Decision Maker: Cabinet
Decision status: For Determination
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
To agree the Council's response to the
statutory public consultation and preparations for the Examination
of the Development Consent Order
Resolved:
That Wiltshire Council objects to the application on the following grounds.
Whilst not opposed to the principle of the development of solar farms in line with the National Planning Policy Framework this Council is increasingly concerned at the concentration of solar farms, battery storage and associated infrastructure in Wiltshire. Some villages are now completely surrounded by solar farms and their continued concentration represents a significant cumulative impact and industrialisation of the countryside.
Wiltshire Council therefore calls on the Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to define more closely what is meant by ‘cumulative impact’ regarding solar farms, battery storage, and associated infrastructure and to take clear steps to ensure that solar developments are more evenly spread across the UK and not concentrated in specific areas effectively industrialising the countryside.
We would also ask for clarity of the priority given to ensuring that food production and farming are not destroyed as industries in specific areas through an excessive concentration of solar farms given the massive impact that would have on the rural way of life in villages that have been farmed for time immemorial.
i. Firstly, there would be appreciable environmental and ecological harm caused by the laying of 13 miles of cable across the countryside and the associated works to lay it. This is only seen as essential because of the location of the farm in relation to the grid link. This is an unacceptable degree of harm to accommodate what is clearly an unsustainable location for a solar farm.
ii. The fact that there is no local grid connection or potential for a grid connection highlights that the proposed solar farm is in an unsustainable location for the proposed usage. A solar farm should be located close to a grid connection. The fact that no evidence can be shown of attempts to locate the farm closer to the grid connection demonstrates that this is being driven by the availability of land for solar development rather than the suitability of land for solar development and on that basis it should be rejected.
1) Endorses the response to Public Consultation document, as set out in Appendix 1 subject to amendment in (2), for the purpose of submission to Island Green Power.
2) Authorises the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration, in consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member(s), to:
3) Delegated authority to be granted to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to prepare the Local Impact Report on behalf of the council and submit to the Planning Inspectorate in accordance with the timetable for the examination process.
4) Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to make minor amendments to the Local Impact Report to rectify such matters as typographical or grammatical errors.
5) Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to formally contribute to, agree and sign a statement of common ground to be submitted to the Examining Authority of the Planning Inspectorate in accordance with the timetable for the Examination process and within the terms of the council’s Local Impact Report.
6) Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to prepare on behalf of the council and submit to the Planning Inspectorate:
a. An adequacy of consultation representation
b. Representations on the Environmental Statement
c. A Written Representation on the application.
7) Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to formally respond to the Examining Authority’s Inspector’s questions in accordance with the timetable for the examination process during the course of the Examination and also to make comment on the submissions of other parties including the Applicant.
8) Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to formally represent the views of the council at the preliminary meeting, any topic specific hearing and subsequent requirements in accordance with the timetable for the examination process during the course of the Examination, within the terms of the council’s Local Impact Report.
9) Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to add formal comments on the draft requirements (conditions) and planning obligations of the Development Consent Order.
10)Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to carry out all non-statutory community benefit negotiations and to make decisions relevant to such negotiations in connection with or arising from the Lime Down Solar Park scheme.
11)Delegated authority to be given to the Director of Planning, Economy and Regeneration to carry out all statutory functions of the council under the Planning Act 2008 as both Local Authority and Planning Authority in connection with the Lime Down Solar Park scheme.
Reason for Decision:
Wiltshire Council is the Host Authority for this NSIP scheme, and one of the key statutory consultees. By providing a detailed response to the scheme’s statutory consultation, the council has an opportunity to influence the scheme’s further development and refinement by the applicant. The council will continue to work with Island Green Power and other key stakeholders to further develop the scheme proposals in advance of the DCO application being submitted.
Reason Key: Significant effect on more than 1 Division;
Other reasons / organisations consulted
The developer will be undertaking public
consultation between 29th January and 19th March 2025.
Contact: Karen Jones, Transformation Consultant Email: karen.jones@wiltshire.gov.uk Tel: 01225 713956, Simon Smith, Development Management Team Leader Email: simon.smith@wiltshire.gov.uk Tel: 01249 706633.
Report author: Cabinet Report Management Group
Publication date: 10/03/2025
Date of decision: 04/03/2025
Decided at meeting: 04/03/2025 - Cabinet
Accompanying Documents: