Further Permission at Green Belt Hydro Electric Plant

Tyler Parkes are pleased to have obtained planning permission for a permanent waterproof access and storage building to serve the existing hydro-electric plant near the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire.

The permission, on behalf of Holme Hydro Ltd, provides for a new building to replace an existing temporary protective structure over the hydro power station access hatch. The site lies in the Nottinghamshire Green Belt.

We previously obtained planning permission for the hydro-electric power plant in 2013. The scheme utilises the hydroelectric potential of the River Trent at the drop across an old filled-in lock, the Holme Old Lock. The plant has been designed to generate enough electricity to supply the average needs of 700 homes, displacing 1,770 tonnes of CO2 which would otherwise arise from fossil fuel based generation.

In the original application for the plant we had to address heritage, residential amenity and Green Belt issues. The plant has been installed and operational but due to maintenance requirements, a temporary cover was needed to protect the electrical equipment and the engineers inside the plant from the ingress of rain. In approving the temporary permission, the Council requested a longer term, more permanent solution to weather protection be found.

Our client liaised closely with the neighbour to the site and the Canal and River Trust before the submission and we negotiated closely with the Planning Officer during the processing of the application to ensure a satisfactory outcome.