Scruton solar farm plan rejected

The location of the proposed solar farm.

Controversial plans for a 77ha solar farm on open fields near Scruton have been rejected.

Despite planning officers at Hambleton District Council recommending the scheme is approved, councillors voted nine to two against the application from Lightrock Power saying they did not want to see land lost for food production.

The applicant claimed the 49.9MW scheme would have met the annual energy needs of up to 15,000 homes and would create a multi-functional purpose for the land, where electricity can be created alongside agricultural uses.

However, the council received more than 100 objections to the scheme as well as more than 100 submissions from people supporting the application.

Speaking after the meeting, Chris Sowerbutts, co-founder of Lightrock Power, said: “It is of course disappointing that members did not agree with their planning officer’s weighing of the planning balance.

“This project would have created solar energy in the right way, combining energy security with agricultural output.

“Lightrock was created with the determination to develop solar energy at the same time as implementing all the gains to ecology, environment and education that projects such as this one would have created.

“We have worked with the local community and organisations such as the RSPB to help protect local wildlife whilst significantly benefitting the environment as well as the RAF to ensure that our proposals would have minimal impact on their work.

“We are grateful to all the local supporters who recognised the important role projects such as this can play in not only tackling the climate crisis but also in protecting the UK’s energy security.”

The company said that the site had been chosen due to the availability of connection to the National Grid, meaning that the electricity generated can start powering people’s homes straight away.

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