e.on blackburn meadows – renewable energy plant design and ... · e.on blackburn meadows –...
Post on 04-Jan-2020
2 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
March 2008
E.ON Blackburn Meadows – Renewable Energy Plant
Design and Access Statement
Date: March 2008
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Contents
Introduction
Background and Context
Site Appraisal
Development Considerations
Access
Design & Development Principles and Process
Plans
Context Plan
Local Context
Visual Assessment Photo Montages
Illustrative Masterplan
Design Concept
Proposed Potential Material
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Introduction
This Design and Access Statement has been prepared to
support a Planning Application for a Renewable Energy
Plant at Blackburn Meadows, Tinsley, Sheffield.
The application has been submitted by E.ON. This
Design and Access statement has been prepared by
Building Design Partnership.
The purpose of this statement is to appraise the site
and demonstrate how the wider context has influenced
design principles and access arrangements for the
proposed development. Whilst the application is made
in outline, this statement is intended to assist in the
establishment of a number of key design and
development principles to be delivered through the
detailed design process.
This statement reflects the latest national guidance on
Design and Access Statements, including:
� Circular 01/06 ‘Guidance on Changes to the
Development Control System’ (DCLG, 2006); and
� ‘Design and Access Statements, How to write,
read and use them’ (CABE, 2006).
Regard has also been had to existing Sheffield City
Council guidance on Design Statements and Access
Statements.
In order to describe and explain the design principles
that have informed the indicative layout, siting,
appearance and scale of the proposed Renewable
Energy Plant this statement provides a wider context
to the proposal before following the structure as
outlined in ‘Design and Access Statements, How to
write, read and use them’ (CABE 2006), namely:
� Use;
� Amount;
� Layout;
� Scale;
� Landscaping; and
� Appearance.
The statement concludes by confirming the key
proposed design and development principles for the
Blackburn Meadows Renewable Energy Plant. The
process for maintaining design quality through the
detailed design stage is also considered.
A location plan showing the plant in its wider context is
included in this section.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Background and Context
Wider Context
This section of the Design and Access Statement
provides some background and context to the
Blackburn Meadows Renewable Energy Plant proposal.
In particular the following areas are considered:
• Renewable Energy and Climate Change
• E.ON’s Renewable Energy Commitment
• Choice of Biomass as a Renewable Fuel
• Site selection
• Area Context
• Plant Components and Operation
• Public Consultation
Renewable Energy and Climate Change
In 1997 the UK Government signed up to the Kyoto
Protocol in which industrial nations agreed to reduce
their collective emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG),
particularly carbon dioxide by 5.2% from 1990 levels by
the period 2008 to 2012 and help to tackle climate
change. This has led to the introduction of a number of
schemes / directives which will impact on the energy
industry, which is the largest single contributor to GHG
emissions in the UK.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change and its Kyoto Protocol provide real impetus for
combating climate change through the stabilisation of
greenhouse gases within the atmosphere. A very
important consideration is the production of the
greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, a key mechanism for
the production of which is the combustion of fossil
fuels such as coal, oil and gas. By ratifying the Kyoto
Protocol, the UK government is legally bound to reduce
its emissions of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels.
A second issue which faces the UK is the decline in
indigenous energy supplies. It is predicted that the UK
will soon be a net importer of fossil fuels. Clearly, this
will give rise to issues surrounding the security of
energy supplies for the UK in the years to come. It is a
further reason why alternative forms of energy need to
be developed and promoted to cater for the needs of
future generations.
In February 2003, the UK government published its
Energy White Paper detailing its new energy policy and
aiming to ensure that energy, the environment and
economic growth are properly and sustainably
integrated. The White Paper puts forward plans to
avoid over-dependence on imported energy by
developing renewable energy sources within the UK.
In May 2007, the Department of Trade and Industry
published a White Paper on Energy: Meeting the Energy
Challenge. The paper highlighted confirmed the
intention to strengthen the Renewable Obligation,
increasing the Obligation to up to 20% as and when
increasing amounts of renewables are deployed.
The UK has a lot of work to do to increase the amount
of electricity generated from renewables sources. In
the UK in the year 2000, renewables (excluding large
hydro plant and mixed waste incineration) supplied
only 1.3% of our electricity, compared with 16.7% in
Denmark, 4% in the Netherlands, 3.2% in Germany and
3.4% in Spain. The government’s aim is for the UK to
produce 10% of its electricity from renewables by 2010
with an aspiration to double this to 20% by 2020.
The UK Government has introduced the Renewables
Obligation (RO), in order to provide additional support
for the development of renewable electricity
generation. The RO was introduced on 1st April 2002,
through the Renewables Obligation Order (ROO) for
England & Wales. Under the RO, licensed electricity
suppliers are obliged to meet a defined percentage of
their retail sales from renewable sources. The RO
started at 3% in the financial year 2002/3 and rises in
stages to 15.4% in 2015/16.
The proposed Renewable Energy Plant at Blackburn
Meadows is part of E.ON’s commitment to achieving its
Renewables Obligation.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
E.ON’s Renewable Energy Commitment
E.ON is the world’s largest privately owned energy
company. Electricity and gas are the core business of
the company with leading positions in Europe and the
US Midwest. E.ON UK plc’s holding company, E.ON AG,
is based in Düsseldorf and is responsible for managing
the E.ON group as a whole. E.ON UK plc was formed
following E.ON’s purchase of Powergen UK plc in 2002.
Powergen UK plc was formed in 1989 from the Central
Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) as part of the
privatisation of the electricity industry in the United
Kingdom.
E.ON is making a major contribution to the growth in
renewable energy. In the UK, they are one of the UK's
leading renewable generation businesses. E.ON already
generates enough green energy to meet the residential
power needs of a city the size of Manchester. Their
current portfolio of operational projects consists of
onshore and offshore wind farms, hydro power schemes
and biomass-fuelled generation. These include the UK's
first offshore wind farm, the largest hydro-electric
scheme in England and Wales and the UK’s largest
dedicated biomass fired power plant in the course of
commissioning at Lockerbie in Scotland. E.ON UK’s
objective is to increase our renewable generation
capacity to 1,100MW by 2010 and to help build a
sustainable future for generations to come.
E.ON’s proposals for Blackburn Meadows represent a
further commitment to developing renewable energy
generation capability.
