Status: Adopted

Author: Land Use Consultants

Adopted: 5th December 2011 

Introduction

Torridge District Council has adopted a Landscape Sensitivity Assessment to Onshore Wind & Field-Scale Photovoltaic Development in response to the substantial and ongoing interest in land for the two technologies and onshore wind in particular.

Torridge's landscape has a significant economic, social and community value, contributing to a sense of identity, well-being, enjoyment and inspiration and being a major contributor to a strong tourism industry. It also has an environmental value, as a home for wildlife and a cultural record of society's use of the land.

The Council recognises that the district has good conditions to produce wind and solar electricity and understands the need to maximise renewable energy generation, which can have environmental, economic, social and other benefits. However, the development of wind and solar electricity generating installations across Torridge needs to be managed carefully to achieve the greatest contribution towards our energy needs, while at the same time ensuring that important characteristics of the landscape are not unacceptably harmed.

In order to help understand how best to accommodate wind and solar electricity generation installations in the Torridge landscape, Torridge District Council commissioned Land Use Consultants to undertake an assessment of the sensitivity of the landscape to onshore wind and field-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) development in the District. The study forms part of the evidence base to support the emerging Torridge District Local Plan. It will also enable the Council to make robust, well-informed decisions on the planning applications received for wind and solar PV developments.

The assessment includes landscape recommendations on the appropriate siting and scale of future development (wind and solar PV) within each of the District's 15 Landscape Character Types (LCTs). Landscape strategies for the deployment of each technology in each LCT have been developed, to give an indication of the relative amounts of development that might be accommodated in different LCTs - independent of renewable energy targets.

The Landscape Sensitivity Assessment can be viewed online or downloaded from the links provided below.

Downloads

Final Report, Landscape Sensitivity Assessment for Torridge

• Torridge Landscape Sensitivity Assessment Report (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)

Maps

Please note that the maps should not be used in isolation but together with the information provided in the Final Report

• Figure 3.1 - Landscape Character Types within Torridge (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [741KB] (opens in new tab)   
• Figure 3.2 - Devon Landscape Character Areas with Torridge Landscape Character Types (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [872KB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 3.3 - Historic Landscape Character Types within Torridge (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [933KB] (opens in new tab)  
• Figure 3.4 - Landscape Designations within Torridge (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [836KB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.1 - Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development - Very Small (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.2 - Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development - Small (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.3 - Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development - Medium (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.4 - Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development - Large (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.5 - Landscape Sensitivity to Wind Energy Development - Very Large (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.6 - Landscape Sensitivity to Solar PV Energy Development - Very Small (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.7 - Landscape Sensitivity to Solar PV Energy Development - Small (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.8 - Landscape Sensitivity to Solar PV Energy Development - Medium (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.9 - Landscape Sensitivity to Solar PV Energy Development - Large (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)  
• Figure 6.10 - Landscape Strategy for Wind Energy Development in Torridge LCTs (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [2MB] (opens in new tab)
• Figure 6.11 - Landscape Strategy for Field-Scale Solar PV Development in Torridge LCTs (Adobe PDF) (PDF) [2MB] (opens in new tab)