Update: 19 June 2015
Fishmore Farm. The rooftop scheme was approved under delegated powers on 7 May 2015.
Whitton. On Tuesday, the South Planning Committee unanimously rejected plans for a 4.3MW, 13,000-panel solar farm at Whitton in Cayman parish a few miles from Ludlow. Officers had recommended approval but committee members were not convinced by the arguments in the officer report. After a lengthy and lively debate, I proposed refusal, seconded by Robert Tindall, councillor for Brown Clee. Officers resisted us citing loss of best and most versatile agricultural land as a reason for refusal. Through the debate, the case officer had argued that the grading of the land is unaffected by solar installations, citing appeal cases. In my view these cases were selective and Councillor Tindall and I stuck to our guns on including loss of best and most versatile land as a ground for refusal. The committee backed us and voted unanimously to reject the scheme on the following grounds:
The development site is in close proximity to the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and would have a detrimental and visual impact upon the environment, character and landscape of the area and would result in the loss of best and most versatile land. Accordingly, the proposal would be contrary to Core Strategy Policies CS5, CS6 and CS17 and paragraph 112 of the National Planning Policy Framework whereby the adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.
Main article: 29 March 2015
Two planning applications have been submitted for very different solar installations near Ludlow. One, on the roofs of existing chicken sheds, is unlikely to be controversial. The other is a submission for a solar farm at Whitton in Caynham parish. A larger scheme on this site caused much controversy and was thrown out by the South Planning Committee last October.
Continue reading “New plans for two solar installations near Ludlow – updated” →