Choice of Biomass as a Renewable Fuel
As noted earlier E.ON is developing a portfolio of
renewable energy capacity utilising a variety of
sources. At Blackburn Meadows E.ON intends to utilise
biomass and in particular waste wood as fuel. Waste
wood has been selected as the primary fuel in this
instanced due to its contribution to tackling
greenhouse gas emissions and its availability in the
region.
The Technical Annex to the Companion Guide to PPS 22
‘Planning for Renewable Energy’ confirms the role of
biomass in renewable energy generation and defines
the material regarded as potential biomass sources.
This includes waste wood.
Paragraph 4 of the Technical Annex confirms that
‘…..biomass differs from most other sources of
renewable energy to the extent that the fuel can be
grown rather than harnessed, and it gives off carbon
dioxide when burned. However, these fuels are
regarded as ‘carbon neutral’, because the carbon
released on combustion is only that which was
absorbed during crop growth – the gas is simply
recycled. So, when it is used in combustion in place of
fossil fuels, a net reduction in carbon emissions is
achieved.’
The Waste Strategy for England 2007, prepared by
Defra confirmed the merits of recovering energy from
waste wood. The Strategy refers to Carbon Balances
and Energy Impacts of the Management of UK Wastes,
report for Defra (March 2007) which estimated that of
the 7.5 million tonnes of waste wood arisings in the UK
annually, the vast majority (6 million tonnes – 80%) is
landfilled, 1.2 million tonnes (16%) re-used and
recycled, with energy being recovered from just 0.3
million tonnes (4%).
A report on behalf of Defra, entitled ‘Carbon Balances
and Energy Impacts of the Management of UK Wastes’
(March 2007) confirmed that waste wood is one of a
number of materials that offer significant opportunity
for greenhouse gas and fossil energy savings over the
period 2005-2031 (the timescale of the assessment).
This is in part based on the greenhouse gas impact
(particularly of methane generation) of sending
material to landfill.
Interestingly the report suggests that the recycling of
wood (for other uses) may have a net greenhouse gas
effect due to the relatively low embodied energy of
virgin wood (i.e. less energy is require to grow a
replacement tree than to recycle waste wood material
to new uses).
The use of waste wood as a biomass energy source will
therefore have a very positive effect in terms of
greenhouse gas and fossil energy savings.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
The design of the plant reflects the process require to
convert the biomass fuel to electricity and heat.
Site Selection
In identifying Blackburn Meadows as an appropriate
site a number of factors have been considered,
namely:
• fuel availability
• land availability
• electrical connection
• site suitability
Fuel Availability
A report by TRADA Technology 2006 commissioned by
E.ON considered an area of 50 miles around the
Blackburn Meadows site. Within that area likely
sources of fuel would include:
• End of life consumables (furniture etc through
civic amenity (CA) sites and bulky waste
collections)
• Construction and demolition (C&D)
• Commercial and industrial wood waste (wood
processing, furniture, packaging etc,)
Using a variety of reference sources and research the
report concludes that between 800,000 and 2,491,000
tonnes of wood waste are generated within 50 miles of
Blackburn Meadows each year.
The proposed Renewable Energy Plant, when built, will
require approximately 180,000 tonnes of wood waste
per year.
The report also concluded that current projections
suggest waste will continue to grow, for example the
current estimates for growth rates in Civic Amenity
sites (Excelar, 2002) suggest that levels will double in
less than 20 years. A developed market for wood waste
would probably attract additional material if
competitive and offering a steady demand. Increases in
landfill tax will continue to ensure that people are
keen to seek alternative options to landfill and thus
stimulate segregation in all quarters.
There is therefore a strong, sustainable supply of
waste material within 50 miles of the proposed
Blackburn Meadows site which is likely to grow in
future through the increase in the waste stream and
waste recovery and in the development of the biomass
market as a consequence of this and other projects.
Land Availability
The Blackburn Meadows is a suitable site at the heart
of an area with a strong biomass fuel supply potential
in a location well served by transport infrastructure.
The site is also in the ownership of E.ON UK and has
been un-used for many years. The site therefore
enables E.ON to deliver on its commitment to reduce
the carbon intensity of its electricity generation by 10%
by 2012, compared with 2005, having already achieved
20% reduction since 1990. This project is intended to
contribute towards meeting this commitment so
development of the proposals is required to start in the
short term.
A Sequential test undertaken as part of the Flood Risk
Assessment supporting this application has
demonstrated that there are no other sites in the
Sheffield and Rotherham area that are available or
suitable for the proposed Renewable Energy Plant or
are able to offer comparable potential advantages in
terms of the use of heat
Proximity to the electricity infrastructure
The adjacent Blackburn Meadows 33kV substations
owned by the local network operator, YEDL, provides
ready access to the National Grid. It is proposed that
the connection circuit from the Renewable Energy
Plant would be via an existing 33kV circuit breaker at
Blackburn Meadows. The connection to the Renewable
Energy Plant will be via a 33kV underground cable.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
The proximity of the adjacent Primary sub-station
reduces energy loss in transmission to the National Grid
and minimises the environmental impacts of having to
establish longer distance connections either by
underground cable or more likely, overhead pylons.
Site Suitability
The site is considered suitable for biomass renewable
energy generation as:
• It is well served by the transport network
• The site is brownfield and is in an established
industrial area
• The site is of sufficient size to accommodate the
development
• The site is in close proximity to potential users of
heat, including development areas around
Meadowhall.
Area Context
Blackburn Meadows is located in the Lower Don Valley
in Darnall ward at the eastern boundary of Sheffield
City, adjacent to Rotherham Borough.
The communities of Tinsley and Jordan (Kimberworth,
Rotherham) are within around 0.5 kilometres of the
site to the south and north west respectively.
The site is in the Valley floor of the River Don and is
adjacent to the river corridor. The site is also
adjacent to the elevated section of the M1 at Junction
34. The two remaining former Cooling Towers of the
Blackburn Meadows coal-fired power station are in the
north-western corner of the Blackburn Meadows site,
but outside the boundary of this application.
Meadowhall shopping centre lies around 0.5 kilometres
to the west of the site whilst the Local Nature Reserve
of Blackburn Meadows lies to the east.
The Lower Don Valley, notably to the west of the site,
is a mixed, predominantly industrial area. Residential
communities, such as Tinsley, lie on higher ground
along the Valley sides.
