Shropshire councillors unanimously approve bid for 20,000-panel solar farm

They unanimously agreed that the proposal from Lightsource Renewable Energy for Hadley Farm on Wrexham Road near Whitchurch should be approved at a meeting of Shropshire Council's north planning committee yesterday.

The 36-acre Hadley Farm plan has been supported by Whitchurch Town Council in the hope it could power about 1,700 homes. Many have supported the idea of renewable energy in this form amid concerns over Whitchurch's power supply. The apparent shortage of electricity has led to large businesses pulling out of the town, including Tension Bolts Ltd, and many have called on the council to do more to help.

Councillor Vince Hunt said: "I have no issue with solar panels. They are a lot less intrusive than windfarms." And Councillor Steve Davenport agreed, saying: "Solar energy is free, clean and is not large machines spinning around in the air or drilling into the ground." A public exhibition on the scheme took place in Whitchurch in May, and won general support among those who attended.

A four-page leaflet providing information on the proposal was posted to 79 residents and businesses in the area and the firm said overall the feedback during the community consultation has been positive.

The plans also include putting up a security fence and CCTV cameras to protect the panels, which will take about eight weeks to build and produce 6.56MW of electricity.

The approved solar farm comes after plans for two major solar farms were refused by South Shropshire Planning Committee last week.