Report

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

At Lockwood Beck, the relocation of the temporary Headhouse Building slightly further west brings some construction activity marginally closer to receptors along the A171 corridor, including Lockwood Beck Farm and users of Lockwood Beck Reservoir. However, the SES identifies that the removal of the winding tower and major earthworks substantially reduces overall visual impacts, including those previously experienced by nearby residential receptors and users of the surrounding public rights of way network. Under the currently Approved Development, construction activities resulted in significant adverse visual effects from several nearby properties, including Lockwood Beck Farm, Kateridden, Landscape View, The Paddock and Pinewood, largely due to the scale of the Winding Tower and associated spoil mounds. The amendments substantially reduce these effects. While short-term construction effects at the closest property, Lockwood Beck Farm, remain significant due to its immediate proximity to the site, they are reduced to moderate adverse, and effects at most other nearby properties reduce to minor–moderate adverse, which are not considered significant in EIA terms. Similarly, visual effects on recreational receptors are significantly reduced. Previously identified major adverse effects for users of nearby public footpaths, including Footpath 126/5/3 and elevated routes across Stanghow Moor and Quaker’s Causeway, are reduced to minor adverse or minor–moderate adverse effects. The amendments also remove previously identified construction-stage visibility from neighbouring settlements such as Stanghow, Moorsholm, Liverton and Gerrick. In particular, the absence of the Winding Tower eliminates skyline views that would previously have been visible above Little Swindale Wood. Overall, the SES concludes that the proposed amendments substantially reduce the magnitude and significance of construction-stage landscape and visual effects, primarily through the removal of tall permanent construction structures and extensive spoil deposition areas. The operational stage assessment confirms that the proposed amendments would result in only limited changes to visual effects compared with the currently Approved Development. At Lockwood Beck, the relocation of the Headhouse Building and the introduction of additional earth mounding around the operational platform may result in slightly increased visual prominence in close-range views, particularly from the A171 corridor, Lockwood Beck Farm, nearby residential properties and users of Lockwood Beck Reservoir. However, the Headhouse Building will remain comparable in scale and appearance to agricultural buildings commonly found within the local landscape. Although the operational platform includes water tanks and a slightly larger building footprint, the ES concludes that overall visual effects in the early operational period (Year 1) would remain minor–moderate adverse at worst, consistent with the currently Approved Development. In the longer term, the proposed amendments include additional woodland planting and landscape earthworks, which will progressively screen built elements as vegetation matures. By Year 15, the site is expected to integrate effectively with the surrounding landscape and existing woodland belts along Lockwood Beck.

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