
Protection Act 2000.
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2.7 The consultation timetable
The formal two stage consultation programme has been drafted taking into account the relevant
guidance and with the assistance and agreement of Durham County Council.
Key programme milestones are:
Summer/Autumn 2011 Start of consultation, information about the consultation events will
be released to coincide with the publication of the Statement of
Community Consultation.
Stage One consultation events will be held, including public
exhibitions.
Spring 2012 Information to be released publicising the second consultation
stage.
Stage Two consultation events will be held, including public
exhibitions. (Consultation on PEI will take place at or around the
same time as this consultation)
Winter 2012 Anticipated submission of the application for a Development
Consent Order.
2.8 Other consultations
At the time of drafting this document, Durham County Council has confirmed that there are no other
significant consultations which may impact on this consultation plan.
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PART 3:
STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
(advertised in the Northern Echo)
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STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY CONSULTATION (SOCC)
(Published under Section 47(6) of the Planning Act 2008)
The Isles Wind Farm July 2011
Introduction
This statement sets out how E.ON Climate and Renewables (EC&R) will consult the local community
on plans for a proposed wind energy development, to be known as The Isles Wind Farm, located
around 1.5km east of Newton Aycliffe. The Isles Wind Farm site includes an area previously proposed
for a wind farm (known as The A1 wind farm). In preparing this SOCC, EC&R have consulted with
Durham County Council, which has confirmed that it is not aware of other consultations that could
affect the consultations for this proposal.
The proposals
The key elements of The Isles Wind Farm would be the construction of between 25 and 45 wind
turbines, equipment to connect the wind farm to the electricity grid, and access arrangements. No
new overhead electricity lines are proposed. Depending upon the number of turbines, the proposed
development would provide an overall installed electrical capacity of 50-115 megawatts (MW),
sufficient to produce enough electricity for around 23,000 to 53,000 homes* each year, making a
significant contribution to the Government’s targets for renewable energy generation and helping
to reduce carbon emissions which are believed to be a major contributor to climate change.
* Based on an average annual domestic household electricity consumption of 4,700kWh (DECC)
A wind farm development could potentially affect communities living within the vicinity of the site:
for example, construction activities or changes that it would introduce to the landscape character
and other associated environmental effects.
Planning matters / policy
For this proposal, EC&R are required to submit an application for a Development Consent Order
(DCO) to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), established under the Planning Act 2008, or
its successor body, under the new planning system. The application, which will seek permission to
construct and operate the wind farm, is expected to be ready for submission to the IPC in the winter
of 2012.
The IPC is currently the body set up to receive and examine applications for Nationally Significant
Infrastructure Projects, including the proposed Isles Wind Farm as it will be an onshore generating
station in England having an electrical generating capacity of over 50MW. The IPC will take account
of the pre-application consultation that has been undertaken when deciding whether to accept the
application, and the responses to consultation in examining the application. Public and community
participation in the pre-application consultation process is strongly encouraged, so that views can
help shape the proposals. Public responses will be summarised as part of a formal Consultation
Report to be submitted with the application for the DCO. In considering the application, the IPC will
also have regard to relevant National Policy Statements (NPSs), including the Overarching Energy
NPS and the NPS on Renewable Energy Infrastructure, which are expected to be adopted by
Government in 2011.
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Engagement and consultation
EC&R will engage with the local community and provide ongoing information using channels such as
meetings, exhibitions and project web pages. A community freephone line, e-mail address and
freepost address will also be available (details below).
However, within the overall pre-application process EC&R will undertake a more structured and
formal two stage process of consultation where views will be recorded and considered. Feedback
received will be used to help shape proposals. Information will be provided on how and when these
consultations are taking place, so that the local community can participate and provide comments.
Two stage pre-application consultation process
A two-stage consultation process will be undertaken to give more scope for feedback. Stage One will
seek views on a number of layouts, leading to a preliminary wind farm layout which will be the
subject of the second stage of consultation. National energy policy will be outside of the scope of
the consultations. The IPC will need to decide the application in accordance with the provisions of
the Planning Act 2008, taking into account the Overarching Energy NPS and the Renewable Energy
Infrastructure NPS and the specifics of the DCO application.
