Resource Use & Waste

The level of consumption and use of resources on the Isle of Wight is related to:

• Island status (transporting goods on and off the Island);
• natural resource availability/management;
• lifestyle.

All of these factors have an impact on the landscape.

Two studies on the Isle of Wight, Island State - Ecological Footprint Analysis (2000) and the Renewable Energy Strategy (2002) identify how changes in local food production, waste management, energy generation and efficiency could make lifestyles on the Isle of Wight more sustainable. These changes have implications for landscape character in the AONB. We must therefore ensure that they are assessed fully in terms of the socio-economic implications, as we support and encourage moves towards a more sustainable future.

The ‘ecological footprint’ for the Isle of Wight is more than twice the global average. In other words, if everyone in the world lived like the population on the Isle of Wight lives, we would need 2½ planets.

The Island State study suggests that the Island’s ecological footprint could be reduced by 10% through a combination of measures that are currently feasible, including:

• more local food production and consumption to reduce transport to and from the Island and provide reliable markets for farmers to sell their produce;
  
• greater waste recovery and minimisation – this includes developing markets for recycled goods, encouraging businesses to use resources more efficiently, education about waste, and using consumer power to influence commerce;
  
• more energy efficiency through, for example, insulation and by looking at ways to generate renewable energy.

Energy

Of the total energy demand on the Island, 56% is currently met by piped gas from the mainland, 26% from petrol and diesel used from transport, 16% from electricity imported from the mainland and 0.4% from the 'waste to energy' (RDF) plant.

The UK government target is to supply 10% of the UK's electricity from renewable energy by 2010.  This forms part of the Government's Climate Change Programme, which aims to cut UK emissions of CO2 to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010.

Options for meeting this target on the Isle of Wight were explored through the Renewable Energy Strategy 2002: wind, biomass, tidal current, waste to energy plants, bio diesel, solar water heating and photo-voltaic cells were all considered.

The Renewable Energy Strategy recognises the opportunities that using the Island's renewable energy resources could have for the Island community.  These are:-

reducing the environmental impact of energy generation

developing and regenerating the economy

diversification of rural incomes

promoting the Island as a centre for green tourism

WIND TURBINES IN AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

The AONB designation and Heritage Coast are identified as one of the main opportunities and/or threats, for renewable energy development of the Island.

There is no planning presumption against wind energy schemes within protected landscapes, and a number of sites exist in both National Parks and AONBs in England and Wales.  However, for future proposals, the Countryside Agency and the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have issued a position statement.  This aims to ensure that a balanced approach is achieved between the need to reduce greenhouse gases and the need to protect, for future generations, the nation's finest countryside.  This position statement makes the following points:-

Large commercial wind energy developments within AONBs, or in locations outside the AONB which affect people's enjoyment of the AONB, are likely to be incompatible with the objectives of the designation and should, therefore, be resisted in these areas.

The character of the countryside in some parts of an AONB or its surroundings, may mean that small-scale wind energy schemes (one to three turbines ranging up to 500kW, in the region of 60m height to blade tip, and with clusters no less than 10km apart), could be accommodated where they do not compromise the objectives of the designation and respect the local countryside character.

A full Environmental Impact Assessment should be carried out, before any planning application for wind energy schemes are submitted.  Particular consideration should be given to the effects of related infrastructure, such as grid connection, and to the cumulative impact of multiple schemes.

In addition to the above joint statement, the Countryside Agency advocates the following approach regarding wind energy developments.

Adopting a sequential approach - prioritising the development's potential to complement other developments and assist regeneration.  The sequential approach comprises four general categories:-

First - brown field/regeneration sites

Second - non-sensitive countryside

Third - sensitive countryside

Last - designated landscapes and their margins

This is additionally supported by the Isle of Wight Renewable Energy Strategy.

It is also suggested that the landscape character based approach is used, to produce guidance that identifies the potential, conditions and constraints for wind energy.  This approach can help responses to proposals for such developments to be considered in an informed and strategic way, rather than having to consider each application in isolation as it arises.

There is a need to consider this in light of the recent draft Planning Policy Statement 22 - Renewable Energy, which is at the time of writing this plan out to consultation.  Although acknowledging the importance of AONBs, PPS22 is clear in stating that sequential approaches should not be used for the consideration of applications.