Pickles blocks solar farm

Eric Pickles, local government secretary, could soon face a legal battle due to his decision to block approval for what would have been one of the UK's largest solar energy farms. The solar farm, which was planned for a site in Ellough, Suffolk, was blocked by the Mr Pickles, even though it had previously been recommended for approval.

The solar farm was set for construction on farm land, with planning permission sought by solar developer Lark Energy in February of this year. Planning permission for the 24-megawatt site was unsuccessful in the first instance and so the developer lodged an appeal. It was recommended, by the planning inspector in charge of the case, that the site be granted approval.

Despite this recommendation, Mr Pickles denied the appeal and refused to grant planning permission for the site that would provide large amounts of green energy to the UK. The local government secretary dismissed the case on the basis that the solar farm would damage the local landscape. 

The decision letter said: “The secretary of state considers that, in this case, the increase in the amount of renewable energy generated by the appeal scheme does not outweigh the additional harm caused to the character and appearance of the area.”

Previous planning permission had been granted by the council for a 14 megawatt solar farm to be constructed on the same site. This fact reportedly influenced Mr Pickles decision to block the newest application. 

The solar farm was due to be built on ground equating in size to the same size as 85 football pitches in an area that includes a 14th century church as part of the landscape. Several other buildings of historical note are also present on the site, which led Mr Pickles to make the decision that the project that had previously been granted permission would create less harm to the area compared to larger option.

Debbie Marriage, senior consultant at Parker Dann Town Planning Consultants, said concerning the outcome: “Although this decision does not set a precedent, it demonstrates the amount of uncertainty that developers face when trying to judge whether or not the visual impacts of a solar farm will be deemed acceptable by decision makers, whether local councillors, planning inspectors or, as in this case, the secretary of state. It highlights to the industry that good site selection is more important than ever.”