Planning inquiry on solar farm to take place this month

Proposals for the New Works solar farm, off New Works Lane, between Arleston and Lawley in Telford, were turned down last year.

The firm behind the project, Greentech, has appealed against the decision, and it will now be down to a planning inspector to decide whether the proposal is given the go-ahead.

The inquiry will take place at Meeting Point House in Southwater, and is expected to be held over four days, starting at 10am on Tuesday, June 21. Subsequent days, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, will start at 9.30am.

Greentech says the New Works site would generate 28,500 MWh per year in renewable electricity, enough to power 8,650 homes, and would create construction and maintenance jobs to help boost the local economy.

One of the major reasons behind the Telford & Wrekin Council planning committee decision to turn the application down was concern about its impact on the landscape.

The 99-acre site of the solar farm, which would last for 40 years if approved, falls within the Wrekin Forest Strategic Landscape Area and is close to the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

There have been a number of submissions to the inquiry ahead of the hearing, including from both Telford & Wrekin Council and Greentech.

The council report says that the long-term nature of the development adds to the concerns about its impact on the landscape.

It states: "Notwithstanding the benefits of the proposal, the impacts on the landscape character are considered to outweigh the benefits of the proposal. The harm would be of a temporary nature, but this is not a short-term impact and is envisaged to be for 40 years."

The authority's submission says it accepts the need for renewable energy – but says developments need to be in the right place.

It states: "The council agrees that there is a climate crisis and declared a climate emergency in 2019. It is committed to ensuring its activities and operations are carbon neutral by 2030.

"The council is also supportive of solar energy, in the right place. In 2014 the council was one of the first local authorities to install a commercial solar farm at Wheat Leasowes, generating 4MW of renewable energy.

"The council has welcomed and supported applications for renewable energy, from domestic rooftop or free standing schemes, to large-scale private installations, including what was the fourth largest rooftop system at Lyreco, as well as ground mounted solar farms.

"Consent has been given for five solar farms, not including the council’s own scheme. The largest scheme approved was for 49.9MW on a 133 hectare site, for which I was the case officer. This was recommended for approval to the planning committee and was unanimously approved by the planning committee.

"This clearly demonstrates that the council supports the delivery of renewable energy and recognises its importance, but it must be the right scheme in the right location."

A submission from Greentech says it believes the benefits of the project "significantly and demonstrably" outweigh the disadvantages.

It states: "Overall, the development would positively contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development. It would improve biodiversity; it would provide renewable energy infrastructure that would contribute towards building a strong, responsive carbon zero economy; social gains would be delivered by fostering a well-designed scheme which is safe for the environment."

The submission also says that any impact on the landscape is temporary, with the solar farm limited to a 40-year lifespan.

It states: "The selected site is appropriate in that it can accommodate the proposed solar park without significantly affecting the landscape character of the wider countryside or any amenities of residents in the vicinity.

The temporary and reversible nature of the development, together with the measures that are to be taken to enhance and encourage the ecological diversity of the site, will ensure that in the long term the site can not only be restored to its current use, but will also have been improved."

Greentech also cite the potential economic boosts of the project saying it will create up to 80 construction jobs and a £96,000 contribution in business rates.

A second major solar farm at Steeraway was turned down earlier this year, but a project for a solar farm at Cheswell Grange, Newport, was approved last week.