A massive solar farm planned for Nottinghamshire's greenbelt could power 11,200 homes for decades. The large-scale solar farm would use 82.4 hectares of farmland off Asher Lane, Ruddington, to generate a huge amount of renewable power, if Rushcliffe Borough Council approves the plans.
The Fair Oaks Renewable Energy Park would be sited within a fenced area of 75.3 hectares, but panels would only cover 30 hectares of this space. The proposed farm would operate for 40 years before being decommissioned, unless a fresh planning permission was granted for its retention.
The plan's applicant, who expects the total construction cost to be between £46million and £50m, said the proposal would also allow arable land to recover from intensive farming. But Rex Walker, Conservative ward councillor for Gotham, objected to the project by commenting that he did not believe the renewable energy would offset "harm" to the greenbelt.
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"The only relevant very special circumstance applicable to this application is the urgent need for renewable energy production," Mr Walker said. "The other matters put forward in the planning application do not constitute anything approaching a very special circumstance.
"The role of solar energy in providing the required renewable energy production is questionable, particularly when compared to off-shore wind. Weather issues, difficulties with storage and the embedded carbon footprint of panels are significant constraints on the efficiency of the farms.
"Ultimately the question is whether this scheme will make a significant enough contribution to the climate crisis to justify the greenbelt harm in this location. My judgement is that it would not and therefore I object."
Similar concerns were raised by councillors as they rejected another vast planned solar farm at Rushcliffe Borough Council's planning committee on March 9, despite planning officers recommending the scheme be approved. But as well as offsetting the equivalent annual energy needs of 11,200 average Nottinghamshire homes, the applicant behind the new Fair Oaks Renewable Energy Park argued the 9,270 tonnes of CO2 offset by the solar array would be equivalent to the emissions of 7,480 average Nottinghamshire residents.
The applicant said the site would be subject to biodiversity enhancements such as the restoration of lowland meadow, native hedgerow and woodland planting, and a plot for ground nesting birds. They added the overhead electricity power lines and Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station meant the solar farm would fit into the area well.
A planning document, submitted on behalf of Fair Oaks Renewable Energy Park Limited, said: "Any harm to the greenbelt by virtue of inappropriateness and other limited landscape, are clearly outweighed by the substantial environmental benefits from the generation of renewable energy that will flow from the granting of planning permission for the development proposals along with the other identified social and economic benefits." The planning application is pending consideration by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
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