Plans for a new solar farm have suffered a second setback, with East Staffordshire councillors rejecting the proposal less than a month after a similar decision by their counterparts in Staffordshire Moorlands. The proposed 49.9MW facility was slated for development on land near Upper Leigh and Lower Tean, straddling both Staffordshire Moorlands District and East Staffordshire Borough, thus requiring consideration by both authorities.
Last month, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’s planning committee declined permission for the project, which aimed to provide electricity for approximately 11,500 homes. Concerns about the saturation of solar farms in the area prompted the rejection. On Tuesday (April 23), East Staffordshire Borough Council’s planning committee followed suit, citing visual impact and the cumulative effect of multiple solar sites as grounds for refusal.
Already, an 11.5MW solar farm has been constructed on a 23-hectare site just over 500 meters northwest of the proposed location. Additionally, planning permission has been granted for a 42-hectare site 200 meters away at Upper Newton Farm, along with another solar farm within a kilometer at Totmonslow Farm, although these two facilities are not yet operational.
In February, the borough council initially considered the application but deferred its decision to allow further consultation with the applicant regarding field arrangements and a proposed battery storage unit. However, despite amendments to the site layout plan, including changes to panel arrangements and the removal of the battery energy storage system, the application was ultimately rejected.
Chris Sowerbutts from Lightrock Power, the company behind the proposal, emphasized efforts to accommodate community feedback in the redesign process. However, concerns were raised by opponents, including Neil Warburton, who criticized the application’s revisions as superficial.
The committee noted the significant number of objections received during the latest consultation, particularly from residents who had not previously commented on the plans. Councillor Jacqui Jones expressed concern over the volume of objections, highlighting the challenges in reaching a decision given the precedent set by Staffordshire Moorlands’ rejection based on cumulative impact.
Councillor Bev Ashcroft echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive assessment of the cumulative effect of multiple solar farms in the area.