planning, design and access statement
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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
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