Shropshire solar farm plans rejected for second time

Developers behind a proposal for 27 acres of panels as Henley, Acton Scott, and green campaigners who supported the application, have said Shropshire Council's south planning committee did not seem to grasp that the solar farm would be "barely visible" from the surrounding countryside.

Plans for a solar farm at the site near Church Stretton had been cut back to half the size after a 54-acre proposal was rejected last October.

But despite Bloombridge Renewables efforts to redesign the solar farm to have minimal impact – and officers at Shirehall recommending the proposals go ahead – councillors still refused it at a meeting at Shirehall this week, said Dan Bramwell, representing the firm.

Councillors unanimously agreed to refuse consent for the 19,000-panel solar farm, to the delight of anti-solar farm campaigners, claiming it would have a negative impact on Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Mr Bramwell said the firm was now considering whether to appeal the decision.

"The application received the strong support of Shropshire Council's professional officers who after extensive scrutiny decided there were no planning grounds for refusal," he said.

"Thus the committee's decision was extremely disappointing. This site is one of very few suitable ones left in the area where a solar farm can be located and the resulting impact, as agreed by the council's officers, would have been minimal.

"If the country is to get to grips with climate change, it is essential that schemes such as this one are allowed to go ahead. We are still reviewing our options as to whether we might appeal."

Jamie Wrench, of Church Stretton-based green campaigners Stretton Climate Care agreed.

He said: "Stretton Climate Care regrets profoundly the decision of Shropshire Council to refuse planning permission for a solar farm at Henley.

"We believe that this proposal offered a good opportunity to expand the provision of renewable energy in the area, on a site that provided no visual intrusion to the Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty, which we all treasure.

"We are surprised that, once again, councillors have gone against the recommendations of their planning officers, nor have they addressed any of the points made by Stretton Climate Care in its submission.

"We deplore the poor record of Shropshire Council on the issues of reducing its carbon footprint, of supporting renewable energy, and of planning for a more sustainable future."

He said the group were holding a talk on renewable energy by Alice Hooker-Stroud of Zero Carbon Britain at Church Stretton Methodist Church at 7.30pm on March 4.

"Her message is clear - business as usual is no longer an option. Shropshire councillors need to take note," he added.