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11
Aug
Weeton will be changed forever if solar farm goes ahead, campaign group claims
The character of Weeton will be changed forever if a proposed solar farm is built, according to an action group that opposes the scheme.
Spanish power company Abei Energy wants to build Juniper Solar Farm on 35 hecatres of land in the village.
It would produce 17.5 megawatts of renewable electric energy – enough to supply about 6,100 homes.
Stop Weeton Solar Farm, which was established this year, stepped up its opposition last week by issuing a lengthy statement against the scheme.
The statement said green belt land between Leeds and Harrogate was now “under significant threat”, adding:
The development will be twice the size of the village, result in the loss of productive agricultural land, involve heavy construction vehicles accessing the site along single-track roads and will greatly affect the spectacular views across the valley from the surrounding area.
The site will be clearly visible from Almscliffe Crag, Harewood House, The Chevin, Eccup and Healthwaite Hill, significantly affecting the visual amenity of the whole area for visitors and residents alike. Screening will be impossible as the development will sit in a low-lying valley, overlooked by the surrounding areas on all sides.
The campaign group claims residents are struggling to sell their homes and are also concerned about fire risks, threats to local wildlife, and the loss of a footpath that runs right through the centre of the proposed site.
A map of the proposed solar farm.
The action group said it is not against renewable energy, but that it should be achieved by other means. It also expressed concerns about food security, road safety and biodiversity. It added:
This development will form part of the 100,000 acres of land that is being taken out of cultivation each year, the majority of which is being lost to solar farms. Grazing an unspecified number of sheep under and around the panels is just an empty gesture and in no way compensates for the lost potential of the land. The land is degraded as half of it will be in permanent shadow, and rainwater run-off creates set channels without proper dispersal.
The view looking down from Almscliffe Crag to Weeton & Lower Wharfedale Credit - Martin Priestley.
The group added that 58 breeding bird species were identified on the Juniper Farm site, 12 of which were categorised as the highest level of conservation concern.
It also questioned Abei Energy’s statement that it would be a temporary 40-year development and claimed Abei does not have access to the national grid.
View from the proposed solar site in Weeton to Almscliffe Crag.
Abei Energy response
The Stray Ferret put the issues raised by the action group to Abei Energy, which said in a statement it "fully understands and respects the concern from the local community about preserving landscape, heritage and agricultural land".
It added the UK had a duty to decarbonise its electricity supply, and solar and battery storage projects like Juniper Farm had a critical role in meeting that commitment.
The claim that the project lacks a grid connection, or forms part of a wider rollout, is false. While the grid connection offer is secured, it remains subject to the ongoing grid reform process led by NESO, as is the case for all projects of this kind. The project has been developed entirely within the constraints of that offer and cannot be expanded.
The site avoids best and most versatile agricultural land and has been subject to detailed environmental assessments to ensure that landscape, ecology and heritage are properly considered. It includes measures to enhance biodiversity and maintain agricultural use through controlled grazing. Importantly, there will be no soil stripping involved in the construction of the Juniper Farm project. The existing ground conditions will be largely retained, allowing the land to recover post-decommissioning. There is also a growing body of evidence, including from operational sites, that well-managed solar farms can deliver significant biodiversity improvements through habitat creation and long-term land stewardship.
Concerns around road safety, fire risk and noise have also been fully considered as part of the planning process. Construction traffic will be carefully managed under a formal traffic management plan to minimise disruption and ensure safety for all road users. Fire risk assessments for the battery storage system will be conducted in line with current UK best practice and regulatory guidance. Noise levels from equipment such as inverters and transformers have been assessed and will comply with all relevant limits.
Abei Energy Solar Project VII Ltd believes this scheme offers a well-balanced response to the UK’s energy and climate challenges, while respecting the identity and concerns of the local area.
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