The rejection of a vast solar farm that could have powered 15,000 homes was met with applause after concerns were raised over Nottinghamshire's greenbelt. A plan to turn farmland to the south of Gotham and the west of East Leake, between Stocking Lane and Kegworth Road, into a vast solar farm was recommended for approval at Rushcliffe Borough Council's planning committee on March 9, but was rejected unanimously by councillors.
The plans included the construction and operation of ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays, a substation, inverter stations, security measures like fencing and CCTV, and site access. It is estimated the solar panels, located across 16 fields and spanning a total of 80.65 hectares, would have generated approximately 49.9 megawatts of renewable energy, which is enough to power 15,200 homes annually.
But members of the planning committee were critical of the plan's potential impact on the "scenic" area, which falls within the Nottingham and Derby green belt. Councillor Carys Thomas, independent representative for East Leake, said: "I ask you to refuse the application because the magnitude and nature of the proposals would have a majorly adverse impact on landscape character and visual amenity. Very special circumstances have not been demonstrated in this case because the wider environmental benefit of the renewable energy generation does not outweigh the harm to the greenbelt."
