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Planning & Environmental Specialists Entrust is the UK’s leading Wind and Solar Planning & Environmental Consultancy. We provide a complete technical planning &environmental solution for Onshore Wind, Solar PV, other Renewable Technologies and Infrastructure Sectors. Entrust Can Offer - Onshore Wind Planning - Noise, Shadow Flicker- Solar PV Planning (Farm, Roof, Ground) - Photomontages, Wireframes, ZTV- Other RE Technologies Planning - Cumulative Wind Studies- EIA/ ES - AutoCAD- Landscape & Visual - Aviation & Telecommunications- Feasibility Studies - GIS Mapping- Appeals - Surveys- Ecological - Enforcement We are providing a service throughout England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales. 275 Wind & Solar Projects Over the past 18 months we have provided a planning service on over 275 wind and solar projects throughout the UK & Ireland. In addition, Entrust has provided a planning service on over 100 planning applications for telecoms installations across Ireland since 2008. WindSolarTelecoms93% Success Rate for Wind & Solar Planning Applications Over the past 18 months we have provided a service on 165 wind energy developments and 110 solar projects. Our wind energy projects range from individual wind turbines to groups of them. The key to our success has been our track record at delivering excellent results very efficiently, our quality of service, expert specialist knowledge, project management capability and the professionalism in our approach.We have an unbeatable success rate for our determined Solar PV projects throughout Great Britain which include roof & ground mounted installations on listed buildings and in conservation areas. We also provide a service for solar farms. We provide a very efficient turnkey planning solution which includes producing the relevant AutoCAD planning drawings, DAS & planning submission on average within 2 days of instruction, along with providing an excellent project management service which includes providing a continuous progress update to our clients. 93%Success RateUKDaresbury Innovation Centre,Keckwick Lane, Daresbury, Cheshire WA4 4FSt 01925 607 235 e info@en-trust.co.ukwww.en-trust.co.uk Ireland13 Upper Baggot Street, Second Floor, Dublin 4t 01 443 3358 e info@entrust.iewww.entrust.ieCHAPTER HEADINGProfessionalism Our highly experienced team of professional plan-ners have up to date knowledge of changing EU, national and local planning policy and how it may impact upon our client’s development proposals and we will recommend taking necessary actions accordingly. We keep an up to date database of the latest Planning Inspectorate Decisions for Wind, Solar and Infrastructure proposals to help us steer proposals effectively through the planning process. As the Managing Director is a Chartered Town Plan-ner we are bound by the Royal Town Planning In-stitute (RTPI) Code of Professional Conduct and therefore we act in the best interests of our clients offering transparent and realistic professional plan-ning advice at all times.Our Service Offering;PlanningEntrust has a team of expert planners with exten-sive knowledge and experience of wind, solar and general infrastructure planning matters. Our complete planning service includes:• Meticulous Project Management • Initial GIS Desktop Constraints Analysis• Pre-Consultation with Councils & Statutory Consultees• Submission of Screening/Scoping Reports for EIA• Submission of Design and Access Statements• Submission of Planning Statements • Production of AutoCAD Planning Drawings• Representation at committee/ public hearings• Planning Conditions Discharge• Handover Pack with all Planning Documentation • Appeals Feasibility StudiesWe can save our clients a considerable amount of time and unnecessary expense during the actual planning process by identifying those constraints as early as possible and before submission; avia-tion, telecommunications and other statutory con-straints, local residential considerations, environ-mental and ecological considerations. We will also review planning policy pertaining to a particular location and any local planning authority and Planning Inspectorate precedent decisions for similar type developments determined in a particu-lar area or local jurisdiction to help ascertain the likelihood of obtaining consent. We will recommend any necessary action(s) to our clients to take to de-risk the planning element of a project at the outset. 2 ENTRUST PLANNING CONSULTANTS43GIS Constraints Analysis Entrust was recently chosen by the Centre for Glob-al Eco-Innovation (a collaboration between the University of Liverpool, Lancaster University and Inventya) to develop an innovative technology to help de-risk the planning process for renewable en-ergy developments across the UK & Ireland. Entrust in partnership with Liverpool University (Planning, Environment and Marine Departments) are currently developing this innovative technology to encompass all aspects of the UK’s planning pro-cess, including economic, environmental and social considerations within a new sophisticated GIS. As part of this new technology, we offer a full GIS constraints mapping service to help choose the op-timum location for wind, solar or other infrastruc-ture developments across the UK & Ireland.Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA)Entrust has extensive experience at producing LVIA’s using best practise and Landscape Institute guidance. Our detailed LVIA’s may include a land-scape survey, analysis, baseline landscape study, detailed methodology to identify the sensitivity of receptors and the magnitude of change in order to determine the significance of any impacts. Visualisations As part of LVIA’s, EIA’s, planning statements or plan-ning applications, visual representations in the form of photomontages, wirelines/wireframes or ZTV/ZVI are often required to demonstrate the vi-sual impacts of a proposal on its surrounds. Entrust has considerable expertise and experience produc-ing such visualisations. Cumulative StudiesAs more and more wind turbines are built, planning authorities are increasingly looking for cumulative studies such as cumulative ZTV’s from not only the project proposed but also from surrounding devel-opments built, proposed and consented to assess if a local ‘saturation point’ has been reached due to the number and scale of onshore wind energy developments in a particular area which can range from 5KM to 15KM studies. Entrust has produced a considerable number of such studies to the satis-faction of our clients and local planning authorities. ENTRUST PLANNING CONSULTANTSShadow Flicker AssessmentIn some limited circumstances shadow flicker, caused as a result of moving turbine blades in di-rect sunlight may have a harmful effect by casting shadows on windows of surrounding residential dwellings of a proposed development. We have specialist software to analyse the effects (if any) on surrounding residential dwellings and to calculate the number of hours and number of days a year that this may occur. If impacts are detected, we can recommend solutions to mitigate against these ef-fects so it does not become a reason for refusing planning permission. Noise Impact AssessmentWe are experienced in all aspects of noise mod-elling, monitoring, prediction and assessment of wind energy developments. We have specialist software to take the expected noise measurement calculations from surrounding residential dwellings and other sensitive receptors and we will recom-mend that remedial action is taken if necessary so that this potential issue does not become a reason for refusing permission.We have also produced a number of cumulative noise studies for projects proposed together with existing and consented projects in an area to the satisfaction of planning authorities nationwide. Environmental & Ecological ServicesEU legislation has meant that Environmental Im-pact Assessments (EIA), Environmental Statements (ES) and scoping for EIA’s are now required for many forms of renewable energy developments. Entrust’s in house team of professional planners have recently been successful in having a number of EIA requests from councils overturned. Where EIA’s and ES are still required, we can project manage the entire EIA process and co-ordinate the team of external specialist partners if and when re-quired by our clients. We have had much experience submitting ecologi-cal consideration reports and liasing with RSPB, Natural England, SNH, CCW and NPWS.We also work with an extensive network of ecologi-cal consultants nationwide to deal with ecological issues such as bird, bat, protected species, mam-mal - surveys, monitoring/management schemes and walk over studies.Public Engagement With over 15 years experience dealing with often contentious infrastructure development propos-als, we have built up considerable expertise in this specialised area. Also with the Localism Act now in force, this is an area of increasing importance and a key strength of Entrust. We are regularly required to represent clients at planning committee meet-ings and to mediate with local communities. Cultural, Heritage, Residential & Tourism Amenity StudiesDue to our considerable experience and expertise, we have undertaken detailed desktop and on-site assessments and produced a range of different re-ports relating to these very specialised areas to the satisfaction of planning authorities. ENTRUST PLANNING CONSULTANTS4Aviation & Telecommunications Constraints We deal with a wide range of statutory consultees on an ongoing basis including CAA, NATS, MoD and different wireless communications operators to overcome aviation issues across the country. We have an impressive track record of resolving many of these issues in collaboration with our aviation and telecommunications specialist partners. Case Study: Group of Wind Turbines at South Lan-arkshire, ScotlandEntrust has provided a planning service for over 100 wind energy developments right across Scot-land from Aberdeenshire in the north to Dumfries in the south. In this particular instance at Wallston Braehead Farm, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, permission was granted for a grouping of 3 wind turbines after successfully overturning an MoD objection. We engaged in lengthy pre-consultation with the local authority in order to overcome a wide range of issues. Appropriate mitigating measures were proposed and