To the east of the M1 up to the edge of Rotherham,
Town Centre, including the Blackburn Meadows site,
the environment becomes more open, particularly
around the Blackburn Meadows Nature Reserve.
However there remain a number of major industrial
and former industrial areas, including the Blackburn
Meadows Sewage Treatment Works, the Magna Science
Adventure Centre and industrial development along the
A6178 Sheffield Road.
The remaining former Cooling Towers have established
the site as a very well-known one at this entrance to
Sheffield. The Cooling Towers are planned for
demolition in 2008.
The area, as is the whole of Sheffield, is defined as
being within an Air Quality Management Area – in this
area this is largely due to N02 emissions from traffic on
the M1.
Darnall and Tinsley are amongst the most deprived
parts of the City with high rates of worklessness, poor
health and low educational attainment. The area has
been defined at a Housing Market Renewal area.
Plant Components and Operation
The Renewable Energy Plant will consist of a single
generating unit, which will include a combustor and
boiler, a steam turbine.
The plant will compromise the following key elements:
• A fuel reception facility – this is a warehouse type
facility which will receive the biomass fuel. The
biomass fuel will be delivered to site already
processed for use (i.e. chipped and graded and
mixed to achieve emission requirements). The
fuel will be screened again in the reception area.
This facility will have a footprint of up to 20
metres by 27 metres, with an eaves height of 15
metres.
• Fuel Store – fuel will be fed from the reception
facility to the Fuel Store. The store will be fully
enclosed with automatic filling and discharging.
Subject to detailed design it will either be an ‘A’
frame building or two or more cylindrical silos.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
The choice of fuel store type will be dependant
upon the selection of the contractor and their
supplier of the fuel handling plant. The fuel store
will be fully enclosed and automated.
• Fuel will be transferred from the bulk store to two
or more buffer silos at the boiler house with a
combined capacity of less than one hour at full
load. Fuel will be metered from the buffer silos
and conveyed to the boiler at the required rate by
means of a system of chain and screw conveyors.
The entire fuel handling and storage system will be
enclosed with the necessary dust extraction and
filtration equipment.
• Boiler House – the fuel store will feed fuel into the
combustor, housed in the boiler house. The fuel
will be burnt in the combustor to generate steam
through heating of water. Steam will be fed into
the turbine housed in the turbine hall. The Boiler
House will have a footprint of 32 metres by 25
metres and a height of 46 metres.
• Turbine Hall – This building will house the Steam
Turbine which will generate electricity. This
building will have a footprint of 32 metres by 18
metres and a height of 15 metres.
• Flue Gas Treatment and Stack. Flue gas resulting
from the combination process will be cleaned and
filtered prior to emission to air in line with current
legislation. The fuel gas filter equipment will have
a footprint of 10 metres by 15 metres and a height
of 17 metres. A stack of 85 to 90 metres, will be
used to emit the treated flue emission to air. This
height of stack will enable the required dispersal
to be achieved to realise emissions and air quality
standards.
• Air Cooled Condensor or a Hybrid Cooling Tower
System– an Air Cooled Condensor (ACC) will
convert waste steam to water for re-use. The ACC
will be a bank of tubes through which steam would
flow. A number of fans will blow ambient air over
the tubes to provide a cooling effect. The ACC
will have a footprint of 40 metres by 26 metres
with a height of 25 metres. A Hybrid Cooling Tower
System is a combination of a wet cooling system
and a dry cooling system as in ACC.
• Administration Building – the plant will also
accommodate an administrative and technical
building. This will be a single storey building of
approximately 30 metres by 15 metres. There will
be an associated workshop facility with a footprint
of 10 metres by 15 metres with a height of 9
metres.
The detailed design of the plant will in large part need
to respond to the type of boiler, turbine and other
equipment utilised. The efficiency, robustness and
suitability of plant technology will be a key factor the
choice of primary contractor.
The provider of the boiler, turbine and related
equipment will engage in a long-term service contract
with E.ON. Therefore the exact configuration of the
plant infrastructure and thereby the location and
massing of buildings can only be determined once the
primary contractor has been appointed.
Public Consultation
E.ON has undertaken extensive public consultation in
preparing this planning application. Consultation
methods have included:
Attendance at:
• Darnall Ward Area Panel
• East Area Strategy Group
• Tinsley Forum
• Sheffield Clean Air Partnership
Notification of proposed development application via
leaflet drop to its neighbours.
Public Exhibitions providing information on the
proposed new renewable energy development, its
location, processes and expected impacts and the
planning process have been undertaken. These have
provided an opportunity for members of the public to
put questions to E.ON engineers and the consultant
team.
A webpage with information on the project has also
been set up at:
www.eon uk.com/newbiomass/blackburnmeadows,
together with a freephone information line (08000
096119), an email enquiry address
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
(backburnmeadowsenquiries@eon-uk.com) and a postal
address
An Information Exhibition was also held at Tinsley
Community Centre on the 4th February 2008.
The predominant issues raised in consultation have
been air quality, traffic generation, flood risk, use of
the remainder / open areas of the site, public access,
local employment, local benefits landscape and bio-
diversity protection and enhancement.
Full details of the public consultation exercise are
included in the Statement of Community Involvement
which accompanies this application.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Site Appraisal
Site Description
This section of the Design and Access Statement
considers the site and its context and establishes a
number of design challenges and opportunities to be
addressed through the development.
A local context plan is included in this section.
Location
The site is located on the eastern edge of the Sheffield
urban area, around 5km from the city centre. The site
is approximately 0.5km north of the settlement of
Tinsley and 0.5km south of Jordan (Kimberworth,
Rotherham).
The site lies in the valley floor of River Don at a height
of around 30m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD). Valley
sides rise to the north and south to a height of, for
example, 49m AOD in Tinsley and 60m AOD in Jordan.
The Lower Don Valley in the west of the site, towards
Sheffield City Centre, is a mixed use urban area, albeit
predominantly industrial – the Meadowhall Shopping
Centre and Don Valley stadium and associated sports
facilities being other principal uses.
To the east, the Don Valley is more open in character
as the river meanders towards Rotherham, around
2.5km to the east. This area includes the Blackburn
Meadows Local Nature Reserve and the Magna Science
Adventure Centre. The area also includes some
industrial uses, as well as the Blackburn Meadows
Sewage Treatment Plant.
