DEV33 - Renewable and low carbon energy (including heat)

To increase the use and production of renewable and low carbon energy to contribute to national targets, renewable energy development will be supported where:

1. The impacts arising from the construction, operation and de-commissioning of installations (both individually and cumulatively) are or can be made acceptable.
2. The proposal has been robustly assessed and shown to be acceptable, both individually and cumulatively, in terms of its likely impact on landscape sensitivity and capacity, and on the natural environment and heritage assets. It should also be demonstrated that the proposal does not compromise the purposes of nationally designated landscapes.
3. There are appropriate plans in place for the removal of the technology on cessation of generation, and restoration of the site to an acceptable alternative use.
4. Any farm land that is used is retained in some form of agricultural or biodiversity use, proportionate to the scale of the proposal.
5. There has been early consultation with the local communities affected by the development, the planning application demonstrates how the proposal has been informed by the outcome of the consultation, and the development contains proposals for shared ownership between the developer/operator and the community or justification as to why this is not appropriate.
6. Where the development is to meet a business need, the proposed generation is proportionate to the business use.
7. For wind turbine proposals, the site has been allocated for that use within a neighbourhood plan.
8. For renewable or low carbon energy generating proposals (including energy from waste), where appropriate, the development should provide for the efficient distribution of heat off site, for the co-location of energy producers with users, and for the maximisation of energy recovery or efficiency of generation.
9. The proposals do not lead to unsustainable, isolated development in the countryside.