End of the road for Wrekin solar panel challenge - council

The land is designated as strategic landscape, which has additional protections from development, the council said

A council battling against plans for a 135-acre solar panel farm says all options to stop it have been exhausted.

The development, close to the Wrekin in Shropshire, was initially refused by councillors following hundreds of objections to the proposed 77,000-panel site.

Telford and Wrekin Council took legal action after its decision was over-ruled by a planning inspector in May.

But the High Court will not now hear the case, the council said.

The site will sit within the Wrekin Forest Strategic Landscape Area and is in close proximity to the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Richard Overton, deputy leader of the council, said the court's decision meant the authority had now "exhausted all of their options" in objecting to the Steeraway Farm development in Limekiln Lane, Wellington.

"Hugely disappointed"

"It is still unbelievable that a government planning inspector has approved planning permission for this giant solar farm on what is some of our most valued green space," he said.

"It's not just a cherished local beauty spot, from a planning perspective, the land is designated as strategic landscape, which has additional protections from development."

He said the authority was "hugely disappointed" by the judge's decision but they had to respect the outcome and there were no grounds to challenge it.

The council had also refused planning permission for a 99-acre solar farm nearby at New Works, between Arleston and Lawley.

After appeal, a planning inspector also turned down the development which was also later overturned by a government minister.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the benefits of the scheme would outweigh the harm and government junior minister, Lee Rowley MP, overturned the inspector's decision.

The council expects to receive a decision in the autumn over whether its challenge to this development will be heard in the High Court.