Solar farm plan will not see the light
The Government has upheld a council’s decision to refuse planning permission for a huge solar farm in countryside on the edge of a Derbyshire town.
Amber Valley Borough Council rejected plans 12 months ago for the industrial-scale installation of solar panels on 75 hectares of countryside to the north-west of Alfreton.
The planning application, covering a site spanning from Alfreton to South Wingfield, received objections from more than 600 residents, who were concerned about the devastating impact it would have on the countryside, public footpaths and historic landmarks in the area.
But the developer, Kronos Solar Projects GmbH, nevertheless appealed, forcing the council to defend its decision at a six-day inquiry overseen by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.
The Planning Inspectorate has now rejected the appeal from Kronos, ruling that Amber Valley Borough Council’s original decision to refuse the application was correct.
The outcome has delighted local residents, who set up a group to help fight the planning application. Save Alfreton Countryside has since attracted more than 1,700 members on its Facebook group as well raising more than £7,000 for the campaign through its Just Giving page.
Councillor Tony Harper, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration said: “The residents of Alfreton and surrounding areas are going to be delighted at the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to reject this appeal.
“It demonstrates that Amber Valley Borough Council is prepared to stand up for our community.
“We of course have to be sure that we have strong reasons for refusing any planning application, but this result has clearly vindicated our decision.
“We understand the need for renewable energy, and we are certainly not opposed to that. We are very open to green energy applications, but this one simply impacted the area too much, and so the harm clearly outweighed the good.”
As a result of Kronos appealing the original ruling by Amber Valley Borough Council’s Planning Committee, the council was legally bound to defend its decision as part of the formal planning process.
Councillor Harper said: “The council was forced to spend tens of thousands of pounds to defend its original decision through the appeals process.
“This is money that could potentially have been spent on other services, but we were placed in a position where we had no choice. And the principle of defending that on behalf of our residents was too important.”
Working on behalf of the Government, planning inspector Paul Jackson, determined that the proposed solar farm would negatively impact on those who enjoyed using the countryside footpaths that criss-crossed the site.
He also said that the settings of a number of historic landmarks – including St Martin’s Church, Wingfield Manor, Alfreton Hall and Alfreton Park - would be “significantly diminished” by the proposed scheme. Concerns were also raised about the potential impact of a “humming noise” which would emanate from several locations across the site.
A spokesperson for residents’ group Save Alfreton Countryside said: “We’re over the moon with the Government’s decision to reject the solar farm, which would have had a devastating effect on the countryside and our enjoyment of it.
“It’s a real shame that, as a result of the appeal by Kronos, the council was forced to spend much-needed money when local authority budgets are already so tightly squeezed. We would much rather have seen Kronos footing the bill.
“But it is also comforting to see our local council supporting the wishes of its electorate in this way and we are pleased that the voices of hundreds of residents were heard loud and clear.”
Article by Amber Valley Borough Council
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