West Suffolk Council says Sunnica's solar farm plans are 'monstrous'

Sunnica wants to create a giant solar energy farm on land spanning the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border

Councillors have agreed to object to plans for a giant solar farm they described as "monstrous".

Energy firm Sunnica wants to build the project which would span 1,130 hectares (2,792 acres) around several villages in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

West Suffolk Council's cabinet agreed to object to the proposals in its response to a consultation.

In its application, Sunnica said the plans helped to meet the "national need for new, renewable means of energy".

Conservative council leader John Griffiths said the scheme was "inadequate" while cabinet member for resources and property, Sarah Broughton, said it was "a monstrous size".

David Roach, cabinet member for planning, said the authority was supportive of renewable energy schemes in general, but said the plans had not addressed the impact on roads, cyclists and pedestrians, and the "community benefits are limited".

Residents have said they were concerned about the size of the site, the location and the use of arable land.

The affected villages would be Mildenhall, Freckenham, Worlington, Barton Mills and Red Lodge in Suffolk; and Chippenham, Snailwell, Fordham and Burwell in Cambridgeshire.

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Proposals were submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in November and accepted for consultation for an examination period to begin this spring.

That is expected to last six months, with a decision then being taken by the government rather than the council as nationally significant infrastructure project, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Suffolk County Council has described the scheme as "substandard" and villagers have set up a Say No To Sunnica Group.

Sunnica has previously said the project was essential if the UK was to meet its net zero greenhouse gas target by 2050.

In its application it said the plans "represent an important opportunity to help meet the urgent national need for new, renewable means of energy generation".

It said it was a "good design and would deliver sustainable development that is adapted to future climate change".

Dates for the examination period are to be announced in due course.

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