Major solar farm approved near Scarborough

The solar farm would cover 50 hectares of land - equivalent to 70 football pitches

Plans to build a solar farm the size of 70 football pitches near Scarborough have been approved.

North Yorkshire Council has given the go-ahead to Jack Halstead's application for a 49-hectare solar farm in East Heslerton.

The farm has been given permission to operate for four decades, .

Construction is expected to take six months, and once completed, it could generate up to 23.5 megawatts of energy.

A community consultation was held on the proposals for a month in summer 2023.

The site was reduced in scale from a previous scheme, which proposed an 89-hectare site, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The "most dominant feature of the development" would be the solar panels, while the batteries would be contained in shipping container-type structures.

Charging of the batteries would take place at off-peak times and they would supply electricity to the local electricity distribution network at times of peak energy demand, according to a council report.

No objections were made by the Environment Agency or the North York Moors National Park Authority.

A local resident submitted one letter of support and five objections were also sent to the planning authority, raising concerns about food security and the use of agricultural land.

Commenting in favour of the scheme, a representation by a local resident stated: "Climate change is one of the biggest threats affecting food production and food security, and solar helps to address climate change with the added benefit of a net positive offset of emissions and biodiversity benefit to the environment."

The development was approved subject to various conditions by North Yorkshire Council.

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