Solar farm plan refused on ecological grounds

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a large solar farm next to the Gwent Levels have been scrapped after a report found the benefits of the proposal failed to outweigh the harm to landscape and biodiversity.

- BRYANA FRANCIS

Plans had been submitted to build the huge Craig y Perthi solar farm in the quaint village of Bishton to the east of Newport and on the boundary of the Gwent Levels.

The tiny village, which is home to around 70 houses, is surrounded by the medieval Bishton Castle ruins and St Cadwaladr’s Church, which dates back to 570.

Throughout the consultation process residents had been in uproar about the news they could soon be living in a “solar power station”, after claiming they'd been told by developers their homes could be 15m from solar panels, and without any real benefits.

The proposed solar farm was planned for land between the M4 and the South Wales Main Line railway, near Llanwern, Underwood and Bishton. It would have joined Llanwern solar farm, which is already operating on the Gwent Levels.

According to a report published by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) the electricity generated by the solar farm would have been enough to provide electricity for approximately 45,374 typical Welsh homes and result in a saving of around 3,180,368 tonnes of COz over the life of the development.