Agenda item

Installation of underground electricity cable in association with Pentir BESS energy storage scheme (LPA reference: C24/0532/25/LL)

 

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillor Menna Baines and Councillor Elwyn Jones

 

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To approve in accordance with the following conditions:

 

1.         Five years.

2.         In accordance with the plans/details submitted with the application.

3.         Compliance with the recommendations of the Preliminary Ecological Evaluation, Arboriculture Impact Assessment and the Green Infrastructure Statement.

4.         Submission of an Environmental Construction Management Plan to manage impacts on the natural environment.  

5.         Submission of a Construction Management Plan to manage amenity matters.

6.         Agree on an Archaeological Work Programme.

7.         Submit a Site Restoration Plan to restore the site to a condition agreed the Planning Authority after the development's operational period has ended

8.         Submission of a plan for eradicating Himalayan Balsam from the site.

9.         Submit details of the underground drilling method with launching points              outside the tree roots protection areas.

 

Notes:

 

Natural Resources Wales

Gwynedd Archaeological Planning Service

 

Installation of an underground electricity cable in association with Pentir BESS energy storage scheme (LPA ref: C24/0532/25/LL)

 

Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

 

a)     The Planning Manager highlighted that it was a full planning application for the installation of an 830m underground cable between the Pentir electricity substation and the nearby Battery Energy Storage System facility which was approved by planning permission in 2024. The installation period was expected to take a maximum of 10 weeks, with the cable being laid underground either through trenches dug on the surface and filled back, or through Horizontal Directional Drilling.

 

It was explained that the site is an Open Countryside site and within the Dinorwig Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest with a small area within Flood Zone 3 (surface water and watercourses). To the north of the site the adjacent woodland is a recognised "Regional Wildlife Site" and is listed on the Ancient Woodlands List as a "Plantation on an Ancient Woodland Site". It was also noted that the land was classified as 3a, 3b and 5 on the predictive Agricultural Land Classification Map for Wales.

 

In this case, the proposal is located with the intention to connect two sites that have permission and therefore the rural location is unavoidable. Attention was drawn to policy ISA 1 which is supportive of proposals for water, electricity, gas, etc services to improve provision, subject to detailed planning considerations. The policy states the importance of the infrastructure provision for a development site being located and designed in a manner that minimises the impact on the natural and built environment. This development will be placed entirely underground, and therefore the proposal was deemed to comply with the requirements of ISA 1. 

 

The method of laying the cable will be a mix of providing surface dug and backfilled trenches, or through Horizontal Directional Drilling within areas where tree roots and tree-dwelling species need to be protected. The areas that will be subject to the drilling method have been identified, partly because of Natural Resources Wales' comments. The confirmation of the use of the drilling method in these specific areas together with imposing a planning condition for agreeing the launch points of the drilling method ensures that the trees and species are protected. As a result, the proposal was deemed acceptable. It was reiterated that Natural Resources Wales had provided a response on the 14 November stating that they were now satisfied with the proposal. There will be no above-ground impact following the installation of the cable and therefore it was not considered to have a long-term impact on any habitat or agricultural land.

 

It was recognised that there will be inconvenience from noise and movement during the construction phase, but this period was considered to be short, and subject to conditions dealing with noise, dust and vibration matters, together with the prior agreement of a Building Control Plan, it was considered that it could alleviate any impacts and therefore the proposal was acceptable in this context.

 

Matters regarding transport, language, and flooding were referred to, which had received appropriate attention, and the proposal was acceptable in relation to these matters. It was noted that Heneb considered the proposal to be acceptable subject to a planning condition to agree an archaeological work programme.

 

Officers considered the proposal acceptable and compliant with the requirements of national and local policies and recommended granting the application with appropriate conditions.

 

b)               Taking advantage of the right to speak, the applicant’s Agent noted the following observations:

·          That the officer's report was complete.

·         The cable laying work would be underground and would last for about   10 weeks.

·          That the work meets Welsh Government targets for energy storage.

·         Work linking the two sites already had planning permission and this work was essential.

·          Consultation work had been completed.

·         Nearby Ancient Forest - tree survey completed, and mitigation measures agreed.

·          That a condition had been agreed for the drilling work.

·         There were mature trees on the cable path – specialist drilling would be required to avoid impact.

·         Heneb – monitoring and recording work will be completed during the works.

·          Any crossings and pollution works will be monitored.

·          No objections had been received during the consultation period.

 

The Chair noted that the Local Members did not object to the application.

 

c)               It was proposed and seconded to approve the application.

 

RESOLVED To approve in accordance with the following conditions:

 

1.         Five years.

2.         In accordance with the plans/details submitted with the application.

3.         Compliance with the recommendations of the Preliminary Ecological Evaluation, Arboriculture Impact Assessment and the Green Infrastructure Statement.

4.         Submission of an Environmental Construction Management Plan to manage impacts on the natural environment.  

5.         Submission of a Construction Management Plan to manage amenity matters.

6.         Agree on an Archaeological Work Programme.

7.         Submission of a Site Restoration Plan to restore the site to a condition agreed with the Planning Authority after the development's operational period has ended.

8.         Submission of a plan for eradicating Himalayan Balsam from the site.

9.         Submit details of the underground drilling method with launching points located outside the tree roots protection areas.

 

Notes:

Natural Resources Wales

Gwynedd Archaeological Planning Services