PEOPLE power has led to the plug being pulled on plans for a huge solar farm near Radford Semele.
Warwick District Council’s planning committee were recommended to grant the proposal for a solar farm on around 86 hectares – some 120 football pitches – off the Fosse Way despite hundreds of objections.
But when they met on Tuesday May 20, they voted against the controversial application after being moved by a raft of objections including from Radford Semele Parish Council, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western.
There were also 320 of letters of objection from the public and a petition against the application was signed by 1,202 people.
There were 17 submissions of support.
Radford Semele Parish Council objected on the grounds of the negative impact on the rural landscape, loss of good agricultural land, the impact on wildlife, on nearby homes, fears over highway safety and increased risk of flooding.
The Ramblers Association were concerned about the impact on public footpaths.
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust raised concerns about the impact on the nearby Brook Local Nature Reserve and several ponds within and close to the site. The site supports a number of protected species.
Mr Western said the industrial scale of the solar farm and its contribution to the cumulative impact of nearby developments would result in an excessive solar development that would irreversibly alter the landscape from agricultural towards industrial over-development.
Ward councillor Rebecca Davidson added the scale of the proposal did not fit in with the local area, the development would have an adverse impact on land use and local residential amenities and together with other solar developments in the area would harm the rural character.
She suggested there were more favourable brownfield sites but an alternative site selection assessment had not been submitted.
Planning officers recommended the committee grant the application. They said the proposed development would provide crucial renewable energy and believed the considerations in favour of the development clearly outweighed the harm.
Councillors voted against the proposal due to fears about the cumulative nature of solar farms in the area.
