Telford solar farm go ahead as minister overturns refusal

The solar farm plan was rejected by Telford and Wrekin Council

A government minister has overturned the decision of a local authority to allow a solar farm to go ahead.

Greentech Invest had been denied permission to set up panels in Telford after opponents said it would harm an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

A planning inspector later agreed with Telford and Wrekin Council's decision.

But Lee Rowley MP said while he agreed with some of the inspector's conclusions, the solar farm would bring economic benefits.

Greentech Invest had appealed after the council refused to grant planning permission to build on the land at New Works Lane, Lawley.

The land had been an open cast mine, but the site had been restored when mining finished and it is now grazing land.

The council had concluded the proposals would result in a "detrimental change" to the landscape and the planning inspector who heard the appeal agreed that decision was correct.

But Mr Rowley, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government and Building Safety, said the production of electricity "afforded significant weight" and brought economic benefits.

In his decision letter, he also said the plans would cause "very limited harm" to the area.

The local authority has six weeks to decide if it wants to appeal the minister's decision at the High Court.

'Should have listened'

MP Mark Pritchard wrote on Facebook that he hoped the council would challenge the decision.

"The Secretary of State should have listened to the expert advice issued by the Planning Inspector," he added.

Anne Suffolk, chair of the Ramblers in Telford and East Shropshire, said she was "very disappointed" by the minister's decision.

She said it would affect a lot of people and the solar farm would "change the nature of the landscape".

Ms Suffolk said she also feared the ruling could set a precedent for another planned solar farm, on adjacent land, which went before a planning inspector this month.

The Ramblers and Open Spaces Society said it believed the minister's decision included a number of "misunderstandings".

"To overturn the decisions of our locally elected politicians and the finding of the Planning Inspectorate, will undermine people's faith in local democracy and the whole public consultation process," it added.