Giant solar farm plans refused over scale and farmland impact

Councillors vote unanimously against 140-football-pitch-sized proposal application

- KATHRYN ANDERSON

A planning application for a massive 49.9 MW Perthshire solar farm — the size of around 140 football pitches — has been unanimously refused by Perth and Kinross councillors.

Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) Planning and Placemaking Committee met to consider the application — submitted by Solar 2 Ltd — on Wednesday, June 11.

Elected members upheld the reasons recommended for refusal by council planners that it would result in a “significant” loss of prime agricultural land and its “excessive” scale had not been fully justified.

Atmos Consulting submitted plans to PKC, on behalf of Solar 2, to develop Collace Solar Farm on around 100 hectares of land 500m north west of East Saucher House, Kinrossie.

Presenting officers' report of handling on the application to councillors, PKC's Major Applications and Enforcement team leader Sean Panton said: “Unfortunately we are recommending refusal of the application before you.

“Whilst National Planning Framework 4 and the Perth and Kinross Local Development Plan 2 offers support for renewable energy proposals, on this occasion the loss of prime agricultural land at this scale is not considered to have been suitably justified.”

He added: “The site is located approximately one kilometre north of the Sidlaw Hills Special Landscape Area and is also in close proximity to a number of historical assets including a number of listed buildings and the Kinrossie Conservation Area.

“There are 82,000 solar panels proposed.”