Stage One: In the first stage of the consultation, views will be sought on a number of possible wind
farm layouts, and various constraints criteria will be explained to show how these
layouts were identified. The Stage One consultation will help in preparing a preliminary
layout for further consultation in Stage Two. Access arrangements, electrical connection
and construction management will not be considered at this stage.
Stage Two: Following consideration and assessment of responses to the first stage, a preliminary
layout will be drawn up. A second stage of consultation will then take place on this
layout and other supporting material. This will include information on other aspects of
the proposal such as access arrangements, electrical connection and construction
management.
EC&R believe the proposal to be one for which an Environmental Impact Assessment will be needed.
As such, the application will be accompanied by an Environmental Statement. Consultation on
Preliminary Environmental Information (PEI) will take place when sufficient information is available,
which is likely to be after the Stage Two consultation. Details will be publicised in advance.
Consultation activity
For the purpose of this SOCC, the term ‘stakeholders’ has been used to describe people or groups
living within the vicinity of the proposed wind farm.
A number of activities and events will be organised during both consultation stages to enable a
wide variety of stakeholders to engage with us, raise questions and make comments. Methods to
be used include:
Public Exhibitions, where project and consultation material will be available and where
members of the project team will be on hand to assist in clarifying information, answering
questions and receiving feedback.
Online activity, where consultation material will be available to download (and through
which responses can be submitted).
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Stakeholder workshop, which will bring together stakeholders with differing objectives to
discuss the scheme through a facilitated workshop.
Briefing sessions, tailored to specific groups (such as community and political groups).
Details of consultation events and materials
The consultation events will be communicated as required in advance. Information to support them
(consultation document and a non technical summary of the consultation document) will be
available electronically and in hardcopy form. The consultation document will include details of the
consultation including dates, key events, materials being consulted upon and how to provide
feedback.
A letter with the non technical summary of the consultation document will be sent to those living
within an inner zone as agreed with Durham County Council. A variety of other key stakeholders
including parish councils and various local groups will also receive information about the
consultation and the various events. Details of the consultations will also be advertised in Newton
News, Ferryhill & Chilton Chapter and the Darlington & Sedgefield Advertiser.
The consultation information will also be posted on the project webpages (details below), and
details of the consultations and events will also be publicised through the use of posters in
appropriate areas, in a variety of public buildings suggested by Durham County Council.
Provisional dates
Summer/Autumn 2011 Start of consultation, information about the consultation events will
be released to coincide with the publication of this Statement of
Community Consultation.
Stage One consultation events will be held, including public
exhibitions.
Spring 2012 Information to be released publicising the second consultation
stage.
Stage Two consultation events will be held, including public
exhibitions. (Consultation on PEI will take place after this Stage Two
of Consultation)
Winter 2012 Anticipated submission of the application for a Development
Consent Order. (Note - the full application will be publicised and
consulted upon once accepted by the IPC).
Stage One consultation events
Stage One of the consultation programme will commence with a series of public exhibitions where
stakeholders are invited to view the plans, make comments and discuss the proposal with our
project team.
Thursday 8th September from 13:00 to 20:00
The Xcel Centre, Long Tens Way, Aycliffe Business Park, County Durham, DL5 6AP
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Friday 9th September from 13:00 to 20:00
Sedgefield Racecourse, Racecourse Road, Sedgefield, TS21 2HW
Saturday 10th September from 09:00 to 14:00
Chilton & Windlestone Working Mens Club, Durham Road, Chilton, DL17 0EY
Feedback
Feedback can be provided through the project web pages, in hardcopy form via a freepost address
or at our local events and will be welcomed throughout the consultation process. Respondents will
be given at least 28 days from the end of the last public exhibition to comment on the proposals.
Relevant information will be sought from respondents to help in analysing and assessing feedback.
Comments and feedback received will be recorded and taken into account and the information will
be used to help decide the form of the final development proposals.
