Oct 2, 2014

News Update - 2nd October, 2014


Welcome to our summary of the recent news in national infrastructure planning!
Category: General
Posted by: Jack

National Infrastructure Planning Projects Update (2 October, 2014)

East Midlands Gateway Rail Freight Interchange:

Registration closes on Monday 3 November 2014 at 11.59pm. Once the applicant has published and notified people of an accepted application, the Planning Inspectorate has approximately three months to prepare for the examination.
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/East%20Midlands/East-Midlands-Gateway-Rail-Freight-Interchange/

Internal Power Generation Enhancement for Port Talbot Steelworks:

Registration closes on Wednesday 22 October 2014 at 11.59pm. Once the applicant has published and notified people of an accepted application, the Planning Inspectorate has approximately three months to prepare for the examination.
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/Wales/Internal-Power-Generation-Enhancement-for-Port-Talbot-Steelworks/

Mynydd y Gwybt Wind Farm:

Registration closes on Friday 17 October 2014 at 11.59pm. Once the applicant has published and notified people of an accepted application, the Planning Inspectorate has approximately three months to prepare for the examination.
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/Wales/Mynydd-y-Gwynt-Wind-Farm/

Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2) Power Station:

Registration closes on Thursday 16 October 2014 at 11.59pm. Once the applicant has published and notified people of an accepted application, the Planning Inspectorate has approximately three months to prepare for the examination.
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/yorkshire-and-the-humber/ferrybridge-multifuel-2-fm2-power-station/

Yorkshire and Humber CCS Cross Country Pipeline:

Details of the Preliminary Meeting will be announced shortly. The Examining Authority will carry out an initial assessment of the application and representations received and set a date for the preliminary meeting.
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/Yorkshire%20and%20the%20Humber/Yorkshire-and-Humber-CCS-Cross-Country-Pipeline/

Hinkley Point C Connection:

The published deadline for the submission of relevant representations has now passed.The applicant has sent, explaining that some of the notifications that they sent about the opportunity to make relevant representations were returned undelivered.The applicant has sent further notifications to those parties only, and has allowed more time for them to make their representations. All the relevant representations will be published after 6 October 2014, when this further deadline has passed.
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/South%20West/Hinkley-Point-C-Connection/

Navitus Bay Wind Park:

Dates of the examination can be viewed. Notice of the procedural decision has been issued by the Examining authority to interested parties in the Rule 8 letter; this includes information about how the examination will be conducted and the timetable currently set out.
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/South%20East/Navitus-Bay-Wind-Park/

Progress Power Station:

Notice of Hearing and Site Visit Agendas for 14-17 October 2014 have been published for the Progress Power Station. The Examining Inspector has also accepted additional representation from Progress Power Limited, National Grid Gas and National Grid Electricity Transmission relating to the grid and gas connection
http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/Eastern/Progress-Power-Station/

Woodside Link Road scheme given development consent:

On 30 September 2014, the Woodside Link Houghton Regis scheme was granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Transport.

The Woodside Link is a new road intended to provide a more direct route for traffic between the primary road network (the M1 motorway and the A5) and the Woodside area of Dunstable / Houghton Regis, a major employment area in Bedfordshire. The Highways Agency is currently promoting a northern link road (the A5-M1 Link) between the A5 (north of its junction with the A505) and the M1, at a new junction (which will become Junction 11A) between the existing junctions 11 and 12. The Woodside Link scheme would run from this new junction into the Woodside area.

The decision announced today follows an examination process by the Planning Inspectorate, which was completed within the statutory timescales laid down in the Planning Act 2008 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011).

Gov.UK, 30 September 2014 – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/woodside-link-road-scheme-given-development-consent

Ecotricity to Decide Whether to Pursue Legal Challenge Following Refusal of Norfolk Onshore Wind Farm:

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has rejected a two-turbine wind project developed by Ecotricity in Norfolk over perceived impacts on heritage assets in the area.