Immediate Surroundings
The application site extends to approximately 10.9
hectares. This constitutes all of E.ON UK’s land
holding in this area, save the area immediately around
the two remaining former Cooling Towers. In the heart
of the Blackburn Meadows area, but excluded from this
application is the Blackburn Meadows 33kV Primary
Substation . This facility is owned by Yorkshire
Electricity Distribution plc (YEDL) and the site is held
on a long-lease from E.ON UK.
The former Cooling Towers are proposed for
demolition, a matter being dealt with separate to this
application. The Cooling Towers currently stand at a
height of 76 metres above AOD.
To the north of the site is the existing Yorkshire Water
Blackburn Meadows Sewage Treatment works. The
plant incorporates a fluidised incinerator as part of its
sewage sludge treatment and disposal. The incinerator
incorporates an emissions stack of 35m above AOD.
Immediately to the east of the site is open land in the
ownership of Yorkshire Water and beyond that a
number of tanks associated with the treatment
process.
To the south of the site is the River Don corridor, the
Sheffield – Rotherham railway line and a former (now
dismantled) freight line which curves along the south
west corner of the site. This disused railway is on a
low embankment.
The Don Valley riverside in this area accommodates the
Trans Pennine Trail and has a natural, green character,
albeit influenced in certain location by industrial
development.
To the west of the site are the two former Cooling
Towers and an elevated section of the M1. Beyond
that again is the line of Supertram and the River Don
corridor as it meanders northward. Beyond that is the
Meadowhall Shopping Centre.
The Site
The site is broadly speaking, flat, varying between 29
and 30m AOD approximately. The site was formerly
used for a coal-fired power station and much of the
hardstanding/foundations of that development remain.
However the site has regenerated over the 30 years
since it was last in use and so the site is largely
covered with self-seeded vegetation. An operational
33KV primary sub-station, owned by YEDL, is located in
a central position on the site.
The site is currently accessed from the west of
Meadowhall Lane via Alsing Road. Alsing Road is a no-
through road of 6.5m width. It is adopted up to the
site entrance, under the elevated M1. Whilst there are
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
public footpaths along the River Don Corridor there is
no public access available to the site.
The former Cooling Towers currently dominate views of
the area. The site itself is not particularly visible from
the wider area, apart from the adjacent elevated
section of the M1 and higher ground to the north-east.
The site is flat and relatively featureless.
The site is susceptible to flood and was flooded in the
Summer of 2007. On that occasion, water entered the
site both from the south and west, under the elevated
M1.
Planning Context
This section of the Design and Access Statement
provides a brief summary of the planning context
relevant to the proposed development.
Development Plan documents considered are:
• Regional Spatial Strategy for Yorkshire and
Humberside.
• Sheffield City Council UDP
A revision of Regional Spatial Strategy is well advanced
and Sheffield City Council is developing the Sheffield
Development Framework.
National Planning Policy
PPS1 Delivering Sustainable Development (2005)
This PPS provides the overarching framework for
national planning policy and places sustainable
development at the heart of the planning process.
In considering the prudent use of natural resources PPS
confirms that planning authorities ‘should promote and
encourage, rather than restrict, the use of renewable
resources (for example, by the development of
renewable energy).’
The supplement to PPS1, Planning and Climate Change
(December 2007) provides further guidance on
approaches to renewable energy generation.
At para.19, the supplement confirms that in developing
core strategies and supporting local development
documents, planning authorities should provide a
framework that promotes and encourages renewable
and low carbon energy generation. Policies should be
designed to promote and not restrict renewable and
low-carbon energy and supporting infrastructure.
In particular, planning authorities should, amongst
other things, ensure any local approach to protecting
landscape and townscape is consistent with PPS22 and
does not preclude the supply of any type of renewable
energy other than in the most exceptional
circumstances; alongside any criteria-based policy
developed in line with PPS22.
PPS10 Planning for Sustainable Waste Management
This PPS establishes a number of key objectives for
waste management. Regional planning bodies and all
planning authorities should, amongst other things:
“Help deliver sustainable development through
driving waste management up the waste
hierarchy, addressing waste as a resource and
looking to disposal as the last option…..”
Annex C to the PPS confirms the waste hierarchy,
which in order of preference is:
1. Reduction
2. Re-use
3. Recycling and Composting
4. Energy Recovery
5. Disposal
PPS22 Renewable Energy (2004)
This PPS establishes the approach to facilitating the
development of renewable energy sources. The key
principles for national planning policies on renewable
energy confirm that, amongst other things:
• Renewable energy developments should be
capable of being accommodated throughout
England in locations where the technology is
viable and environmental, economic and
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
social impacts can be addressed satisfactorily
(para 1 (i)).
• The wider environmental and economic
benefits of all proposals for renewable energy
are material considerations and should be
given significant weight in determining
applications (para 1 (iv)).
Planning for Renewable Energy - A Companion Guide
to PPS22
This guide provides advice on the planning and
consideration of renewable energy schemes as an
accompaniment to PPS22. The guide illustrates some
of the potential benefits of renewable energy schemes
(para 2.7) including:
• Reducing carbon emissions
• Creating new habitats (such as woodland
planting)
• Promoting the management of existing
environments
• Improving air quality (through the reduction in
fossil fuel emissions)
• Land fill reduction
Economic benefits can include (para 2.8):
• Job creation – direct, indirect and induced,
and
• Increased security and reliability of supply
The guide confirms the positive approach to be taken
to applications for renewable energy proposals and the
use of criteria based policies (para 2.16). Regional and
local authorities are to establish policies which ‘will be
supportive of renewable energy proposals in locations
where environmental, economic and social impacts can
be addressed satisfactorily’ (para 2.18).
Development Plan
The development plan for the Blackburn Meadows site
comprises:
• Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for Yorkshire
and the Humber to 2016 (2004)
• Sheffield City Council Unitary Development
Plan (2004)
The Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber
(GOYH) is currently updating and revising the RSS and
this is well advanced. The draft RSS has been the
subject of an Examination in Public and Proposed
Changes to the RSS were published by GOYH in
September 2007 on behalf of the Secretary of State.
The draft RSS can therefore be considered a relevant
material consideration in this application.
Sheffield City Council is also in the process of updating
the development plan through the preparation of the
Local Development Framework.
The submission version of the Core Strategy was made
available for public consultation in September 2007
and is planned to be the subject of an Examination in
2008.
