Massive solar farm gets green light at High Court

The plans were originally rejected by Shropshire Council in May 2023

A huge solar farm near Shrewsbury will be built following a High Court ruling.

Econergy International's plans to build a 30-megawatt solar farm on 44 hectares near the village of Berrington had drawn both objections and support from locals.

The plans were refused on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate in March 2024. It followed Shropshire Council's decision not to grant permission for the solar farm in May 2023. But a subsequent Planning Inspectorate notice published this month confirmed the appeal decision was "quashed by order of the High Court".

The company said the scheme could generate enough power for 7,000 homes per year over its anticipated 40-year lifespan.

Planning inspector Richard Clegg also said residents' group Flour not Power had withdrawn its objections after concluding a legal agreement with the appellant over an enhanced landscaping plan and an updated traffic management plan.

"Several local residents have also withdrawn their objections to the proposed development since the quashing of the original appeal decision," the decision note from 2 May added.

"Whilst there is conflict with certain provisions, the proposal is consistent with important policies which support infrastructure development and complies with policy provisions concerning nature conservation, economic growth, heritage assets and minerals safeguarding.

"I conclude that the proposed development would comply with the Development Plan considered as a whole."

One of the conditions that the developers will have to comply with is the provision of an alternative habitat for breeding skylarks on land immediately to the north of the site.

"Natural England's standing advice on protected species and development makes clear that no more habitat should be lost than is replaced, and not that there should be no net loss of breeding pairs [of skylarks], as referred to in the original appeal decision," Mr Clegg said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.