EC&R will also make reasonable efforts to receive feedback from those with disabilities or
impairments.
Contact details and further information
Through the internet: www.eon-uk.com/theisles, or
By email: [email protected]
By post: The Isles Wind Farm, Freepost RRSE-KZCU-AZJL, E.ON, Westwood Business
Park, Westwood Way, Coventry, CV4 8LG
By freephone: 0800 0961199
A more detailed background document ‘The Isles Wind Farm – Background to Community
Consultation’ has been produced with more detailed information that has led to the production of
this SOCC. This document is available for download from the project web pages and for viewing at:
Spennymoor Customer Access Point
Durham County Council, Council Offices, Green Lane, Spennymoor, County Durham DL16 6JQ
Ferryhill Library
North Street, Ferryhill, County Durham DL17 8HX
Sedgefield Library
Front Street, Sedgefield, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS21 3AT
Chilton Library
Durham Road, Chilton, Ferryhill, County Durham DL17 0EX
Newton Aycliffe Library
Central Avenue, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham DL5 5QG
Shildon Library
Church Street, Shildon, County Durham DL4 1DU
Dated July 2011
E.ON Climate & Renewables
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PART 4:
APPENDICES
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Appendix 1 – Site boundary
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License Number 100019139
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Appendix 2 - Indicative process timeline for formal pre-application consultation
Proposed Isles Wind Farm – information on the pre-application consultation timeline as shown in
the above schematic
The Isles Wind Farm proposal is referred to as a ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project’ or NSIP
under the Planning Act 2008. This is because it would have an electrical output greater then 50 MW.
The main permission for a NSIP is a Development Consent Order (DCO). DCO applications are
currently decided by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), which the Government has
proposed be abolished and replaced by a new body to be known as the Major Infrastructure
Planning Unit (MIPU). Ultimately, the Secretary of State will take the final decision on whether or
not the DCO should be granted, based upon the recommendation of MIPU. For simplicity, only IPC is
referred to in the text that follows.
In addition to any ongoing engagement that EC&R will carry out, the Planning Act 2008 sets out the
need for a more formal process of consultation before an application for planning is made. The
schematic above highlights some of the formal aspects of the consultation process that the team
will carry out, indicating some of the key points where consultations will take place. It is important
that communities know how and when to have their say, and how their comments will be taken into
account. EC&R hope that the schematic and the information here will help to explain how the
process works.
Responses to the formal consultations will be compiled by us and will be used to help shape the
proposals. A Consultation Report must be included to the IPC with the application to explain what
responses were received, and how they have been considered in bringing forward the final
application.
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Although not shown on the schematic, it is important to note that once the application has been
submitted to (and validated by) the IPC, there will be a chance for anyone to make comments on the
application direct to them.
EC&R will publicise in advance the consultation opportunities, and this information will also be
available on the project’s webpages at www.eon-uk.com/theisles together with details of how you
can contact us. EC&R will also provide links from here to other useful sites such as the IPC website.
Two consultation requirements which are particularly worth noting for The Isles Wind Farm project
are:
Section 47 of the Planning Act (which sets out the process for community consultation)
Section 42 of the Planning Act (which sets out the process for consulting local authorities,
statutory bodies and certain others with an interest in the land).
A Statement of Community Consultation (SOCC), prepared in conjunction with Durham County
Council will be published in the Northern Echo (and on The Isles Wind Farm webpages). This is again
a requirement under the Planning Act, and will provide details of how EC&R will carry out the
Section 47 consultations for the Isles Wind Farm, A number of events will be held as part of the
Section 47 community consultations.
In preparing the application, a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the wind farm
proposal will also need to be undertaken, and The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact
Assessment) Regulations 2009 also requires us to publicise and consult communities upon certain
Environmental Information referred to as Preliminary Environmental Information (PEI).
Finally, and before an application is made, Section 48 of the Planning Act requires details of where
the proposed application can be viewed to be published in various newspapers, making clear the
deadline for responses. As for the above, the outcome of this consultation will be detailed in the
Consultation Report.