A City Sites and a City Policies document with
accompanying Proposals Map have been consulted on as
Preferred Options documents in 2007. Both will be
subject to further statutory consultation and an
Examination in public, potentially commencing in 2009.
Limited weight can therefore be attached to these
documents however it is helpful to consider them as
part of this policy review.
Regional Spatial Strategy for Yorkshire and
Humberside
The RSS confirms that the region’s commitment to
sustainability is ‘absolute’ (para 1.7). The RSS
establishes for central objectives of sustainable
development including ‘the prudent use of resources’
and ‘promoting the sustainable management of waste’
(para 3.6). A number of areas are identified as
contributing toward this objective, including ‘reducing
resource consumption and encouraging use of
renewable energy’ (para 3.6).
The RSS goes on to outline a series of themes which
contribute to achieving the core objectives. These
include Theme 4 – Conserving and Enhancing Natural
Resources. This is to be achieved by amongst other
things, ‘seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and address impacts of climate change’ (para 3.13).
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Policy S5 of RSS deals with climate change. Local and
regional authorities and agencies should:
‘a) include policies and proposals in their development
plans, local transport plans, strategies and investment
programmes to help reduce the Region’s greenhouse
gas emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by
2010 and at least 25% below 1990 levels by 2015’.
Policy S6 deals with the sustainable use of physical
resources. Local and regional authorities should,
amongst other things;
‘e) include policies and proposals in development plans
to help achieve the regional renewable energy
capacity targets set out in Policy R12. These should
ensure that at least 9.4% of electricity consumed in
Yorkshire and the umber is from renewable sources by
2010 and 22.5% by 2020’.
Policy R12 deals with Energy Generation, Transmission
and Supply. The policy establishes targets for installed
renewable energy generation capacity by 2010. The
target for South Yorkshire is at least 100MW. A
regional target for 2020 of at least 1850MW is also
established.
Development plans are also to ‘maximise’ the use of
renewable energy resources, including technologies
such as biomass.
The Yorkshire and Humber Plan. The Draft RSS
Incorporating the Secretary of State’s Proposed
Changes (2007).
This draft of the RSS incorporates the Secretary of
State’s proposed changed to RSS made in the light of
the Panel Report into the Examination in Public of the
draft RSS. The draft RSS has been published for
consultation and carries considerable weight. The
consultation period ends on 21st December 2007. When
finalised, the new RSS will replace the existing RSS,
published in 2004.
Policy YH2 deals with Climate Change and Resource
Use. Plans, strategies and investment decisions are to
help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by, amongst
other things, ‘increasing renewable energy capacity
and carbon capture’.
Policy ENV5 considers Energy. The policy commits the
region to maximising improvements to energy
efficiency and increases in renewable energy capacity.
This is to be done by, amongst other things:
‘s) Providing for new efficient energy generation and
transmission infrastructure in keeping with local
amenity and areas of demand’.
Policy also established minimum targets for renewable
energy capacity. South Yorkshire is to achieve at least
47MW of installed grid–connected renewal energy
capacity by 2010 and 160MW by 2021.
Table 15.12 translates these sub-regional targets to
illustrate district level targets. Illustrative targets for
Sheffield at 2010 and 2021 are 11MW and 52MW
respectively.
Sheffield Unitary Development Plan
The Unitary Development Plan was adopted in March
1998. The majority of policies and all those relevant
to this application have been saved until such time as
the Sheffield Development Framework is adopted.
The Unitary Development Plan allocates part of the
land encompassing the application site as a General
Industry area. Land to the south-west is allocated as
Fringe Industry and Business Areas.
Part I of the UDP establishes a number of strategic
policies. Policies relevant to the Blackburn Meadows
are:
BE4 Environmental Improvements
‘Priority for environmental improvements will be
given to areas where the environment is unsatisfactory
in:
(f) the MI Corridor …’
IB2 Locations for Industrial Development
‘New industrial development will be promoted in
suitable locations, particularly near the IMI, Strategic
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Roads, bus and Supertram Routes, railways and City
Airport.
The main locations will be:
…. (b) the Lower Don Valley ….’
Part II of the UDP develops the detail of these strategic
policies through further policy and justification.
Policy BE2 Views and Vistas in the Built-up Area
proposes that ‘new development will be expected to
respect the skylines, roofscapes and views that are
particularly visible within the city’.
Policy BE2 Building Design and Siting proposes that
‘Good design and the use of good quality materials
will be expected in all new and refurbished buildings
and extensions’.
BE6, Landscape Design states that ‘good quality design
will be expected in new development ….’.
Policy GE27 considers alternative energy sources. ‘The
development of alternative energy sources will be
permitted where it would not significantly harm the
natural or built environment nor create unacceptable
living conditions for nearby residents’.
Policy IB8 identified industrial and business sites. On
these sites only the preferred uses set out in other
relevant policies will be permitted, provided that they
comply with policy IB9.
Blackburn Meadows is identified as a 13 hectare site to
be developed in accordance with policy IB6. The
preferred uses defined in policy IB6 are:
• Business B1
• General Industry B2
• Warehouses B8 (excluding open storage)
In Fringe Industrial and Business Areas other, uses such
as retail or commercial may be acceptable.
Draft Core Strategy Sheffield Development
Framework
The Draft Core Strategy was submitted to the Secretary
of State in September 2007 and is currently the subject
of public consultation.
The core strategy, once adopted, will provide the
overall spatial strategy for the City. The key diagram
to the draft core strategy identified the general
location of Blackburn Meadows as one for
manufacturing, distribution/warehousing and other
non-office businesses (policy SB4).
Preferred Policy Option SE5 deals with Renewable
Energy Generation. Para 11.14 confirms that
renewable energy generation is a key part of achieving
strategic aims of combating climate change.
Prefered policy option SE9 states that ‘Renewable
Energy capacity in the city will exceed 12MW by 2010
and 60MW by 2021’.
Sheffield Development Framework Preferred Options
for City Sites (2007)
The City Sites document is intended to identify those
sites in the City which are allocated for specific uses.
The application site is part of site 613. The preferred
option for this site is for allocation for industrial uses,
(to be dominated by use classes B2 and B8). The site is
also identified as a potential park and ride location.
Site 666 reserves land for the Fixed Link Road proposal.
