Solar farm plans on fields and grassland set to be approved

COUNCIL OFFICERS SAY NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF PROJECT DON'T OUTWEIGH BENEFITS THAT ENERGY DEVELOPMENT WILL BRING

- By EDDIE BISKNELL

TWO solar farms are set for approval in a part of Derbyshire, across dozens of acres of agricultural land and on coveted grassland next to a major car manufacturer.

The two schemes are for a 56-acre site next to Toyota's Burnaston headquarters and for a 116-acre project between Lullington and Coton in the Elms.

Both are recommended for approval by South Derbyshire District Council officials at a meeting next week despite opposition from residents, campaign groups and a number of officials.

They detail the loss of agricultural land and open space for growing feed, leisure and wildlife.

Plans for the Lullington scheme, submitted by Island Green Power, had once covered 173 acres and were rejected by the council in 2022 before being refused at appeal by a Government inspector in 2023, largely hinging on the impact on valuable farming land used for food production.

Plans have since returned for a smaller portion of the same site, but with the same amount of potential energy creation due to improvements in technology, the developers say, generating up to 44 megawatts a year - enough to power 10,600 homes annually.

The amount of grade 2 agricultural land (with grade 1 being the highest) to be used has dropped from 26 acres to one, while the amount of grade 3a land has fallen from 58 to 32 acres.