Decision details

A report was presented on an application for the construction of an electricity generating facility of up to 5MW from five generators powered by mains gas, and associated plant and equipment consisting of five radiators, five transformers, a high voltage client building, a gas kiosk, a distribution network operator building, an oil tank, an amenity cabin and three no. closed-circuit television cameras posts all enclosed by 2.4m high palisade fencing to form a compound area at West Quarry Railway Pad, Appley Lane North, Appley Bridge.

The report included the views of West Lancashire Borough Council, Wrightington Parish Council, the county council's Highways Development Control, the Environment Agency, Network Rail, the Health and Safety Executive and details of four representations received.

The Development Management Officer presented a PowerPoint Presentation showing an aerial view of the site and the nearest residential properties. The committee was also shown an illustration of the site plan and photographs of the site.

The officer reported orally that a further response had been received from the Environment Agency advising that in order for the facility to operate, they would have to issue a Medium Combustion Plant permit which covers air emissions only. Any other environmental/amenity issues (such as noise or odour) would not be covered by the permit.

In response, the officer referred to Paragraph 183 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which states that the focus of planning policies and decisions should be on whether proposed development was an acceptable use of land, rather than the control of processes or emissions (where these are subject to separate pollution control regimes). Planning decisions should assume that these regimes will operate effectively.

It was therefore considered that there was no need to impose any controls on any planning permission for the proposal as the controls on air emissions would be via this permit. The committee was therefore advised that Condition 6 was not required and should be deleted.

Resolved: That subject to the omission of Condition 6, planning permission be Granted subject to the conditions set out in the report to the committee.