Warrington Council Rejects Plans for 32-Hectare Solar Farm Over Green Belt Concerns

Proposed plans for a 32-hectare solar farm on farmland in Cuerdley, Warrington, have been rejected by the local council due to concerns about the impact on the green belt. The application, submitted by Renewable Connections Developments Ltd, aimed to construct and operate a ground-mounted solar farm with associated infrastructure on land currently used for arable farming. The proposed facility would have generated approximately 27,092 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy per year, sufficient to power over 10,660 homes and offset over 4,930 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Key Takeaways:

• The proposed solar farm would have covered 32 hectares of land, approximately 15 hectares of which would have been lost to agricultural use for 40 years.
• The application aimed to include landscaping and biodiversity measures, enhance biodiversity by switching from intensive farming to meadow and grazing land, and allow for continued agriculture in the form of grazing.
• However, the council rejected the plans, citing concerns about the impact on the green belt and the resulting landscape harm.
• Planning officers stated that the proposed development would result in unacceptable landscape harm, loss of best and most versatile agricultural land, and conflict with purposes of the green belt.
• No very special circumstances were deemed sufficient to outweigh the harm to the green belt, leading to the refusal of planning permission.

Statistics:

• The proposed solar farm would have generated approximately 27,092 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy per year.
• This would have been sufficient to power over 10,660 homes and offset over 4,930 tonnes of CO2 annually.
• The land would have been used for a period of 40 years, after which the solar panels and associated infrastructure would be removed, and the land restored to its former use.
• The proposed facility was likely to include 2-meter-high post and wire deer fence, entrance gates, and CCTV cameras mounted on posts.

Sources:

• Warrington Borough Council planning documents
• Planning officer's statement
• Renewable Connections Developments Ltd's application