Yorkshire Water is preparing plans for a solar farm on land beside a Wensleydale reservoir as part of an aim to offset the company’s energy consumption.
The 1.2MW development would be built at Thornton Steward Reservoir, between Leyburn and Bedale.
A total of 3,000 solar panels are being proposed on 12 hectares of land owned by the utility company.
A screening request has been submitted to North Yorkshire Council to determine if the development needs to undergo an environmental impact assessment.
Councillor Tom Jones, who represents the Scotton and Lower Wensleydale division, has urged local residents to come forward with their views on the scheme.
He said: “At this stage no decisions have been made and as part of the planning process, officers are seeking input from residents to better understand the views of the community.
“This is an important chance for everyone to share their thoughts, raise questions, and offer feedback.
“All voices are welcome and valued in this discussion.”
However, the councillor said he was unable to give his opinions as he sat on the council’s planning committees.
He added: “As I sit on both the strategic and Richmondshire area planning committees, I cannot give any statement of support or opposition to any forthcoming planning application.
“I encourage everyone to participate and contribute to the conversation.”
The solar farm is less than a mile from the villages of both Thornton Steward and Finghall.
The proposal has been unveiled after a large 40MW farm was built at Skeeby near Richmond, with plans announced recently for a 22MW scheme at nearby Tunstall.
Supporting documents submitted with the screening request state: “Solar PV arrays are one of the most appropriate renewable energy generation technologies for largescale schemes and are temporary in nature.
“We install and operate our solar generation sites for up to 25 years and after this period the installation is removed, with the land it once occupied able to revert to its original use case.
“This practice can be beneficial to the land, giving the soil a natural break from cyclical farming which benefits farming in the long term.”
The report concludes that the solar farm was expected to produce enough energy to meet 89 per cent of the power used at the Yorkshire Water waste treatment works at the reservoir.
The reservoir is fed from water pumped from the River Ure and supplies thousands of homes in the Thirsk and Northallerton areas.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “We’re working with Downing, our framework partner, and the planning department at North Yorkshire Council as plans progress for a solar farm in land lying north of Thornton Steward.
“The scheme will contribute to our net zero pledge and reduce the reliance of our wastewater treatment works on the national grid, improving its resilience.”
Be the first to comment