Plans for 70-acre solar farm rejected by council

Councillors have rejected plans for a 70-acre solar farm between two villages, saying it would have been "visible for miles".

Energy company Anesco Limited wanted to build the farm in agricultural fields between Bretby and Newton Solney in Derbyshire.

On Tuesday, South Derbyshire District Council rejected the plan, deeming the project, off Knights Lane and Newton Lane, a misuse of "best and most versatile" agricultural land.

Anesco had said the scheme would be capable of powering 8,000 homes per year, producing 21 megawatts of electricity, and would "coexist harmoniously within the surrounding environment".

Newton Lane, past the site, would have been made one-way for the 38-week construction period, Derbyshire County Council said.

The works would have meant a five-mile detour for farming vehicles and parents travelling to nearby schools, the Local Democracy Reporting (LDRS) said.

Councillor Kerry Haines said four out of five of the fields were high-quality agricultural land.

She added: "This site is used by people from Burton and Repton to access the countryside, and now they would be hemmed in by ugly fencing.

"HGVs and farm vehicles would be driving through Repton for 38 weeks."

Josh Rowbottom, project lead for Anesco, said 2km (1.2 miles) of new hedges and 200 new trees would have been planted in an aim to block the site from view

Councillor James Lowe said the planned 40-year "temporary" permission would have seen the site lost for a generation and said the planting scheme sought to hide an "industrialised landscape".

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