New solar farm adds to 'carpet' of similar schemes

The solar farm could supply 14,000 homes a year, developers say

A new solar farm has been approved despite concerns about the number of similar schemes already nearby.

The installation will cover 163 acres (66 hectares) north of Sadberge in County Durham.

Developers Lightrock Power said Longpasture Solar Farm would generate enough power to supply 14,000 homes or 17,700 electric vehicles a year.

But Darlington Borough Council planning committee member Deborah Laing said the area around the site was already "a carpet of solar farms".

A committee meeting heard the plans had cross-party support in the council.

But Ms Laing, Conservative councillor for Middleton St George and Sadberge, said the influx of solar farms was becoming a problem and questioned the consistency of local decisions.

“It’s just going to be a carpet of solar farms,” she said.

'Extremely visible'

Conservative Lorraine Tostevin, who represents Hurworth, said the public consultation had been "non-existent”.

She told an agent representing the applicant that it had not addressed concerns raised with the company by parish councils.

“It hasn’t been explained this will be on a hill," she said.

"It’s going to be extremely visible to a lot of the residents that live there.

"The whole of this area is going to be covered in solar farms.” 

The agent responded that the developer "did consult well" and was not invited to attend parish meetings "although we did request to”. 

Concerns have also been raised about a separate application for a large solar farm at Byers Gill, which would cover land between Brafferton and Bishopton, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. 

Residents are concerned about the size of the scheme and its impact on local agriculture.