Renewable energy is needed but not at the disregard of the community hosting it say disappointed campaigners following the approval of a new solar farm.
Mid Suffolk councillors granted temporary 35-year permission to EDF Renewables to build a solar farm on 84 hectares of agricultural land off Tye Lane in Bramford.
On Wednesday night, councillors noted the farm would have a massive impact on the landscape before voting six to one for the plans to be approved.
The development will comprise rows of solar panels to a maximum height of 2.4 metres, inverter and transformer units, an underground connection cable from the site to the National Grid substation at Bullen Lane, and new vehicular access.
The meeting's chair Cllr Sarah Mansel, for green councillor for Elmswell & Woolpit, said: "There's no way it isn't impacting anybody. It's certainly having an impact, but is that impact acceptable if we have a benefit from it?
"I know people do not like change. We don't like the look of pylons but there are hundreds of pylons over that field. They almost blend in with the landscape now. I'm not saying this enormous solar farm is going to blend in with the landscape tomorrow but maybe there will be a time when we accept looking at solar panels in fields."
The councillors issued a variety of biodiversity conditions that need to be met by the applicant before launching the site and that there is further consultation with the parish council and neighbours.
This includes the review of the location of the panels with regards to Rutters Cottage, Quiet Lane and footpath, Copenhagen Cottage, and Tye View Cottage, including enhanced landscaping and permissive path provision, in consultation with the parish council and neighbouring residents.
The development has proven unpopular among some residents and councillors for a number of reasons, including the loss of productive agricultural land, traffic problems on local roads, possible loss of jobs and setting a precedent for future development of the land.
Speaking after the plan's approval, Bramford Parish Councillor Caroline Wolton said that the parish council is “very disappointed” with the outcome.
She added: “It has huge impacts on our community, particularly residents and businesses bordering the site.
“It is a large and dominating site, highly visual due to the rising land.
"There are some amendments to the original plan to be made as 'conditions', but these will be small reduction of panels by boundaries and a better ecology plan for the hedges and tree belts surrounding the site.
“These changes will not be substantial, and the parish is disappointed by the result.
“Bramford Parish Council accepts the need for and supports renewable energy, however, not at any cost and disregard to the community hosting it.”
Burstall parish councillor Samantha Main, who campaigned against the plans in both Burstall and Bramford, added: “We are pleased the councillors actually chose to visit the site as they so rarely do, and very proud of the public and councillors who spoke against this at the meeting.
"But the community here are increasingly disappointed by the new Green Party-led council in Mid Suffolk.
"Last night's decision about the EDF solar farm only adds to that.
"In May Andy Mellen, Leader of the Mid Suffolk Green Party, was proud that their strength is based on the fact they address the local issues, but they have missed the mark catastrophically here for a second time.
"He also recognised the need to 'preserve the best and most versatile farmland for food production'.
"We have so many rooftops for solar panels, but crops like those grown here are limited to fields.
“More than half of the land that is to be used for the solar farm is high-quality agricultural land. We all agree that there are better places for solar panels than food producing fields.
"Councillors also had an opportunity to reduce the impact for the community by insisting on a scaled-back version that actually sounded quite reasonable, but they chose not to.
"We are feeling very "done to" and not "done with" yet again."
Ms Main added the residents worry that the applicant is going to install 70 megawatts solar panels, while the local council can only determine an application up to 50 megawatts.
Solar farms that generate capacity above 50 megawatts are considered “nationally significant infrastructure projects” and require development consent from the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
A spokesperson for the district council said that the application covers panels generating a capacity of up to 49.9 MW, which will generate the equivalent of 67,500MWh each year.
They added: “Megawatts and megawatt-hours are different. MW is a measure of power, and MWh is a measure of energy delivered over a period of time.
“As planning authority, we have to rule on all planning applications according to national planning policies, and these are currently tilted heavily by the government towards approving renewable energy applications.”
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