implemented to make the develop-ment more acceptable and as a result a grant of planning permission was subsequently issued by the council.ENTRUST PLANNING CONSULTANTS 5Case Study: Solar PV Installation on Collingwood College, Surrey, England.We have successfully achieved planning con-sent for a range of ground and roof mount solar projects including Equestrian Centres, Business Parks, Golf Clubs, listed residential buildings, conservation areas, national parks, libraries and schools throughout the UK. On one particular project which involved pro-viding a planning service on a portfolio of 8 schools in London, South East, and South West of England was Collingwood College in Surrey. On this particular project, Entrust produced all the required set of planning drawings in Au-toCAD and secured planning permission for a 120kW Solar PV installation consisting of 510 solar panels on 3 different school buildings. The project received a number of letters of support from the local community and was granted permission without any delay. Case Study: Wind Turbine in an Area of Outstand-ing Natural Beauty (AONB), EnglandEntrust secured planning permission at a planning committee for a Wind Turbine in an AONB in the West Midlands. Entrust represented the applicant at the committee meeting and the application re-ceived approval from the members. The local au-thority had concerns regarding the impact on the AONB. Entrust submitted a thorough landscape and visual impact assessment which led to a recommenda-tion of approval from the planning officer, and subsequently the application received a grant of planning permission.Case Study: Wind Energy Development in Worcestershire, EnglandEntrust successfully secured a grant of planning permission for a medium range wind turbine at Mawley Town Farm, Kidderminster, Worcester-shire which overlooks a village and conservation area in the West Midlands. This site had major planning issues with the impact on the character and settings of local heritage assets and a conser-vation area. Entrust submitted a detailed heritage impact as-sessment and considered these issues carefully in the design process in order to overcome these constraints and subsequently obtained a grant of planning permission.Case Study: Coastal National Park Wind Development in WalesEntrust obtained planning permission for a sin-gle wind turbine at Trewarren Farm, St. Ishmaels, Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park following 8 months of pre-consultation dis-cussions with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. In what was a heavily constrained site, a number of difficult issues were overcome throughout the challenging planning process. These include the requirement for an EIA, the sensitivity of the Na-tional Park; for both ecology and scenic value, visual impact, proximity to a Special Area of Con-servation (SAC) and Site of Special Scientific In-terest (SSSI) and the presence of archaeological remains. Entrust worked tirelessly and persistently with the National Park Authority and a number of rel-evant statutory consultees including Cadw and CCW to overcome a range of different issues and secured a grant of planning permission.Case Study: North Wales EIA Screening DirectionsEntrust has experience in assisting developers achieve favourable screening directions that have overturned the need for Environmental State-ments to accompany Planning Applications across England, Scotland and Wales. This has included 2 sites in Flintshire, North Wales for 500kW wind turbine developments. ENTRUST PLANNING CONSULTANTS6Each site was originally thought to constitute EIA by the local authority due to their sensi-tive locations, however, Entrust worked with the Welsh Assembly Government, in order to justify possible alternative methods of assess-ment that could be used by the Local Planning Authority. Subsequently it was decided by the Welsh Government that the development did not constitute EIA. Case Study: Shadow Flicker Analysis & Report in Co. Meath IrelandEntrust has provided wind specialist technical assistance on a number of planning applications in Ireland. The local authority requested a site specific shadow report, analysing the impact on neigh-bouring residential dwellings. Entrust carried out the analysis to the satisfaction of the local authority.Case Study: Wind Energy Development in County Antrim, Northern IrelandEntrust has provided assistance with a number of planning applications in Northern Ireland. This in-cludes the submission of a planning application for a 100kW wind energy development in Dunloy, Co. Antrim. This planning application was accompanied by a comprehensive Landscape and Visual Impact As-sessment (LVIA), as well as a number of other spe-cialist wind technical reports including Cumula-tive Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV), Noise and Shadow Flicker Assessments. CHAPTER HEADING7 ENTRUST PLANNING CONSULTANTSGot a question? Call us on 01925 607 235UK Office entrust Daresbury Innovation Centre,Keckwick Lane, Daresbury, Cheshire WA4 4FSt 01925 607 235 e info@en-trust.co.ukwww.en-trust.co.ukIreland Officeentrust 13 Upper Baggot Street, Second Floor, Dublin 4t 01 443 3358 e info@entrust.iewww.entrust.ie