This route is adjacent to the application site and
includes land within the ownership of E.ON UK.
Sheffield Development Framework Preferred Options
for City Policies (2007)
The Preferred Option for City Policies Development
Plan Document provides guidance relevant to the
consideration of new development in the city.
The preparation of the document is at an early, if
substantive stage. Option policies of direct relevance
to the Blackburn Meadows proposal are:
Policy PBS deals with Development in Industrial Areas
(as Blackburn Meadows in allocated in the City Sites
preferred options).
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
In such areas general industry (B2) and storage and
distribution (B8) but excluding open storage will be the
preferred use. Other uses, such as lorry parks and
waste management facilities will be acceptable. 70%
of the uses of any such site is to be for B2 or B8.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Development Considerations
Use
The proposed use for the development site is for a
Renewable Energy Plant with associated flood
mitigation and landscaping. The illustrative master
plan is included in this section.
The proposed Renewable Energy Plant is effectively an
industrial use and is therefore consistent the industrial
character of this part of the Don Valley. Emerging
guidance confirms that industrial sites are potentially
suitable for waste to energy projects.
The site has also been identified by the City Council as
potentially appropriate for Biomass Renewable Energy.
The site was formerly accommodated a coal-fired
power station. The site is located in the Lower Don
Valley which is a mixed use area with a substantial
presence of industry.
The proposed use is consistent with development plan
policies, the site and local character.
As an operational energy plant the site will not be
generally accessible to the public. The perimeter of
the site will be fenced. Access for employees,
deliveries, visitors and so on will be via a Entrance
Gate located to the west of the site on Aisling Road.
Open public access into the site would not be
appropriate due to health and safety requirements and
security. However it is planned for site visitor facilities
for organised visits from schools and the general
public.
Development of plant infrastructure will be
concentrated to the northern boundary of the site.
The remainder of the site, (excluding the two cooling
towers) will be given over to flood mitigation and
compensation areas which will be established to
enhance local bio-diversity.
Amount
The proposed Renewable Energy Plant will have a
generating capacity of 25MW electricity with provision
to supply heat energy and has been designed
accordingly.
Flood Risk, the need to raise the site and the need to
provide compensatory flood storage elsewhere on the
site limits the total developable area of the site.
The core Energy Plant area will occupy approximately
up to 5 hectares of the site. The total application site
is 10.9 hectares.
The total floorspace to be developed is as follows:
Air Cooling System* 1040m²
Boiler House* 800m²
Flue Gas Filter* 150m²
Fuel Reception Facility 540m²
Fuel Store 1500m²
Turbine House* 576m²
Administrating Building &
Workshop
450m²
Total 5056m²
Note: * Those elements of the scheme highlighted (*) are essential
equipment housed as appropriate, rather than buildings
accommodating office storage or other functions.
This density of development is consistent with the
industrial use and development patterns in the Lower
Don Valley.
The development will generate in the order of 40
vehicle movement into and out of the site on a daily
basis. The Transport Assessment submitted in support
of the planning application demonstrates that this level
of traffic can be accommodated by the local; highway
and motorway network.
Layout
The layout of the site and proposed Energy Plant is a
combination of a number of factors:
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
• Current and future access arrangements
• Proposed development of the Fixed Link
• The location of the existing primary sub-
station
• The location of the M1 Viaduct and Cooling
Towers
• Flood Risk and Mitigation
• The existing pattern of development
• Operation of the Plan
The site will be accessed and served by Alsing Road.
Alsing Road enters the site at the north west corner, of
the site, adjacent to the two remaining former Cooling
Towers.
Sheffield City Council has advised E.ON of the likely
proposed route of the Fixed Link. This is indicated on
the illustrative masterplan. This route is intended to
enter the site from the west, on embankment at the
southern end of the site, leading to a roundabout at
existing ground level to the east of the site, east of the
existing sub-station. The Fixed Link will then lead
southwards, again potentially on embankment, crossing
the railway and River Don to link with Sheffield Road.
The proposed alignment of the Fixed Link, and the
location of the proposed roundabout from which the
Renewable Energy Plant could be served, suggests a
site to the northern boundary of the site.
Other aspects of the site support this choice of
location:
• The plant should ideally be in close proximity
to the existing primary sub-station to
concentrate urban development in this area
and thereby maintain the more open
character of the river corridor in this part of
the Lower Don Valley.
• Clearly it would be prudent to maintain safety
and future flexibility to maintain a distance
between the site and the elevated section of
the M1.
• Flood Risk Assessment suggests that the site
has the potential to flood from both the south
and west. Development of southern or
western parts of the site would in all
likelihood disrupt flood flow patterns to such
an extent as to make on-site flood mitigation
and compensation unfeasible.
• Locating development toward the northern
boundary will maximise the opportunity to re-
in-force the green character of the River Don
Corridor in this area.
• Whilst the former Cooling Towers are planned
for demolition the timing, demolition method
and future proposals remain to be resolved.
Again it is prudent to site the proposed power
plant away from this immediate area.
Having determined the general location of the
proposed plant, the layout of the plant is largely
determined the operational structure and adjacencies
of the plant.
The starting point for the plant process is the Fuel
Reception Building. Here biomass fuel brought to site
is unloaded, tested and sorted for suitability and made
available for transfer to the fuel store.
Biomass fuel is transferred to the Fuel Store by
conveyor. The fuel store then provides a regular
supply of material to the Boiler House. The Boiler
House, housing the combustor has a close process
relationship with the Turbine House, Flue Gas Filter,
Stack and the Air Cooled Condenser (or a Hybrid Tower
Cooling System).
There is greater flexibility as to the location of the
Administration Building and Workshop,
A contractor’s area has been included in the site layout
both to provide for the construction period and longer
term maintenance works.
Once the Fixed Link is developed entrance facilities,
such as Security Gate House and visitor facilities can
be re-provided in this location as appropriate.
Scale
The scale of the development reflects its purpose and
intended generating capacity. The height of the stack
is a reflection of the requirement to disperse emissions
appropriately to meet Air Quality Standards and to
respond to Sheffield Airport Safeguarding
requirements.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
The floorspace, footprint and height of the principal
elements of the development are estimated as follows:
Length
(m)
Width
(m)
Footprint
(m)
Height
Cooling System 40 26 1040 25
Boiler House 32 25 800 46
Flue Gas Filter 15 10 150 17
Fuel Reception
Facility
20 27 540 15
Fuel Store A
Frame
50 30 1500 24
Stack 3* 3* 7 90
Turbine House
Building
32 18 576 15
Administration**
Building &
Workshop
30 15 450 9
*3m diameter
**The office building will be single storey. The integral
workshop will include a high bay workspace.
