Plans to build solar farm on farmland in Lincolnshire rejected
8th November 2024
Plans to build a solar farm as big as 144 football pitches on top-quality farmland in Lincolnshire have been rejected.
The solar farm would be built between Sleaford and Boston, covering 77 hectares of land near Little Hale Fen, south of the A17.
Applicant AGR Solar 3 Ltd stated that the scheme would be able to power 13,930 homes.
However, planning bosses from the North Kesteven District Council said that loss of good farmland was “unacceptable”. Ten councillors voted to refuse the plans, and three were in favour of the planning application.
Councillor Marianne Overton said: “[Applicants] should look first at car parks and roofs, and if nowhere else is left, then they should consider the worst-grade land – not the best.”
Councillor Paul Ireland, added: “Food security should be as important as energy security,” Lincolnshire Live reported.
READ MORE: Plans for solar farm as big as 144 football pitches met with mixed response
Disappointed by the decision
A spokesperson for the applicant AGR said: “Despite the strong local support, we are naturally very disappointed by the decision of North Kesteven District Council’s planning committee not to grant planning consent for this piece of critical national infrastructure, which has the potential to power 14,000 homes with clean renewable energy, as well as bringing significant investment and benefits to the area.
“As well as the clear environmental and sustainability benefits, this would have included the establishment of a community fund of £30,000 per year, in partnership with the Lincolnshire Community Foundation, focusing on Little Hale, Great Hale, Helprington and Heckington.
“In addition, the development would have sought to maintain rural livelihoods through the diversification of farming in the area and securing the future operations of the farm.”
According to Lincolnshire Live, councillor Ian Carrington described the application as “very finely balanced”.
He added: “We need both clean energy and food, which is a tension in rural districts.
“It gives me no joy, but I give greater weight to the requirement for energy in this case.”
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