Bethan

This is the reply from Nick (Berry's) to Kelvin Hall(SC Planning to Whittington Parish Council request for extending the consultation period Hi Kelvin, Thank you for the update. Elgin have already run two consultation events. The first meeting was held at St Martins Centre on the 16th July, a location proximate to the site, and on the back of comments received on that day a second consultation event was held in Gobowen on 23rd September. The opportunity was offered to Whittington Parish Council to attend both events and this considered the applicant is not intending to run any further public consultation. Full detail on both events is contained within the Statement of Community Involvement submitted as part of the planning application. I note the consultation expiry date is 03rd December, and we will be providing a response to any queries raised in the near future. The applicant has requested that everything possible is done for the application to be heard at committee on 16th December 2014. Please do call should you have any queries or need anything further from me at this stage. I am sure that if a poll was done, very few residents 'supposedly visited' would confirm that they were notified. He neglects to point out that the site is NOT in St. Martin's Parish and Gobowen Parish had to insist that a meeting be held in Gobowen which was well attended. I also object to the applicant pressurising the Planners to get his application heard by 16th December!!!

On the Planning Application - Consultants Comments 1) Shropshire Council shows concerns about : Drainage, Archeology (historic Environment), and Public Right of Way (PROW) not identified correctly 2) Ramblers Association and Shropshire Wildlife Trust do not seem to have been consulted. Why wait to be consulted! If you are concerned, contact the SCC Planners ref Application 14/03946/FUL and make your point! There's only a few days left!

Saw this objection by Sue Cowley (Whittington Parish Clerk) in the 'Public Comments' section of the Application : Comment submitted date: Tue 11 Nov 2014 Members of Whittington Parish Council feel that this application should be deferred as there is not enough information to make a reasonable judgment on the impact to the quality and character of the countryside. There should have been public consultation meetings held in the parishes that are affected by this application. The meeting for Selattyn and Gobowen, the parish mainly affected by this application, is due on November, this should have been held before in this parish not St Martins. As Whittington is also affected this application should be deferred until a public meeting in the parish is arranged. Unfortunately, Sue has quoted the wrong date for the meeting which is why it is not shown above (to avoid any more confusion!) The Meeting is, of course, on the Thursday 20th November in the Pavilion at 7.00 pm Lets hope that the very least our Parish Councillors will do, is the same as Whittington.

Is it possible for the Council Meetings to be shown?

For those who haven't accessed the Sellatyn and Gobowen Parish Council web site, here's the address: www.2shrop.net/Selattyn%20and%20Gobowen%20Parish%20Council The agenda for the Meeting to discuss the Solar Panel application can now be viewed. Everyone interested should attend, if only to listen other people's point of view - in particular the Councillors views - after all they are elected to represent all residents.

According to the entry dated 28th October by the Parish Clerk, the time was set at 7.00 pm. I'm not aware of any changes. She also indicated in the same entry that it would be on the agenda for 12/11/2014 meeting for information purposes, but she may have forgotten.

Has anyone read the JBA Consultants document - it's 58 pages long!! Quite a lot of duplication, but....... On page 39, para. Mitigation - in summary it suggests: Potential to reduce visual prominence - Plant new hedgerows Infill gaps Allow existing hedges to grow to 3M in height If anyone thought that 2M fences were an eyesore, imagine what 3M hedges all over the place would look like!! After all, neighbours, by law, are only allowed hedges to grow to 2M high

I've just noticed that a copy of the Site Notice has been posted in the photo Gallery above. If you 'click' on the option 'Large' you can read it! How clever this website is!!!!

I've checked the Parish Council Agenda for their mext meeting on Wednesday 12th November and regretfully the application 14/03946/FUL (Solar Farm) is not mentioned although it can be viewed in the Shropshire Planning website. I understand that this application has been set aside for a special meeting to be held on 20th November at the Pavillion in Gobowen to give the maximum opportunity for extended puplic participation, BUT, surely, it should be on the Council's Agenda on the 12th even if only to remind people of the special meeting on the following Thursday (20th). There's not a lot of time left, so we should all encourage the objectors to put it in writing, attend the meeting, and not just talk about it!!

I'm not sure of the exact 'deadline' , but it's about the 20th/21st November. The SITE NOTICE (dated 28th October) says 21 days from this date, but the Parish Council are holding a Public Meeting on Thursday 20th November at The Pavillion in Gobowen to discuss.

Just looked at the Planning Application 14/03946/FUL - quite a few more comments and documents (Objectios) have been submitted. Worth a visit to the website to see what residents/visitors think. I wonder if the planners will respond to the objectors before they decide???

I think it is planned for the usual Parish Council Meeting on the Wednesday 12 November at The Pavilion. Will this subject be on the agenda for that meeting also?

