Solar farm inquiry adjourned after lack of notice

Campaigners have argued the 110,640 panels would dwarf Burnhope

Campaigners in a long-running battle against a planned solar farm have criticised the lack of notice from a council for a key planning inquiry.

The three-week hearing was to consider a decision to refuse plans for the 92-hectare (227-acre) solar farm in Burnhope, County Durham, after developers Lightsource bp appealed to the government's Planning Inspectorate.

There were complaints Durham County Council failed to inform the public about the inquiry within the required time frame, and it has now been adjourned.

The authority has apologised for the error and said the inquiry will be rescheduled for next year.

The council had approved the solar farm in March 2023, but after a judicial review and legal challenge by Burnhope residents, the permission was quashed by the planning court in February 2024, ruling the scheme "unlawful".

An amended plan was submitted but was turned down by the council's planning committee.

Its future now rests with government planners.

However, campaigners claim that despite significant public interest in the inquiry, people living in Burnhope, Lanchester, Maiden Law, Quaking Houses and South Moor did not know when it was due to be held.

Ian Galloway, of the Keep it Green group, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "This creates a very significant risk that the interests of people have been prejudiced.

"The other problem that this failure creates is one of trust and legitimacy.

"Lack of notification compromises natural justice, undermines public confidence in the process, and risks the inquiry's legitimacy."

He added: "The people who do know about the public inquiry have been left with the question; how can the public inquiry be a fair and just process of law if the public has been failed to be informed?"

Stephen Reed, Durham County Council's planning manager, said: "Due to an error, residents were not given enough notice of the public inquiry starting - we are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.

"A new date will be set by the planning inspectorate for next year, and we will make sure notices are published in accordance with relevant timescales."