Appeal over rejection of solar farm plan near Oswestry

Bristol-based Elgin Energy Esco Ltd had wanted to build the solar farm, which would have been one of the largest in the county, at Rhosygadfa, on the edge of Gobowen.

It then revised its plans, scaling them back to a smaller scheme taking up 52 acres – five agricultural fields – but those plans were rejected by Shropshire Council in July last year.

In a statement the company's agents Berry's said that despite some impact on the local landscape, on balance the environmental benefits would outweigh this.

"The proposed installation of a solar farm at land near Rhosygadfa would allow the generation of 10MW of renewable energy for export to the national grid and contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions," it added.

The controversial plans were halved in size to 33 acres – three fields, which could power 1,500 homes – after being refused and a 20,000-panel solar farm was approved by Shropshire Council's north planning committee in December.

Resident Brian Case, who spoke against the plans at Shropshire Council's planning meeting in December, said he was still against the scheme and urged the planning inspector to visit the area before making a decision.

He said: "The agent is arguing that this development would not cause significant detrimental visual impact to the landscape. How I wonder do they propose to build an industrial type development surrounded by eight foot high steel fences which would have no impact, when the site can be seen from many houses in the nearby village of Gobowen and surrounding hills and from as far away as Rodney's Pillar.

"This country may well need every acre of productive farmland, especially when considered against the wider backdrop of current world affairs. To remove such land from production for 25 years seems inappropriate. It is unlikely that the thousands of panels will be sourced locally or the frames or related electrical inverters which will have no value to the community.

"I hope that the planning inspector actually visits the site and realises just how much will be lost to the community which uses this popular area as a green gym."

Councillor David Lloyd, Shropshire Council member for Gobowen, Selattyn & Weston Rhyn, said said: "It's open countryside that is highly valued for recreation by local people. Who would want to walk, ride or cycle around a power station? I wouldn't want that.

"Reducing the scale doesn't reduce the feeling of local people about planting thousands of glass panels in a field. It is open countryside and should be used for food production."