The Conservative minister said the 4.6MW Shipdham wind scheme located west of Norwich would harm the “settings of listed buildings” and “fail to protect prized tranquillity” of the locale.

The impacts of the Shipdham wind scheme were deemed to be in conflict with the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, Pickles said in a decision letter.
He also cited “an intensification of risk to aviation by virtue of factors associated with air traffic control and Shipdham airfield” as a further reason for refusal, in accordance with a recommendation from the Planning Inspectorate.

reNews, 29 September 2014 – http://renews.biz/76526/ecotricity-pickled-in-norfolk/

Proposals for onshore wind farm in Nottinghamshire allowed on appeal:

Proposals for a three-turbine onshore wind farm scheme on farmland to the east of Hawton near Newark-on Trent have been allowed on appeal, in line with the inspector’s recommendation.

Eric Pickles accepted that the scheme, refused permission by Newark and Sherwood District Council, would be harmful to the setting of the Grade 1 listed Hawton Church but he also agreed that local residents would not suffer unacceptable harm.

However, the Secretary of State concluded on balance that the factors in favour of the development outweighed its shortcomings and the "conflicts identified with the development plan and national policy".

Gov.UK, 29 September 2014 – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recovered-appeal-field-6597-cotham-road-hawton-newark-on-trent-ref-2183042-29-september-2014

Middle Muir wind farm approved:

A new 15-turbine wind farm, 2km from Crawfordjohn in South Lanarkshire, which has the potential to power almost 28,000 homes in the area and generate community benefit funding of £6.37 million over its lifetime, has been granted planning consent.

The proposed Middle Muir wind farm, which will be developed by Banks Renewables Limited, will have a maximum generating capacity of around 51MW, and between 25 to 50 jobs will be created during the construction and decommissioning of the development.

The original application was for 17 turbines, however Mr Ewing has refused consent for two of the proposed turbines, in order to mitigate landscape and visual impacts.

Mr Ewing said:

“The Middle Muir wind farm will create jobs both in its construction, and during its lifetime. In addition it will bring £6.37 million of community benefit funding for local communities and will also be able to produce enough electricity to power almost 28,000 homes.

The Scottish Government, 26 September, 2014 – http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/-7-2-million-to-benefit-South-Lanarkshire-1091.aspx

Green light for London's 'super sewer':

Ministers have given the go-ahead to Thames Water’s Thames Tideway proposal, the largest scheme yet to be determined under the nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) arrangements.

The project – dubbed as London’s ‘super sewer’ - will involve the construction of a new 25 kilometre tunnel which will transport sewage and waste water from the capital for treatment.
Spanning fourteen London boroughs, the tunnel will run from West London (Acton Storm Tanks) to
East London (Abbey Mills pumping station) with a storage capacity of 1,250,000 cubic metres.

The scheme is designed to modernise the city’s antiquated sewerage system, now operating so close to capacity that heavy rain results in sewage overflowing into the river Thames around 50 times a year.

The panel of five inspectors who examined the multi-billion pound scheme concluded that the case for granting a development consent order was “finely balanced”. Two London boroughs, Hammersmith & Fulham and Southwark, have said they might challenge the decision.

Planning Portal, 18 September 2014 – http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/general/news/stories/2014/september14/180914/180914_5

UKIP slam proposal for Hartlepool to get tallest turbines in England:

Calls have been made to scrap plans for three new wind turbines in Hartlepool that would be the highest known anywhere in England and Wales.

North East UKIP Euro MEP Jonathan Arnott hit out at the turbines with a height of 677ft planned at Graythorp Industrial Estate, Brenda Road West Industrial Estate and Tofts Road West.

Mr Arnott says the country should invest in other energies such as tidal and nuclear power instead.

The Energy Workshop, which is acting as agents for the applicant of the Hartlepool turbines, confirmed they would be the highest known in England and Wales at 200 metres.