The most dominant and visible elements of the
proposed development and the Fuel Store, Boiler House
and Emissions Stack.
The massing of Fuel Store and Boiler House are
dictated by their function and the equipment housed.
The height of the stack is required up to 90 m to
optimise the achievement of emissions standards.
A series of photo montages drawn from the Visual and
Landscape assessment of the Environmental Statement
provide an illustration of the scale of development,
principally the stack and Boiler House in its context.
Landscaping
The landscaping approach to the site reflects the
following principal objectives:
• To create a functionally effective, attractive
and above all safe working environment in the
Renewable Energy Plant compound.
• To Reinforce the ‘green corridor’ of the canal.
• To promote bio-diversity and complement the
nearby Blackburn Meadows Local Nature
Reserve.
• To facilitate Sustainable Drainage and Flood
Management.
Integrated approaches will be taken to the core
development area and the surrounding landscape /
flood mitigations areas.
The core development area will use a combination of
native and amenity planting to provide an attractive
operational site with some screen planting towards the
boundary along the banks of the proposed treatment
wetland. Where possible the SUDS features will create
a visual infrastructure with planting designed to reflect
the direction of water flow and a sense of place around
the collector basins.
The core development area is a working industrial
space and will therefore reflect this functionality in the
practical hard surface design and robust planting
proposals.
Detailed planting proposals will be provided at detail
design stage subject to consultation and agreement.
The open area of the site offers a unique opportunity to
recreate a semi-natural landscape that allows periodic
flooding within a bio-diverse infrastructure.
The main visually important component of the
landscape in the lower area is the provision of woody
screening from the south. This will provide a corridor of
trees immediately next to the river reducing visual
permeability towards the Renewable Energy Plant.
However this screen will be penetrated by the Proposed
Fixed Link Road where the tree belt is interrupted to
reduce possible impacts on foraging fauna.
The excavated profile of the new floodplain will
comprise a diverse surface profile to provide a slow
route for cleaned runoff to reach the River Don with
habitat creation to reflect the wetland mosaic
expected in a river floodplain. The mosaic should
include temporary and permanent water features in
both shaded and un-shaded situations, open grassland
and re-generating woody areas in the river valley.
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Renewable Energy Plant
Photomontage B - View from Tinsley
NTS JAB 19.02.08
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Renewable Energy Plant
Photomontage C - View from Transpennine Trail
NTS JAB 19.02.08
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Renewable Energy Plant Photomontage D - View from Templeborough
NTS JAB 19.02.08
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Renewable Energy Plant
Photomontage E - View from Low Wincobank
NTS JAB 19.02.08
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Renewable Energy Plant
Photomontage F - View from High Wincobank
NTS JAB 19.02.08
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Renewable Energy Plant
Photomontage G - View from Don Valley/Meadowhall
NTS JAB 19.02.08
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
The proposals should meet the aims of UK and local
HAPs (Habitat Action Plan) and SAP (Species Action
Plan) with a presumption in favour of native species
and creative natural planting based on locally
appropriate NVC communities.
The future soil and hydrological characteristics of the
site will be difficult to predict so a degree of flexibility
in planting and management will be required for the
project.
A demonstration area of bio-fuels such as short rotation
coppice (SRC) willow / miscanthus will be adjacent to a
‘wildlife pond’ with controlled access will be developed
to provide visitor interest and an educational resource.
A controlled pedestrian and vehicle entry to the flood
mitigation area, with a simple circulation pattern, will
allow access for occasional management of habitat
areas and a route for visitor
Detailed planting proposals will be provided at detail
design stage subject to consultation and agreement
Appearance
Design Concepts
The overall objective for the detailed design of the
Renewable Energy Plant will be to create a clean
industrial character consistent with its role, the use of
sustainable energy generation technology, its visible
location and context and E.ON ’s corporate objectives.
Whilst the sites potential ‘land mark’ location is noted
the overall image of the site is intended to be one of a
contemporary functional, modern, industrial set in a
green environment. Offering architectural character
and aesthetic quality through the use of visually
strong, wherever possible, sustainable materials. A
Design Concept plan is included in this section.
E.ON is not committed to a particular design approach
at this stage and the quality of design will be a factor
in the appointment of a primary contractor. However
at this stage the following approach is preferred:
• A design strategy based upon an approach to
integrating the wider green environment of the
plant itself whilst establishing a back drop to the
more dramatic (visible) elements of the plant. In
this approach many of the smaller buildings would
be well integrated into the surrounding
environment with use of green roofs and wood and
other natural or ‘green’ cladding materials,
including green walls. A more contemporary
approach could then be taken with a number of
the taller structures (ie stack and boiler house) to
highlight them and contrast then against a more
subdued background.
These approaches combined with an integrity of design
rationale, supported by appropriate building materials,
use of colour, lighting and signage can combine to
create a very positive, readily recognisable sustainable
landmark or landmarks in this location.
Design Elements
Within the context of the design approach outline
above it is proposed that detailed layout seeks to
develop on the following design elements:
• Focal points, reinforcing legibility and entry points
to the plant – these should respond to the Aisling
Road / M1 view points and the potential entry
point from the Fixed Link.
• Key elevations / building lines – particular
emphasis in terms of design approaches should be
taken to developing positive elevations to
buildings to the south and western boundaries of
the development area.
Materials
Within the context of the potential principal design
approaches noted above it is envisaged that where
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
possible buildings will be constructed using material
integral to the design and external appearance.
However the scope for this may be restricted on some
buildings due to technical, health and safety
requirements and so on.
Where is it necessary to address the external
appearance of the building to develop a pragmatic
construction it is likely that simple rectangular steel
frames, enclosed with proprietary profiled metal
faced, insulated cladding panels (incorporating integral
double or triple glazed units, where required) with be
used as the primary construction.
This approach will provide a low cost thermally
efficient, watertight, dry enclosure at an early stage of
the construction programme, allowing the internal
plant installations to commence at an advanced date,
not dependent upon the completion of the cladding of
the buildings.