EC&R have decided upon a staged process of consultation which will combine the Section 42 and
Section 47 requirements. The first stage will look at a number of possible wind farm layouts and will
help in arriving at a preliminary layout. When more detailed work has been undertaken on the
preliminary layout, a second stage of consultation will be carried out, and this will include aspects
relating to the whole proposal, including access arrangements, the electrical connection
(underground cable) and construction management. The Section 48 requirement is likely to coincide
with the Stage Two consultation.
EC&R plan to carry out the first stage of consultation during the summer, the second in winter
2011/spring 2012 and the Section 48 publicity / PEI consultation in summer 2012.
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Appendix 3 - Stakeholders lists
(To be read in conjunction with Section 2.2)
Section A1.1 below provides an initial list of stakeholders and groups associated with the Section 47
consultation category.
Section A1.2 below provides a further list of stakeholders and groups relating to CLG guidance (to
which project promoters are required to have regard) as well as to a number of other stakeholders.
Neither list is exhaustive, and full details of those consulted in accordance with the Section 47
community consultation requirement will be included within the Consultation Report.
A1.1 Initial list of stakeholder groups for purposes of Section 47 consultation
Community groups
County Durham and Darlington ‘One Voice’
Durham County Community Development Team
Durham Area Action Partnership co-ordinator
Age Concern County Durham
Durham Association of Youth and Community Organisations
Durham County Adults, Wellbeing and Health: Newton Aycliffe office
East Durham Rural Corridor Area Action Partnership
Ferryhill and Chilton Area Action Partnership
Newton Aycliffe Area Action Partnership
A1.2 Further stakeholders and groups to whom EC&R will have regard
Business
North East Chamber of Commerce
CBI North East
Sedgefield Business Forum
Durham Tees Valley Airport
Newcastle Airport
National Farmers’ Union, Sedgefield Group
Education
Woodham Community Technology College
Vane Road Primary School
St Mary’s (Aided) Primary School
Chilton Primary School
Sedgefield Community College
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University of Durham
Bishop Middleham School
Sedgefield Primary School
Hardwick Primary School
Bishopton Redmarshall School
Voluntary and charity
UK Youth Parliament
Seven Parishes Action Group
Campaign to Protect Rural England, County Durham
Durham County Positive Activities for Young People team
Dioceses of Durham (church groups)
Churches Regional Commission
Newton Aycliffe over 55 club
Woodham Village Community Association
Groundwork West Durham and Darlington
Sedgefield Civic Trust
Chilton West Residents’ Association
Community and Voluntary Organisations Support (CAVOS) Sedgefield borough area
voluntary umbrella group
Sedgefield Residents’ Forum (via the Town Council)
Sedgefield Rotary Club
Ecological
Climate Durham
Durham Bird Club
Durham Wildlife Trust
Durham Badger Group
Durham Bat Group
RSPB
British Horse Society
Durham CPRE
Parish and town councils:
Local parish councils Bradbury and The Isles
Other local parish council: Mordon parish meeting
Adjacent and connected parish/town councils:
o Chilton Town Council
o Windlestone Parish Council
o Great Aycliffe Town Council
o Great Stainton parish meeting (Darlington Borough Council)
o Sedgefield Town Council
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(Other political stakeholders to be contacted in relation to the proposals)
Durham County Council members (councillors)
Association of North East Councils
Assistant Chief Executive
o Head of Partnerships and Community Engagement
Corporate Director for Regeneration and Economic Development
Durham County Council Planning Department
(Political – national)
MP for Sedgefield:
Adjacent constituencies:
o Bishop Auckland
o City of Durham
o Darlington
o Easington
o Stockton South
o Stockton North
o Hartlepool
o Richmond
MEPs for the North East
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Appendix 4 - Inner and Outer Zone
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License Number 100019139
Ü
KEY:The Isles Site BoundaryProposed Turbine PerimeterInner Rural Consultation ZoneOuter Consultation Zone
0 2,000 Metres
Scale: 1:50,000
APPENDIX 4CONSULTATION ZONE PLAN