Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) Longhedge Solar Farm, near Hawksworth and Thoroton, approved by planning inspector after refusal by Rushcliffe Borough Council
Plans for a 223 acre, 128,752 panel solar farm have been approved by a planning inspector following an appeal.
A decision was made yesterday (October 23), following the appeal and subsequent enquiry which began in March, after Renewable Energy Solutions (RES)’ application was refused by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
Longhedge Solar Farm is to be built between Thoroton and Hawksworth, and RES’ application explained it had chosen the location, which would cover nine arable fields, based on its proximity to a viable grid connection and lack of environmental, archaeological and landscape designations.
The proposals called for the installation of a renewable energy solar farm comprising ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays, together with substation, inverter stations, security measures, site access, internal access tracks and other ancillary infrastructure, including landscaping and biodiversity enhancements — and RES estimate the proposal would provide the equivalent annual electrical need for approximately 13,500 family homes.
It also plans to graze sheep in the fields within the solar farm.
Rushcliffe Borough Council refused the application due to the scale of the development having a “significant adverse impact on landscape, character and visual amenity” of the area, and it not contributing to the “preservation or enhancement of the setting of the Hawksworth and Thoroton Conservation Areas” or the listed buildings in those areas.
The decision stated: “Whilst the significant benefits of the proposal in terms of renewable energy are acknowledged the public benefits do not outweigh the harm to the assets of national and local heritage value.”
The council later added further concerns regarding the loss of Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land and the lack of a flooding sequential test assessment.
RES’ plans have also faced opposition from the Hawksworth and Thoroton Action Group, which is formed of the parish councils and parish meetings of Hawksworth, Thoroton, Orston, Car Colston, Flintham, Sibthorpe, and Flawborough, and represents residents from the area, and raised concerns about the use of farmland for solar infrastructure, and feared the area could become dominated by solar farms.
However, the planning inspector found the amended scheme — which saw the removal of some solar infrastructure north of Hawksworth village and changes to hedgerows — acceptable.
As part of the assessment of the application, the inspector highlighted: the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, the effect on heritage assets, the effect on agricultural land and food production, flood risk and flood policy, and consideration of local and national planning policy and whether the benefits of the proposal would outweigh any harm, as the main issues in the appeal.
The inspector also addressed concerns raised by the action group that the site would exceed the 50MW threshold which would make it a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) due to ‘overplanting’.
However, as this is allowed to a degree to enable the grid connection to be maximised even as panels degrade over time, it was not considered to pass the threshold.
This also meant a conditional costs application submitted by the action group was determined as not being applicable.
In terms of the solar farm’s effect on the landscape, the inspector felt the “metal and glass panels of the solar arrays, along with their regular arrangement in long rows, together with a large sub-station and many inverters, would be out of keeping with the character of the area”.
The inspector stated: “The appeal scheme would have an adverse visual impact of major significance during construction and until planting matured, which would then reduce to an adverse visual effect of moderate significance… The level of landscape and visual harm I have identified would not be permanent but would persist for 40 years.”
It was said to weigh against the the proposal in the planning balance.
Thirty-eight percent of the site is classified as BMV, but the inspector noted that due to prevalence of BMV in the borough it would hard to avoid it while fulfilling the other requirements for a large solar farm, such as the grid connection.
Weighing significantly in favour of the project was it’s potential for “significant renewable energy generation that would cumulatively add substantially to meeting national targets”, according to the inspector.
The report stated: “Chief amongst [the benefits of the scheme] is the significant contribution of the appeal scheme towards the generation of renewable energy, the resultant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy security benefits, which warrant substantial weight.
“This, along with moderate weight to be given to biodiversity gain and limited weight for the benefits to the local economy would, in my judgement, outweigh the harm I have identified.”
Alongside the approval, a number of conditions have been agreed between the developer and Rushcliffe Borough Council, including for an approved drainage scheme, landscaping scheme, a construction traffic management plan, and a supplementary archaeological evaluation.
The inspector’s decision report concluded: “In my judgement the planning balance here falls in favour of the appeal scheme. I consider that the proposal accords with the development plan taken as a whole and is consistent with the NPPF. I have taken into account all other matters raised in evidence, but I have found nothing of sufficient weight to alter my conclusions. For the reasons given above the appeal should be allowed.”