The insulated cladding panels would have a dark
coloured finish to act as a neutral background to a
variety of external rainscreen claddings which would
be designed to provide sculptural form and coherence.
A variety of potential rainscreen cladding materials
would be considered, installed on concealed
lightweight framing, attached to the face of the
insulated cladding panels and assembled in a range of
perforated constructions varying from near solid to an
open veil.
Cladding materials would be selected on a basis of
compliance with the requirements to be affordable,
long lasting in an urban industrial atmosphere (with
minimal maintenance requirements) and
environmentally sustainable with regard to energy
consumption in production and transportation, use of
natural resources and capability to be recycled.
Potential materials would be selected from a range
that will include the following:
• Open jointed vertical timber boarded cladding
of untreated Western Red Cedar, Siberian
Larch or Douglas Fir, obtainable from
certificated and managed sustainable sources.
• Vertical standing seam malleable natural
finish metal sheet cladding (eg aluminium,
zinc, copper), produced where possible from
recycled source material.
• Framed panels of natural or colour coated
finish punched perforated aluminium sheet,
produced where possible from recycled source
material.
• Framed panels of stainless steel woven wire
mesh.
• Glass Reinforced Concrete
• Particular features could include ground level
plinths of stone gabions and trellised framing
of stainless steel wire to allow climbing plants
to traverse the elevations.
• Limited areas of the elevations may be clad
with high quality proprietary colour coated
aluminium cassette panels.
• The roofs and sloping elevations will provide
opportunities to incorporate some
photovoltaic solar collection panel assemblies
and also to include significant areas of bio-
diverse planting, which in addition to their
visual amenity and natural habitat
contribution, will also contribute to the
thermal performance of the buildings as well
as to the sustainable urban drainage system.
• Opportunities to encourage the development
of natural vegetation as ‘green walls will also
be encourage.
Potentially appropriate materials are illustrated on
image sheets included in this section.
Massing / Roof lines
Where appropriate opportunities will be taken to
develop the appearance of otherwise simply profiled
buildings by considering refinement to the roof lines
and so forth to create additional interest and reflect
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Plant MaterialsJAB 08.02.08
1 Texturedcladding2 Coppercladding3 Cedarcladding-Aged4 Singlesheetaluminiumseamed insulatedroofwithsolarpanels5 SinglesheetAluminiumseamed insulatedroof6 Coppercladding-Fading
1 2
3 4
5 6
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Plant MaterialsJAB 08.02.08
1 Greenroof-Terraced2 SinglesheetAluminiumseamedcladding3 Glass-cladding4 Cedarcladding-NEW5 Coppercladding6 Gabbions-Mixed
1 2
3 4
5 6
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Plant MaterialsJAB 08.02.08
1 Coatedsteelsheet2 Sinusoidalcoatedsteelcladding3 Sinusoidalcoatedsteelcladding4 Steelmesh5 Steelmesh6 Gabbions
1 2
3 4
5 6
Building Design Partnership
Blackburn Meadows Biomass Plant MaterialsJAB 08.02.08
1 Concreteinsitu2 Elevationbrokenupbycolour-texture3 Stainlesssteelcladdingpanelandvent4 Stainlesssteel56
1 2
3 4
5 6
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
some examples of traditional industrial development in
the wider area. This approach will need to be
consistent with objectives for green roofs as well as
other considerations.
Lighting
Lighting will be used to meet health and safety
requirements and maintain a degree of visibility of the
built form after dark. However light pollution and
impact of local habitat areas will be minimised.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Access
Until such time as the Fixed Link is developed the site
will be accessed via Asling Road. This will provide
access for employees, visitors, fuel supplies (HGVs). It
will be upgraded as required to accommodate HGVs,
cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
Access to the core of the site controlled by a gatehouse
at the western site of the site compound. Visitor
parking will be provided outside of the core area, with
visitors entering the site on foot.
Staff car parking will be provided within the core
compound area. Disabled visitor and staff parking will
be provided.
Disabled access will be provided to and throughout the
Administration Building. It is considered inappropriate
and unsafe to seek to provide access to operational
parts of the site which are effectively equipment. As
noted by the Building Regulation 2000 Part M ‘Access to
and use of Buildings’ the requirements for disabled
access do not apply to any part of a building which is
used solely to enable the building or any service or
fitting in the building to be inspected, repaired or
maintained.
No public access is to be provided to the site, or the
plant compound in the interest of health and safety
and security.
Blackburn Meadows Design and Access Statement March 2008
Design and DevelopmentPrinciples and Process
E.ON acknowledge the important location of Blackburn
Meadows and is committed to delivering a development
which meets its operational requirements and
sustainability objectives, whilst adding to the built and
natural character of this part of the Lower Don Valley.
Principles
In developing a detailed scheme in conjunction with its
primary contractors E.ON intend to adopt the following
design and development principals to be confirmed
through the approval of the outline planning
application. E.ON’s design and development principles
for the project are as follows:
1. A development that responds to the landmark
location of the site and the operational
requirements of a renewable energy plant.
2. To included, subject to technical feasibility and
approval of the design strategy by the City
Council, green roofs on a appropriate buildings;
3. To construct all buildings to achieve BREEAM
good standard (or relevant equivalent) whilst
striving where possible for very good and/or
excellent.
4. To adopted a sustainable drainage system that
achieves run-off from the site to the River Don
equivalent to green field run-off. This will
incorporate green roofs and rainwater
harvesting and where appropriate permeable
paving materials.
5. To respond to the alignment of the proposed
alignment of the Fixed Link as shown on the LDF
Proposals Map (Preferred) 2007.
6. To incorporate an approach to public art within
the scheme, principally through the design and
treatment of buildings and landscaping.
7. To make use of the cladding materials referred
to in this statement subject to affordability,
technical feasibility and the overall design
strategy.
8. To develop the landscape quality and bio-
diversity of the open areas of Blackburn
Meadows.
Process
As noted earlier the detail of the scheme cannot be
developed until such time as a primary contractor has
been appointed.
The primary contractor will be required to retain
architectural and design advisors. However E.ON will
retain an executive position on design through the
detailed planning application process.
E.ON will appoint a reputable UK architect and design
practice to advise E.ON and the contractor’s design
team.
E.ON, and its design advisors, will ‘sign-off’ any
detailed proposals or drawings prior to issue to the City
Council for comment or acceptance.
top related