Public inquiry to be held over solar farm plans

The proposed solar farm near Sleaford would be on a 75-acre (30 hectare) site

A developer has successfully appealed against a decision which refused permission to build a solar farm.

North Kesteven District Council rejected the 75-acre (30 hectare) farm at Scredington, near Sleaford, in March, over concerns the archeologically sensitive area had not been properly investigated.

However, Mareham Lane Solar Ltd, the company behind the plans, appealed the decision in September and has submitted new archaeological information to the government's Planning Inspectorate (PI).

The PI confirmed there would be a public inquiry starting on 3 February.

Objections were raised during the initial planning process after prehistoric, Roman and medieval discoveries were made in the area, with concerns there could be more buried below.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the proposed solar farm would be able to power 15,000 homes.

'Complex and expensive'

Kirkby La Thorpe and South Kyme ward councillor Mervyn Head said the outcome was "very disappointing".

"I still don't think the archaeological situation has been resolved," he said.

"It has been a sham by the Planning Inspectorate, disregarding good reason for refusal."

Meanwhile, Councillor Ian Carrington said the PI decision to accept new evidence "undermines the trust of the public in the entire planning process" if rules were not the same for everyone.

"To use their powers in this way is extremely rare," he added.

However, he accepted the authority no longer had a valid planning reason to reject the application, adding that to fight the proposal would be "very complex and expensive".

"To go down that when officers are advising us we don't have a hope of winning would be folly and a waste of public money," Carrington added.

The PI said it had not received "any correspondence from the council to indicate that they will not be contesting the appeal" and that it was not able to comment any further.

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