Policy DM4 Renewable energy
Renewable energy generation schemes will be strongly promoted and encouraged as part of development proposals where reasonably practicable.
Proposals for renewable energy development (including community-led initiatives brought forward through neighbourhood plans) will be permitted where their scale, siting and cumulative effects would not have a significant adverse impact on:
a) neighbouring uses or amenity;
b) visual amenity, particularly from sensitive viewpoints;
c) environmental and heritage assets; and
d) highway safety.
Where development is permitted, mitigation measures, such as landscaping, may be required to minimise any potential negative visual amenity and/or highway impacts.
Supplementary text
4.1 The NPPF states that local planning authorities should design their policies to maximise renewable and low carbon energy development while ensuring that adverse impacts are addressed satisfactorily (paragraph 97). More specific technical advice on renewable energy generation is published in the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC)’s National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure and the overarching National Policy Statement for Energy.
4.2 The JCS emphasises the importance of renewable sources to ensure that development contributes towards energy targets and does not have a negative impact on the environment. Policy DM4 aims to ensure that, within the city, the use of renewable energy will be encouraged as part of development proposals and will be permitted provided that there are no significant adverse impacts upon neighbouring uses and visual amenity, environmental and historic assets and highways.
4.3 The JCS emphasises the importance of renewable sources to ensure that development contributes towards energy targets and does not have a negative impact on the environment. Policy DM4 aims to ensure that, within the city, the use of renewable energy will be encouraged as part of development proposals and will be permitted provided that there are no significant adverse impacts upon neighbouring uses and visual amenity, environmental and historic assets and highways.
4.4 This policy does not focus on any particular type of renewable energy as technologies change over time: also, the need to apply for planning permission for many microgeneration facilities has been relaxed and may be further reviewed during the plan period.
References
- NPPF, CLG, 2012. Section 10 - Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change: recognise the responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources.
- National Planning Practice Guidance: CLG 2014: Renewable and Low Carbon Energy.
- Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy, Department for Energy and Climate Change, 2011.
National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure, DECC, 2011. - JCS policy 1: Addressing climate change and protecting environmental assets.
- JCS policy 3: Energy and water
- Sustainable energy study for the Joint Core Strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk: ESD, 2009.
