Planning officers have given their backing to controversial plans for a large solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS) near Knaresborough.
An application for a 49.9MW solar scheme and BESS on almost 100 hectares of land between Scotton, Brearton and Farnham will be recommended for approval when North Yorkshire Council’s strategic planning committee meets next week.
The recommendation has been made despite 244 objections lodged by residents, with campaigners from Stop Scotton Solar Farm collecting more than 600 signatures on a petition against the scheme.
Objections were filed by Knaresborough Town Council and four parish councils.
Concerns have also been raised by the council’s landscape and conservation officers and Historic England.
Objectors have highlighted fears over the loss of productive farmland, the industrialisation of the countryside, traffic during construction, fire risks associated with the battery energy storage system, impacts on wildlife, heritage assets and nearby public rights of way.
However, planning officers conclude that the benefits of the renewable energy scheme outweigh the identified harms and are recommending councillors approve the application, subject to conditions.
The applicant claims the development would generate about 47.8 gigawatt hours of electricity each year – enough to power around 13,450 homes annually – while avoiding an estimated 9,913 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year compared with fossil fuel generation.
Officers say the proposal would make an important contribution towards national and local net zero targets.
The report acknowledges the development would cause a “major adverse impact” on the character of the site and surrounding landscape, even after 15 years, and accepts it would introduce industrial infrastructure into an otherwise rural setting.
The council’s landscape officer maintains there would be significant harm despite improvements to the planting and layout.
Planning officers also recognise the scheme would result in “less than substantial harm” to the setting of heritage assets, including the Grade II* listed Scotton Old Hall and its associated barn, while Historic England has maintained its objection despite revisions to the proposals.
About 83 per cent of the site is classed as best and most versatile agricultural land, but officers say the solar farm would be temporary, operating for 40 years before being removed, with sheep continuing to graze beneath the panels throughout its lifetime. They argue the land could then be restored to full agricultural use.
The application has been amended during its consideration, including moving the construction access away from Scotton Lingerfield Primary School following public objections and removing solar panels from several fields to reduce heritage impacts.
Recommending approval, planning officer Laura Bromley concluded in her report:
“It is concluded that the substantial public benefits of the provision of clean, renewable and secure energy would outweigh the identified harms to landscape character and visual impact, residential amenity, and to the significance of heritage assets that arise by way of changes to their settings.
“On balance, the proposed benefits outweigh the harms identified, and there are no material considerations which indicate otherwise.”
The strategic planning committee will discuss the application when it meets on Tuesday.
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