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17
Nov
Almost 400 objections to Weeton solar farm
Almost 400 objections have been submitted against plans to create a solar farm in Weeton.
Spanish company Abei Energy sent proposals to North Yorkshire Council to establish a 35-hectare photovoltaic farm in the village in June.
Located at Juniper Farm, which is adjacent to both Weeton Lane and Woodgate Lane, the proposed development would produce 17.5 megawatts of renewable electric energy — enough to supply around 6,100 homes.
But many residents are concerned about the potential disruption.
Concerns have been raised about the impact of development on green belt land around the village and that it would set a precedent for further industrialisation on the green belt.
One objector wrote to the council:
I am concerned about the enforceability of decommissioning. I am in my 20s. I hope to be still around in 40 years' time when, according to the applicant, the development will be decommissioned. Decommissioning the site will be expensive, particularly given the BESS element which can cause contamination. Who will pay for this?
The Stray Ferret spoke to Elaine May, an executive committee member of the Stop Weeton Solar Farm action group, this week.
She said:
We need to ensure the public understands what’s at stake: permanent loss of scenic value of the area, loss of agricultural land, detrimental effects on wildlife and biodiversity, major effects on traffic and transport during construction and opening up a small corridor of green belt for further industrial development including additional solar farms in the future.
This is not a campaign based on NIMBYism. We believe this type of development should not be in anyone's backyard.
Stop Weeton Solar Farm currently has around 400 members, most of whom are local to the area. Ms May said that the group has been staging various protests in the village against the development.
With hundreds of members in the action group, and almost 400 public objections, the campaigner said it’s clear the development is unpopular.
Ms May also claimed the development could affect people’s mental health, listing the anxiety over fighting the development and the impact on the local landscape.
So, what would she say to the director of Abei Energy? The campaigner said:
We support the need for sustainable energy, but not at all costs. The Ddrector of Abei should come to this village and see the idyllic surroundings and ask themselves if they should be desecrating this much-loved, traditional English landscape. If they were honest, I'm sure they would think it was the wrong thing to do… but it's about profit for the landowner and Abei. It's cheaper for companies to build solar farms rather than put solar panels on rooftops and brownfield sites, like other countries are doing. Abei doesn't even have a connection to the national grid for this development.
At the moment, solar farm applications are going in at an unprecedented rate. It's like the Wild West - attracting foreign companies, like Abei, who are speculating and making a quick buck at our country's expense because the system is unregulated. In years to come, when the cheap Chinese solar panels are lying broken, damaged and outdated over Weeton's fields, making no contribution to our energy needs, we will be asking ourselves how and why this was allowed to happen.
She added that she hopes the company realises the development is in the wrong place, and therefore withdraws the application. If not, then she hopes the council will reject it.
The Stray Ferret has contacted Abei Energy for comment.
It has previously said the scheme "offers a well-balanced response to the UK’s energy and climate challenges, while respecting the identity and concerns of the local area", adding:
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.
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