Plans for large solar farm development on Northamptonshire countryside will not go ahead

Wood Lodge Solar Project Limited applied to build the energy facility on 145 acres of farmland by the A14, near Thrapston and Titchmarsh.

At the end of last year, North Northamptonshire Council’s (NNC) planning committee threw out the plans against the recommendation of their planning officers.

Government-appointed Planning Inspector Philip Major has upheld the council’s refusal decision, on the basis that the development would constitute the loss of high-grade agricultural land, concerns with highway safety, and damage to the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Special Protection Area (SPA).

The appeal was taken to a two-day public hearing in May, held at East Northamptonshire House, Thrapston.

Local campaign group Staunch (Save Titchmarsh and Upper Nene Countryside and Habitat) fought the appeal as a third party, while NNC backed down from its own refusal reasons.

The council stated before the event that the reasons it gave at the committee would not be sufficient to maintain its refusal at appeal, leaving Staunch to fight its case against the solar project solo.

Several local residents also attended the hearing to give heartfelt objections to the proposals.

According to the developer, the solar farm would have generated up to 49.9 megawatts for a temporary period of 50 years, which would reportedly create enough energy to power up to 15,000 homes.

Mr Major wrote that the appeal site would have had an effect on the Upper Nene Valley SPA and its habitat for protected birds ‘beyond all reasonable scientific doubt’.

He also found that suitable mitigation for the loss of the land had not been submitted.

He concluded: “Planning permission would only be justified if there were demonstrable imperative reasons of overriding public importance to justify the scheme.

“This is a high bar which is not surmounted by the acknowledged need for renewable energy since this is not the only location where a solar farm could be located.

“Furthermore the National Planning Policy Framework is clear that where significant harm to biodiversity cannot be avoided, mitigated or compensated for, then planning permission should be refused.”

Mr Major also criticised the traffic flow for the development predicted by the appellant. He noted that the likelihood was that a greater number of movements of heavy vehicles would be required over a longer construction period than first presented.

He therefore said he could not be sure that the access and egress from the A14 would be safe for the traffic generated during construction.

The inspector did accept that the need for renewable energy is of ‘significant weight’ and was not persuaded by evidence that the proposal would create unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the landscape.

However, he said that the reasons above ‘tips the balance firmly against the proposed development’ and ultimately concluded that the appeal should be dismissed.

Wood Lodge Solar Project also applied for an award of costs due to ‘unreasonable and inconsistent behaviour’ from the council, however their submission was not backed by the planning inspector.

Reflecting on the result, chairman of Staunch, Kevin Shapland, told the LDRS: “This decision by the planning inspector once more brings into serious doubt the ability of North Northants Council planning officers to provide sound and proper advice to our elected representatives.

“Officers of the council took a unilateral decision to not to defend the case on the basis that there were insufficient grounds to do so. The onus fell upon the STAUNCH and its volunteers to fight the case without legal representation.

“The planning department of NNC remains unfit for purpose. STAUNCH will continue to rely on detailed evidence to expose their continued failings where necessary.”

North Northamptonshire Council and Wood Lodge Solar Project have been contacted for comment.