Public Consultation - proposed Solar Farm Rhosygadfa

[Robmit 7]

I agree that to be on the safe side we should all keep up the pressure and I have just sent a request to the Planning Department requesting them to acknowledge my earlier objection and to keep me advised of any changes;  I did register at the outset though.

[Bethan 16]

For those who are unaware : 

 

There will be a Sellatyn & Gobowen Parish Council Meeting next Wednesday (11th March)

and it will take place at The Hall, Selattyn School, Selattyn, commencing 7pm.    The agenda has been published.

 

4th item (No. 211) is for 15 minutes set aside for the public to speak on items on the agenda.

 

7th item (No. 214) is on Planning Items and point b   is to give consideration to the revised plan for the Proposed Solar Farm at Rhosygadfa which includes the reduction in the number of solar panels.

 

The details can be viewed on the Shropshire Planning site. Amongst other things, it includes reducing the number of panels from 60,000 to 40,000.

 

I doubt, even if the whole of the15 minutes allocated for the public to speak is used on this subject alone, that there is sufficient time to have a meaningful discussion on the revised application.

 

As many residents as possible in our community should attend this meeting, as this application (even with the changes suggested) is still a HUGE industrialisation of  PRIME agricultural land. We must protect our countryside for future generations and not permit land to be desegrated in this manner. I am sure that, given a small amount of forward thinking, that there would be young farmers willing to take on the challenge of cultivating 78 acres?

The development and use of Solar Energy is important but there are far better ways of achieving this other than covering beautiful fields with iron, concrete and glass!

Edited March 5, 2015 by Bethan

[Community Online 65]

Agenda available for download HERE

[Bethan 16]

As I recall at the Public meeting arranged by the Parish Council, there was a comment made that the maximum yield of 15 MWp from 60,000 panels was sufficient to supply 4000 homes with electricity. Due to the efficiency of the panels and the varying amounts of sunshine and other weather conditions, it was mentioned that only 11% of the yield would be realised over a 12 month period! This means that production would only be sufficient for about 400 homes only.

The changes proposed have reduced the productivity to 10 MWp (33%less) which, using the above criteria, reduces the number of homes to 264!

How can anyone justify such a huge expenditure(£mil.) and claim it to be an efficient investment?

[Robmit 7]

The real issue here is that this industrial project is being applied for on good and valuable farmland which is in one of the most attractive areas in our part of Shropshire.   Whilst I feel for daily farmers at this time, vegetable crops and wheat are also very important for our economy too.

 

This land is prime agricultural land and should be preserved for such use and no other.   I have read that there is another application for such a development along the Montgomery canal and, if we are not very careful, every farmer in the county will be seeking to maximise income at the expense of our natural heritage; such ruination of our beautiful countryside would also be of serious detriment to the tourist industry as well.

 

Industrial developments should only be considered on brown field sites.   Solar panels are a great idea in the right places and on rooftops but most definitely not on prime and beautiful agricultural land.

[Bethan 16]

It seems a long time since the P C Meeting in Selattyn when it was resolved to reject the application on the same grounds as that specified originally.

I understand that the Shropshire Planning Committee cancelled their April Meeting and that the next was to be held on 14th May.

I presumed that this took place.

At the Parish Council Meeting in March, it was agreed that Robert Macey would contact all those, who wrote down their e-mail addresses, of the date that the Shropshire Planninng Committee were going to deliberate on the application.

Has anyone got any news of progress?

Hopefully all grants have now been withdrawn for all unapproved applications!!

[Robmit 7]

Hi Bethan,

 

Like you, I am wondering about the disposition of this application.   I have not received any information from the Council since the one dated  14th May  as per the following:-

 

Construction of a solar farm comprising the installation of (circa) 60,000 ground mounted solar panels; 10 inverters; electricity substation; 27 x 3m high pole mounted CCTV cameras; 2.4m high security fencing

Pending Consideration.

 

Rob

[Robmit 7]

I read in the Shropshire Star that another Shropshire farmer is also seeking to use agricultural land for solar energy.   Greed again!   We need food before electricity and there are alternative sources for electricity but, that I know of, for food if the land is used for industrial purposes.

[Gardner 10]

I saw that report to.

[Bethan 16]

This notice was posted on the Application today.

There are 3 posts dated today, and are worth reading.

I hope the G & S Parish Council e-mail all the interested parties

 

 

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990

 

 

PLANNING REFERENCE:

14/03946/FUL

 

DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED:

Construction of a solar farm comprising the installation of (circa) 60,000 ground mounted solar panels; 10 inverters; electricity substation; 27 x 3m high pole mounted CCTV cameras; 2.4m high security fencing

 

SITE LOCATION:

Proposed Solar Farm At, Rhosygadfa, Gobowen, Shropshire, .

 

APPLICANT:

Elgin Energy Esco Limited

 

This application will be considered by the Northern Planning Committee on 7th July 2015 commencing at  2.00pm At Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ND

 

The recommendation -  Grant Permission.

 

You can find out if anyone has registered to speak for / against the proposal or if the committee members will be carrying out a site visit at the property by contacting Emily Marshall on 01743 252726.

 

A copy of the committee agenda / report is available at Castle View, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 1JR or on the Councils website, www.shropshire.gov.uk/planning, (select ‘Planning Applications’, then select ‘Planning application process’), 5 days before the committee.

 

 

 

[Maggie 65]

Have you asked to speak?  What do our local councillors intend to say?  Who is going to speak up for the parish Council?  I've read the agenda and notes and there is a huge amount of objections listed which has obviously amended the application a bit, but do you think this slightly smaller array will help at all? 

[Bethan 16]

Has everyone given up on this topic!!!

Final decision has NOT been made! Further discussions at Planning Committee Meeting next Tuesday 7th July at 2.00pm at Shire Hall, Shrewsbury.

An appeal is out for as many residents as possible to attend to show the depth of opposition.

Please, Please make an effort to be there!

 

[Robmit 7]

Thank you Bethan for your perseverance in this most important matter.  I hope as many people as possible will attend this meeting.   Sadly I am unable to due to the untimely death of my dear sister.

[Bethan 16]

I am so sorry to read your message, Robmit. Please accept my sincerest sympathy andhope that you will remain strong in these most difficult times.

An e-mail list was given to the Parish Council and I understand that Robert Macey was to circulate everyone on it with the details of the Planning Meeting (mentioned earlier), but to the best of my knowledge NO-ONE has been informed - yet another failure to communicate!

[Bethan 16]

I am given to understand that Members of the Shropshire County Planning Committe are going to make a site visit tomorrow morning (Tuesday 7th July) at 11.00 am. ahead of their Meeting in the Shirehall, Shrewsbury at 2.00 pm.

Hope the weather is dry and clear to encourage as many people as possible come in support (or otherwise) of this massive project

Bring your 'brollies' if it's wet!!

[Bethan 16]

Committee Members did a tour of the perimeter of the site and the weather cleared up just in time. A small group of protesters held their placards to show solidarity.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE APPLICATION WAS TURNED DOWN!!!

A big thanks goes to Brian Case and Hugh Ellis for speaking in the Council Chambers and

A VERY BIG THANKS INDEED TO Cllr DAVID LLOYD without who's support it may not have been turned down. He spoke with clarity of thought, knowledge, understanding, and with passion.

Whether this project is permanently terminated is yet to be realized, but, at least, the first hurdle has been cleared!

Edited July 7, 2015 by Bethan

[Robmit 7]

Fantastic news!

Sanity has prevailed!   Today has not been one of my best but I am very glad to read this and I thank all concerned for their vailant efforts and especially Bethan and David Lloyd.

Best wishes and kind regards to you all

Robmit.

 

[Maggie 65]

Well done y'all, and thanks to Bethan for keeping us all informed.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/634108443357107/?pnref=lhc

[Robmit 7]

Hi Everyone,

Just received notification from Shropshire Council that the Proposed Solar Farm at Rhosygadfa's status is "AWAITING DECISION".

I uderstood that the application had been turned down so what do you all think is going on here?

[Bethan 16]

Hi Robmit,

Tonight's Shropshire Star (Wednesday 8th July - page 7) heading reads:

'Lights go out on bid for 52-acre solar farm'

It's a Report by Sue Austin and the first line reads :

'PLANS for a huge 40,000 panel Solar farm in countryside near Oswestry have been thrown out by Shropshire Council'

I think we can take it that it has been rejected - it's quite a long article and make for pleasing reading!!

Maybe it's one of these situations at SC where the RH doesn't know what the LH is doing?!! (or maybe is a few days behind!)

[Robmit 7]

Thanks for the update Bethan.    

We must keep our eyes on it though!   I will enjoy reading the paper a bit later once I have woken up!

Regards,

 

 

[Bethan 16]

Here we go again!!!

A little bird from Rhosygadfa tells me that a revised proposal has been submitted to the Shropshire Planning Authority for a Solar Farm to be installed.

It's a smaller version of the original. It now covers an area of over 34 acres (original was 78, then 52 acres), capable of generating 5 MWp.

The Planning Ref. is 15/03975/FUL.  Worth reading to se and understand if the new application addresses the reasons for the Council rejecting the original application.

 

 

[Robmit 7]

Hi Bethan,

I received the Notification from the Planning Department at mid-day today so it has taken three days from the 6th October to reach me and now it is the weekend which means five of the 21 days we have to consider this application will have disappeared.

I hope we can all get together to discuss the matter before deciding on any objection or otherwise and shall look forward to hearing from the committee as soon as possible in this connection.

My personal view concerning such developments on Farm Land in our area, or any other for that matter, remain as stated in my objection to the previous application; principally that we need farm land to grown crops and we need to conserve our beautiful landscape for future generations and certainly not to encourage industrial development of any kind on such terrain.

Regards,

Rob

[Bethan 16]

I believe that our Parish Council have their monthly meeting this Wednesday 14th October. I cannot yet find the agenda for the meeting. Can anyone tell me where it can be viewed?

On the otherhand, whether the subject is on the agenda or not, maybe, as many members of the public as possible should go to this meeting to 'air their views' AGAIN, and request that the PC send a letter requesting more information?

It seems that the application proposes for solar panels to be erected on Land classified as grade 4 and 5 of which one has SOME large stones! Surely it's not beyond the wit of man to remove a few stones enabling the land to become even more productive!! One cannot get away from the fact that these fields are ' Greenfield'  NOT  'Brownfield' sites

[Gardner 10]

I understand that a special parish council meeting will be held at 7pm on Tuesday 27th October to discuss this matter.