Just checked the Shropshire Planning website and the Application 14/03946/FUL. All the Documents (36) are now 'viewable'. Must have been a 'glitch'!

It's 11.30 am Saturday. Tried Shropshire Planning to view application 14/03946/FUL and all documents are 'unavailable'! Has the application been withdrawn already!!!???

I whole-heartedly agree, Robmit – but it just goes to show how short-sighted the planners are! I’d like to think that a substantial amount of the electricity supplied to Wrexham is generated by the wind farms that are already operational. They are not a pretty site either, and we also have to bear in mind that the majority of Solar Panels are manufactured in China. We all know their reputation on pollution.

Plans have been submitted by SP Energy and approved for a 132kV electricity line (approx 13 miles overhead and 3 miles underground) between Legacy (Wrexham) to Oswestry. This is expected to be completed by Summer 2015. The cost is approx. £22,000,000 and is sufficient to supply electricity to 130,000 homes in Shropshire/Mid Wales. It's route goes very close to Rhosygadfa. The Solar Farm at Rhosygadfa(78 Acres with 60,000 panels) will generate sufficient electricity for approx 4000 homes. Although the cost has not been published, is it reasonable to assume that it will be substantially greater than the new line from Wrexham to Oswestry. My assumption is based on the following article in the Shropshire Star 16th Sept 2014 “Contractors are expected to move on to the site at Wheat Leasows in Hadley this week to start building the commercial-scale 4MW capacity solar farm. It is hoped energy could be produced from November. It comes as Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet prepares to discuss ways it can make money from the solar farm at a meeting on Thursday. IZEN energy systems was awarded the contract to build the solar farm earlier this month. More than 15,000 solar panels will be installed and should generate enough energy to power more than 800 homes. A financial model shows the council expects to make more than £13.6 million over the planned 25-year life time of the farm while more than £9.2 million will be spent, including financing costs – a surplus of £4.41 million. The money would be poured into services for elderly and young people and the environment, according to council chiefs” If a 15,000-panel installation in Telford involves a spend of £9.2 million, then a 60,000-panel installation in Rhosygadfa could be nearly four times as much (say £36 million). Where is the logic in spending £22 million for supplying electricity to 130,000 homes from an overland line and £36 million for 4,000 homes from a Solar Farm!!! We’ll never get our National Debt down at this rate!!!

To find the Application, go to : www.shropshire.gov.uk/planning then in box for 'Find application', enter ; 14/03946/FUL the press 'GO' Good luck!

Application now in for consideration. EVERYONE TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT ALL THE DOCUMENTATION. The Official Site Notice is date 28th October 2014 and states : All REPRESENTATIONS or COMMENTS are to be submitted within 21 days from the date of this Site Notice. Any in writing are to be sent to the address below stating the Planning Reference Number : Development Management, Oswestry Area Office, Castle View, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 1JR There's not much time to voice your opinion. I was under the impression that there was going to be a 12 weeks consultation period for this large project?

I wonder if anyone went to see Owen Paterson last Friday at his Surgery in The Oswestrian? Would be interesting to here his point of view on use of good agricultural land for Solar Energy v Food Production or would it be the normal politician's reply - non-commital and a little vague! I understand there are 18 applications, in our area alone, with Shropshire County Planners (Ebnal Lodge is not one of them yet) to do with Solar Farm Installations of which 4 have been Granted Permission, 6 are Pending Consideration, 2 are Pending Decision, and the status of the other 6 is Not Available. Is this just the start??

So glad the Parish Council are going to hold the Special Meeting regarding the Solar Farm project at Ebnal Lodge Farm. It will have a HUGE impact on the area if it all gets the go-ahead and deserves to be given adequate time for consultation. I don't think anyone will disagree with Liam, Solar Energy IS the way forward, but lets get real and exhaust all the rooftop sites and other 'brown field' sites before committing prime agricultural land to 25 years of limited use. Afterall, we cannot eat electricity and these other methods provide REAL benefits to local industry and residents.

In photo gallery I have posted a Google map showing very approximately the field that the solar panels will be installed. Not near the canal and main cable to connect to the grid will exit the site near Ebnal Lodge underground. Hope this give a little more information.

Forgot to mention - For all you 'Ramblers' out there : you'll be pleased to note that the Public Footpath through the site will remain. However, it's maintenance and ease of access responsibility over the next 25 years is not clear

Thanks for your response. I look forward to reading the agenda. Please confirm that the agenda will indicate the chairman's discretion to increase the Public Consultaion period if this application will be discussed. As regards to the Community Infrastructure Levy, this is set by the 'Charging Authority' It reflects the energy output of the plant (MWp) and has no relation to the 'New Housing Levy' I understand that the various levies are flexible, which suggests they are negotiable. Did anyone look into this when Elgin Energy made the offer? It would be interesting to know who is on this Charging Authority.