Solar farm scheme approved near beauty spot

Council planners had received a number of objections to the scheme

Plans for a solar farm straddling the M69 near a Leicestershire beauty spot have been approved.

The 100-acre (40.5-hectare) scheme has been earmarked for two patches of land, either side of the motorway, near Burbage Common.

Developer Elgin Energy EsCo said the scheme would generate enough electricity to power between 8,000 and 18,000 homes, depending on the time of year.

The proposed site falls within the boundaries of both Blaby District Council and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the Blaby section was approved in April, and Hinckley and Bosworth planning officers had now given the green light for the rest.

Borough council planning officers said the scheme would provide a number of benefits in addition to the production of renewable energy, including “new hedgerows and trees, meadow areas, and new grassland habitats beneath the solar arrays”.

It said the highways safety concerns, raised by Burbage Parish Council, “can be resolved”.

The parish council said it was concerned about highways safety because the area was popular with walkers and horse riders.

Blaby District Council planners had received 30 objections to the farm, citing concerns over the impact on “historical milking sheds”, highways fears, the impact on local views, and possible harm to wildlife, among other issues.