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21
Jul
Council delays decision on controversial 236-acre Scotton solar power scheme
Council officials have delayed a decision on controversial plans to create a 236-acre solar farm at Scotton.
Solar and battery storage company Boom Developments Ltd submitted plans last year to install a ground mounted solar photovoltaic farm and battery energy storage system at Lawrence House Farm, between Scotton, Lingerfield and Brearton.
It would be about the size of 150 football pitches.
The application received 244 objections and three expressions of support. Objectors included Farnham Parish Council, Scotton and Lingerfield Parish Council, Scriven Parish Council, Knaresborough Town Council, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England and the Richmond and Northallerton branch of Reform UK.
Councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s strategic planning committee, which deals with major applications in the county, were due to make a decision on the scheme today (July 21).
The site boundary. Pic: Boom Power Developments Ltd
However, Laura Bromley, case officer at the council, told councillors this morning that nine further representations had been made to the council since the publication of the planning report, which included “a number” of concerns.
She said they included concerns over a “misapplication of the planning balance”, harms of the site being understated and deficiencies in the noise impact statement.
There was also a request for the council to defer the decision and request further information under the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations as there was “missing information in the environmental statement”, Ms Bromley added.
She said:
Since completion and publication of the officer’s report, members have received late representations which raise a number of detailed legal and planning concerns about the published report.
In light of these representations, the officer’s updated recommendation is for members to defer the matter for legal advice to be taken on the content of the representations.
Councillors voted to defer a decision on the application to a meeting at a later date.
Up to 100 workers
It comes as council officers had recommended that the scheme be approved at today’s meeting.
In a report, Ms Bromley said the proposal supports the transition to net zero and will “help secure stability and security in energy supply”.
Meanwhile, Boom Developments said the scheme could generate enough renewable electricity to power 13,450 dwellings a year, which is almost 1.9 times the number of households in Knaresborough.
The proposal includes solar arrays, battery storage containers, inverter stations, transformers, fencing, security cameras, internal access tracks, landscaping, ecological enhancement measures, and a construction compound.
The solar panels would cover about 153 acres of mainly grade three land. The land under the panels would be sown with a grazing mix and sheep kept on the land.
The land would be returned to full agricultural use after 40 years.
Three vehicle access points will be created: off High Moor Lane for construction traffic, on an existing track next to the western boundary of Lawrence Hill Farm, off Low Moor Lane; and across an existing gated field access along the eastern edge of Lawrence Hill Farm field, next to Scotton Scorchers football club.
The access point for construction traffic has been relocated away from its original position by Scotton Lingerfield Primary Cchool in response to public objections.
Between 50 and 100 construction workers are expected to work on site.
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