12. UTILITIES

Introduction

12.1 Many of the large utility service providers have now moved from the public sector to the private sector. Examples of these can be found within the electricity, gas, water and telecommunications industries. The services that they supply, however, remain as important as ever. Therefore, the Council will continue to liaise closely with the utility providers and developers to ensure that an adequate and appropriate range of facilities and services are provided to meet the needs of the Borough’s population.

12.2 Technological advancements have been transforming the nature of some utility service provision, none more so than in the telecommunications industry, which now requires the siting of a new array of equipment and aerials.

Objectives

(a) To liaise with utility service providers, developers and other interested parties in order to co-ordinate the adequate provision of a range of facilities and services, without adversely affecting the local environment.

(b) To seek to reduce the environmental impact of power lines and telecommunications installations.

Policies

DEVELOPMENT CONTROL CONSIDERATIONS

12.3 It is important to note that all policies contained within this chapter must be read alongside the overall Development Control Policy (DC1). This policy sets out the standard planning criteria applicable to all forms of development. The relevant criteria will be used to assess the suitability of any proposal in addition to the following detailed policy guidance.

OFF-SITE SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE

12.4 The policy seeks to prevent or limit development until all necessary utility services associated with it, such as sewerage, sewage disposal and water supply provision, are made available.

12.5 There are unprecedented pressures being placed on existing water supplies to meet the increasing needs of residents and, amongst others, the agriculture, leisure, business and construction industries. Therefore, land allocated for development in this Plan will require a strategy to be developed for water and/or sewerage services, and developers may be required to contribute towards the costs of this infrastructure in accordance with the statutory framework. In advance of the strategy being fully implemented, it may prove necessary to require some phasing. Any interested parties are recommended to contact Anglian Water and Tendring Hundred Water (in respect of water supplies in Dedham and Wivenhoe) as soon as possible to discuss the details of the strategy more fully prior to submitting a planning application. Before granting planning permission, it will be necessary to establish that there is an adequate available water capacity. In considering proposals, encouragement will be given to sustainable forms of drainage, such as reedbeds and swales, wherever practical and visually acceptable. Advice on best practice can be sought from the Environment Agency.

 

UT1 Development which increases the demand for off-site service infrastructure, such as water supply, surface water, foul drainage or sewage treatment, will not be permitted unless sufficient capacity will be provided in time to serve the development without harm to the environment. When improvements in off-site infrastructure are programmed, the commencement of development will be co- ordinated with its provision. Encouragement will be given to use sustainable forms of drainage wherever practical and visually acceptable.

SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS

12.6 The Plan seeks to ensure that adequate provision for sewage treatment and mains drainage systems to serve new development is made and in a timely manner. It also aims to ensure that appropriate long-term maintenance arrangements are put in place with respect to new private pumping facilities (ie those not operated by the Drainage Authority). Any development proposal will also need to be considered in accordance with the North Essex Local Environment Agency Plan (LEAP).

 

UT2 The Plan makes provision for the continuing improvement of the Haven Sewage Works. When developments incorporating privately operated facilities are permitted, suitable provision for their ongoing maintenance will be required.

POWER LINES

12.7 The Local Planning Authority is consulted under the Electricity Act 1989 on proposals for overhead power lines. Normal Development Control procedures do not apply in these instances.

12.8 The Council is concerned about the obtrusive appearance of overhead power cables in areas of good quality environment in the Borough, particularly in Conservation Areas and Countryside Conservation Areas.

12.9 Liaison will occur with electricity suppliers and the National Grid to try to secure the provision of underground cables wherever possible, either in terms of power lines for general public supply or to individual buildings in the countryside.

12.10 Built development will be controlled, under or immediately adjacent to power lines and other high-voltage plant, in order to safeguard both the operational needs of the NGC and local amenity. In view of the substantial practical, technical and cost disadvantages currently being experienced, the under-grounding of high-voltage power lines (275kv and above) will be sought only in exceptional circumstances. The Borough Council will expect careful line routing to be the most appropriate way to minimise the impact of high-voltage power lines.

 

UT3 New overhead power lines or high-powered electrical installations should be sited away from any of the following areas on grounds of amenity: (a) Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Countryside Conservation Areas or parks and gardens of historic or landscape interest; (b) Sites of Special Scientific Interest or Sites of Nature Conservation Importance; (c) Conservation Areas and Sites of Buildings of Historic or Architectural Interest, including listed buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments; (d) residential development. Provided that there is no alternative to having power lines crossing sensitive areas, they should be placed underground if this is not damaging to sites of nature conservation value or archaeological importance and there are not substantial practical, technical and cost disadvantages in doing so.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

12.11 It is the Government’s policy to facilitate the growth of telecommunications systems because of their perceived benefits – for instance, fast, reliable and cost-effective communications can help attract business to an area and help firms’ competitiveness. They can also aid safety and security, reduce the need for travel and, through driver information systems technology, enable the existing roads network to be used more effectively. People will have a greater choice as to who provides their telecommunications services, and a wider range of services from which to choose. However, concerns have been raised on health issues. The Council will take into account any such concerns in determining proposals but will give particular weight to national guidance in this matter.

Types of Telecommunication Development

12.12 Telecommunications development takes a variety of forms, including buildings, towers, antennae, cable systems above or below ground level and masts. By their very nature and purpose, such installations often need to be prominently sited on the tops or sides of buildings, and there is consequently often a real danger that such development will cause a high level of visual intrusion into the local environment. However, the LPA enjoys only limited powers with which to control the location, siting and design of such development.

12.13 Therefore, much minor telecommunications development has “permitted development rights” under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. However, the Authority can exercise controls in such cases over detailed siting and design, if not over the principle of the proposed development itself. Even so, the Authority has to recognise the constraints on siting and appearance imposed by the nature of telecommunications technology.

Siting Telecommunications Masts and Equipment

12.14 In cases where operators require full planning permission for telecommunications development, considerations of visual appearance and design are not straightforward. For example, in certain circumstances, a higher mast may mean that fewer masts are required overall, while masts and antennae often require particular operating heights in order that signals can clear trees and other built development.

12.15 However, certain approaches to this general problem, such as mast-sharing or use of existing appropriate buildings to site new antennae, may well help the Authority to contain visual intrusion as far as possible. Furthermore, the Authority can encourage prospective developers of new housing and commercial development to consider the likely telecommunications needs of occupiers as a standard design consideration in order to reduce the future need for new telecommunications apparatus above ground, using communal or master antenna systems. In addition to visual intrusion issues, regard needs to be had for air safety. Wormingford Airfield is used by the Essex and Suffolk Gliding Club and the Council has agreed an unofficial safeguarding map for this operational aerodrome. Telecommunications development within the safeguarding area will be expected to have regard to the interests of air safety.

12.16 The siting of telecommunications masts and equipment in sensitive environmental locations has become a major cause of concern (particularly with regard to the Dedham Vale AONB). A series of notifications and applications has been received from Code System Operators, stating their intention to locate such equipment within the Borough. It is considered that the policy needs to follow a site-specific approach to such developments. Liaison and co-operation with the communications companies, and also with neighbouring Local Authorities, will be required. The compilation by the Borough Council of a register of masts and other structures to which apparatus could be attached (using planning applications and other known sources of information as a base) will hopefully help. There will be a requirement placed on the operators to remove their telecommunications equipment once it becomes redundant.

12.17 Prospective developers of other types of development will be encouraged to consider carefully the likely needs of occupiers for telecommunications facilities at the outset.

 

UT4 Planning permission for new telecommunications development will be permitted provided that: (a) its impact on the surrounding environment and amenities is minimised through careful siting, design and screening; (b) new structures are harmonised with the massing, outlines and design of any existing buildings or other installations at the proposal site; (c) there has been thorough investigation into the possibilities for minimising the number of radio and telecommunications masts through such measures as mast-sharing and, where appropriate, the inclusion of additional structural capacity; (d) there is regard for the interests of air safety and, where appropriate, suitable obstacle warning/avoidance measures are included. Special protection will be given to listed and historic buildings, ancient monuments and their settings, Conservation Areas, the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Countryside Conservation Areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Historic Parks and Gardens and other sensitive areas of scenic value. Regard will be had to technical and operational constraints when considering proposals. All planning consents issued will include a condition requiring the removal of the telecommunications equipment once it has become redundant.

SATELLITE DISHES

12.18 The installation of satellite dishes is often “permitted development” under the provisions of the General Permitted Development Order 1995. However, negotiations will be encouraged with householders on the positioning of satellite dishes not needing planning permission within Conservation Areas, so as to minimise any obtrusiveness of the dish in respect of the building in question and its setting.

12.19 The statutory position is complex and will always be likely to change in order to reflect new technological advancements. Anyone contemplating installing a satellite dish would be well advised to check the up-to-date position at the appropriate time.

12.20 In the case of satellite dishes needing planning permission, the guidelines in clauses (a) , (b) and (c) of the Policy will be observed. The proliferation of satellite dishes in residential areas may be reduced or avoided by the wider use of techniques such as cable television. It is in this latter context that clause (d) of the Policy will be operated.

12.21 In order to minimise any adverse environmental impacts of satellite dish installation, careful consideration will be given to the following features of satellite dish proposals:

(a) The proposed colour of the dish;

(b) Its detailed siting;

(c) The feasibility of erecting shared or communal satellite signal receiving facilities.

Policy in this area will be kept under regular review, especially in anticipation of further Central Government guidance on this issue.