Liverpool John Lennon Airport have appealed the decision to block the construction of a solar farm.
Last January, the airport submitted an application to build a solar farm consisting of 5,616 solar panels rising to heights of 2.7m on a 13 acre site to the east of its runway. The airport stated the site, which is bounded by Dungeon Lane, Hale Road and Baileys Lane in Hale Village, is on its operational land.
However, Halton Council rejected the plans in July. The council's notice of refusal said the airport did not provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the site formed part of its operational land.
READ MORE: Stranded dolphins rescued from 'hidden' Liverpool beach
Now an appeal has been lodged with the government’s planning inspectorate by the airport’s parent company Liverpool Airport Limited, with an independent government inspector set to rule whether or not the scheme can go ahead. Halton Council has written to local residents confirming the appeal has been lodged, and that it would be decided based on the strength of written representations both for and against.
The independent inspector has the power to override the council’s original refusal. These most recent proposals follow a previous application for a solar farm on the site in 2019, which was withdrawn before a decision on planning permission was made.
But since that application, the airport has since extended its runway safety area, which means it only now needs to be granted permitted development rights – rather than be given full planning permission. No date has yet been set for a decision.
The solar farm is central to John Lennon Airport's (JLA) carbon net zero plans, as it aims to draw a quarter of its energy from renewable sources by 2040.
In January, JLA CEO John Irving told the ECHO: "As an airport, for net zero, we’ll need a solar farm and we certainly want to put one on our land. So we will, in the next few weeks, be appealing that planning decision.
"This is a net zero, green project. It’s on operational land - our confidence in our appeal is high because of what we’re trying to do, not just because it’s a net-zero project.
"We were confident in our application because it’s our land, it’s operational, it’s a solar farm. The appeal goes national rather than locally and we hope and we expect it to go through.
"To have a net zero plan for an airport is absolutely vital, but it can only really happen with the backing of a solar farm and other green technology that we’ll need to invest in over the next ten years.
"We’ll be launching the carbon plan irrespective of where the appeal is up to, because we want to set our statement out, we want to talk to people about what we want to do. The solar farm is integral but there are so many other parts of it.
"Our decarbonisation plan would 100% consider a solar farm in it. It’s not just a PR plan, it’s a science-based approach of how we get there.
"It needs to be heard, it needs to be listened to - and in some cases challenged - so we’re launching that with as many people around it as possible. The solar farm is obviously integral to that plan."
However, the plans have proved controversial, receiving stern opposition from certain campaigners. One Hale Parish Councillor claimed the scheme would sterilise green space, impact the open countryside and restrict views.
After Halton Council rejected the plans, Hale Parish Council chairman Cllr Luke Trevaskis welcomed the decision. He told the ECHO: "Liverpool John Lennon Airport will no doubt say that the proposed solar farm would have helped it to meet its sustainability targets, and assist local authorities to reach the Government's net zero target by 2050.
"However, in reality Liverpool John Lennon Airport was proposing the potential sterilisation of approximately 15 acres of green space adjacent to the River Mersey - a land parcel that is rated by DEFRA as among the 'best and most versatile' land in the country, being used by nesting birds and contributing to the vibrancy of the flora and fauna of the Estuary."
Cllr Trevaskis agreed that there must be a move to renewable energy, but hoped this wouldn't be "at the expense of the natural environment". He believed the airport should "go back to the drawing board" for a different green energy scheme.
Regarding the appeal, an airport spokesperson said: “Liverpool John Lennon Airport is focused on sustainability with a programme for decarbonisation across the business, aiming to become a net zero airport by 2040. The solar farm which is on our operational land, is a crucial component for us, as it is for many other airports, in order to be able to reach these targets that are vital for the industry and the City Region going forward and it is for this reason that we have appealed the decision made by the local planning authority to oppose this scheme.
"The airport land proposed for the solar farm was fenced in and secured a number of years ago as part of the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) works and in line with obligations to comply with CAA requirements which received planning approval from Halton Borough Council in 2015 and completed in 2019.”
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
READ NEXT
Man is sick in dock as his wife is jailed for biting pub barmaid's ear off
Teacher who let boy, 4, leave school alone 'didn't want to be there’
These are the faces of 50 Liverpool criminals who were jailed during February
Man suffers head injury after mass brawl breaks out in gym
Matalan shoppers praise 'gorgeous' £11 floral mini dress that's 'soft and comfortable'
