A proposed massive solar development in South Holland has taken a major step forward following acceptance by the planning inspectorate of an application for an order to grant development consent.
But those worried by plans for the Meridian Solar Farm, one of the biggest in the country, have been urged not to be downhearted.
Members of the Meridian Action Group (MAG) have rallied supporters saying although this skirmish has been lost the war is still not yet over.
MAG had objected to the submission acceptance, providing evidence that Meridian had not met all its consultation responsibilities.
“Although that well-presented objection appears to have fallen on deaf ears at this stage we are urging all who oppose this monstrous development in our countryside, and on some of the country’s best and most versatile growing land, to stay with us and prepare to meet this head-on when the development consent order application reaches the public stage,” said a MAG spokesman.
MAG opposes the proposed mega-solar development covering 1,100-plus hectares of prime land (2,718 acres or 1,812 football pitches) stretching from Crowland to Gedney Hill impacting the communities of Cowbit, Shepeau Stow, Whaplode Drove, Holbeach St Johns, Holbeach Drove, Fleet and Gedney Hill. The communities of Weston and Moulton would also be impacted by a pylon route leading to proposed massive substations at Weston Marsh.
The decision to accept the DCO application was made by officials of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government under delegated powers.
Independent inspectors will now be charged with examining the DCO application, which includes a pylon route from the solar farm to Weston Marsh, and making recommendations to the relevant Secretary of State – in this case Ed Milliband who will make the final decision.
This process can take 18 months. Anyone will be able to register to have their say during the next stage – the pre-examination stage, which usually takes around three months.
This stage will determine issues that need to be discussed, plan what happens during the examination, arrange any hearings and set draft deadlines for comment.
MAG will publicise when the registration period opens so that anyone can have their say. There will be 30 days to register to have your say once the registration period opens.
A preliminary meeting will be held once the registration period closes, but this meeting is really to make arrangements for what is to follow – the examination, when anyone who has registered can have their say about the proposed development, usually in writing. This stage normally takes up to six months.
After this recommendations go to the Secretary of State, who has three months to make the final decision.
In the case of a similar-sized solar farm planned in Oxfordshire the Secretary of State has just received the examining authority’s recommendations but has paused the process to ask the developers to answer more than 70 questions on heritage and landscape issues, alternatives, viability and scheme reduction. The planned use of best and most versatile land (BMV land) is one of the principal concerns raised by the Secretary of State.
“This may bode well for those who oppose the Meridian plan as the chosen site is almost all BMV land, some of it the best land, grade one, for growing food. Food security need not and must not be sacrificed in the quest for energy security,” said MAG.
Many of the concerns raised by the Secretary of State and his demand for more information from the applicant, mirror the concerns that MAG has had about the Meridian project. These include, both here and in Oxfordshire, landscape and visual impact, residential visual amenity impact, ecology and biodiversity, aviation, glint and glare and flood risk.
MAG supports solar on roof tops, brownfield, industrial, contaminated, previously-developed land and lower-quality land, as Ed Miliband has stated.
None of the above applies to most of the area for industrial-sized new energy infrastructure in Lincolnshire.
MAG supports renewable energy but opposes Meridian Solar believing its location means the loss of valuable agricultural land so threatening food security. We believe that it is wrong to set food security against energy security.
MAG has a Facebook group where the progress of the project can be followed with relevant updates. MAG Facebook group has approaching 800 members. You are encouraged to join the group to keep up-to-date and help to oppose this development – just search for MAG Facebook and apply to become a member..
Meridian Action Group (MAG)
