Issue - meetings

This application was for the construction of a solar farm comprising ground mounted solar photovoltaic arrays together with battery energy storage facility and associated infrastructure, including WPD and client substations, inverters, perimeter security fencing, access tracks, CCTV and landscaping on the site of Cheswell Grange Farm, Cheswell Drive, Cheswell, Newport, Shropshire.

Councillor A Eade, Ward Member, had requested that the application be determined by the Planning Committee.

An update report was tabled at the meeting reporting additional comments received in relation to the amended Landscaping Plan and the Landscaping Scheme.  It also included additional conditions from the Council’s Highway Engineers which were omitted from the Committee Report, together with one additional letter of objection.

The Planning Officer informed Members that the sub-station and battery transformers would be housed in the existing farmyard buildings at Cheswell Grange with access via Kynnersley Drive.  Highway widening was proposed to facilitate vehicles.  The site was within the rural area but the site did not have any special landscape designation.

Councillor D Shaw, spoke in favour of the application on behalf of both Lilleshall Parish and local residents as there was a need for alternative energy and the protection of future generations and has been highlighted by the recent fuel and energy supplies and there were no adequate alternatives to offset this.  The fields were currently used for grazing and this could continue whilst the solar farm was in place.  The landscape mitigation measure should alleviate concerns.  He felt that this site could be used for scientific studies to assess and resolve the negative aspects of the site and enhance the positives increasing the effectiveness of this site and future sites.  Lilleshall Parish Council aimed to be a carbon neutral Parish and supported the solar farm application.

Councillor A Eade, Ward Councillor, spoke against the application due to its size and it was located next to the Weald Moors Strategic Landscape Site.  He accepted the need for green energy but felt that building on agricultural land endangered food production and you had to weigh up the benefit from energy against the cost to the environment and the importing of food.  It went against policies ER1, BE1, BE4 paragraphs 1 and 6 and NE7 together with 174 of the NPPF.  Little weight should be given to the visual impact assessment and the security fencing would have a significant impact.  Sheep grazing could not take place on the solar farm and this contravened policy NE1.  It was asked that semi mature planting took place prior to the commencement of the work if Members were minded to approve and that the security fencing be green to blend in with the surroundings.

Mr R Hogben, a member of the public, spoke against the application who felt that there was a need to be self-sufficient in food production and that agricultural land should be used for food production.  The application site could be used to produce barley wheat and rape and brownfield sites should be used for the production of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 283