Solar farm refused despite approval recommendation

Developers said the solar farm would have generated 49.99MW of electricity for 50 years

A large solar farm that would have been able to power up to 15,000 homes has been refused by a council, despite a recommendation of approval.

The installation would have covered three farm fields on the A14 road near Thrapston in Northamptonshire.

Developers said the project had received just 29 objections from a local population of more than 360,000.

After 40 minutes of discussions, North Northamptonshire Council's planning committee refused permission.

Council officers had recommended the solar farm for approval. They said although there would be an adverse visual impact, the generation of renewable energy did "raise substantial benefits in favour of the proposal".

The developers of the Wood Lodge Solar Project said the need to generate more clean, home-grown energy is a "critical national priority", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Campaigners against the plans said the farm should not be built on good-quality farmland and would have dominated the landscape.

'Sense of urgency'

No objections were brought by the Environment Agency - officers cited the 130% increase in biodiversity on site and the continued use of it for sheep grazing.

Among the councillors who spoke out against the plans at the meeting was independent Cedwien Brown, who said the "devastation to the wildlife habitat [would be] irreparable".

Liberal Democrat Charlie Best, who spoke in favour of the application, said there was a "great sense of urgency around creating our own green energy".

After discussions and an adjournment to get advice from officers, planning permission was refused due to the impact on the landscape and visual amenity and the loss of habitat in the Upper Nene Valley area.

The applicant, Wood Lodge Solar Project Limited, will have the right to appeal the decision.