A spokesman said: “These are the only turbines in the planning system that we know of.

“We believe the next highest are around 150 metres tall.”

Hartlepool Mail, September 16, 2014 – http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/ukip-slam-proposal-for-hartlepool-to-get-tallest-turbines-in-england-1-6843789

Hartlepool 'highest' wind turbine scheme proposed:

Plans for what could be the highest wind turbines in England and Wales have been submitted in Hartlepool, Teesside.

Permission is being sought for three single turbines over 200m (655ft) high at Graythorp Industrial Estate, Brenda Road West Industrial Estate and Tofts Road West.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change said it believed these would be the highest in England and Wales.

Hartlepool Borough Council has recorded about 40 objections to the plans.

More than 300 consultation responses have been received from individuals, councils and other organisations.

BBC, 15 September, 2014 – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-28783652

Clocaenog Forest wind farm approved by UK Energy Secretary:

Plans to build a 32-turbine wind farm in forestry on the Denbighshire and Conwy border have been approved by UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey.

The Clocaenog Forest proposal has prompted complaints about the possible impact on the landscape and how it will be connected to the National Grid.

A Planning Inspectorate report said there would be no significant visual impact 5km (3 miles) beyond the site.

It added that changes within 5km were not bad enough to justify rejection.

The proposals were first put forward in 2009 with construction due to begin in 2016.

Developer RWE Innogy UK has said the wind farm could generate enough power for up to 40,800 homes.

BBC, 12 September, 2014 – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-29177799

Turbine gets go-ahead despite strong objection:

Plans to build a 46m-metre high wind turbine on rural land in Brentingby, to the east of Melton, have been approved despite residents’ objections.

Dairy farmer Ian Hawley had applied for planning consent to install the turbine on agricultural land at Hall Farm.

He had originally submitted plans last year for two 46-metre-high turbines on his land but subsequently amended them to include just one.

Melton Council’s planning committee weighed up the positives and the negatives of his fresh proposal on Thursday.

Melton Times, 10 September 2014 – http://www.meltontimes.co.uk/news/business/business-news/turbine-gets-go-ahead-despite-strong-objection-1-6291153

John Laing Infrastructure Fund Reports Portfolio Value Increase:

John Laing Infrastructure Fund Ltd Wednesday reported a 1.2% increase in the value of its portfolio over the first six months of the year.

JLIF partners with public-sector counterparties across the world to deliver local and national infrastructure projects. In return, these provide government-backed, inflation-linked revenue streams to the business.

In a statement, the FTSE 250 listed infrastructure fund said its portfolio value increased by GBP9.4 million to GBP805.2 million in the six months ended June 30. The portfolio realised real underlying growth of 4.95% after taking into account acquisitions made during the period, distributions received and exchange rate movements, the fund said. This equates to over 10% on a compounded annual basis. JLIF said the growth is due to the majority of its projects performing well.

London South East Alliance News, August 27, 2014: http://www.lse.co.uk/AllNews.asp?code=mszp8f5o&headline=John_Laing_Infrastructure_Fund_Reports_Portfolio_Value_Increase

Government brings down infrastructure costs for third year running:

On July 15, 2014 the government published the third annual report of the Infrastructure Cost Review programme, launched in March 2011 to transform the way the UK delivers infrastructure.

The Infrastructure Cost Review in 2010 set out a series of actions to change the behaviour of government clients and industry that would support a 15 per cent reduction in the costs of infrastructure delivery.

This year’s report demonstrates significant improvements arising from more collaborative behaviour, and identifies over £3 billion per annum of cost savings. That equates to savings averaging over 15 per cent across infrastructure sectors.

The report shows we are on track to meet the objectives set out in 2010. At the current rate of saving, there is an opportunity to deliver efficiencies for taxpayers and consumers of more than £50 billion over the next decade.

Gov.UK, 15 July 2014 – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-brings-down-infrastructure-costs-for-third-year-running

 

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