Planning permission has been granted for a solar farm the size of 360 Olympic swimming pools to be built in the Essex countryside.
Maldon District Council gave the go-ahead for the Maldon Wycke Solar Farm in Hazeleigh Hall Lane, Hazeleigh, to generate 25 MW, enough clean energy to power approximately 8,000 houses.
The plans by Low Carbon Solar Park 1 Limited will see the farm built in a 36 hectare. The project will be decommissioned after 40 years and the land then returned to agricultural use.
Representing Low Carbon, James Hartley-Bond told councillors the government’s energy security strategy has called for a five-fold national increase in solar energy deployment.
He said: “We’re currently fighting a climate crisis and an energy security crisis at the same time.
“People are really feeling the impact of the rise of energy costs, which is largely caused by volatility in wholesale gas prices.
“We have little control over this, as the supply and price is largely determined by foreign entities, as can be seen right now.”
Councillor Paula Spenceley said, while she supported the farm, the committee could have benefited from more insight from consultees.
She said: “How disappointing it really is that we’ve got Essex Wildlife Trust here, with Maldon Wycke bordering this development, the Forestry Commission and the RSPB have all failed to respond as consultees.
“How wonderful it would be to have their backing and the knowledge they could share with us about what they think of all these mitigations”.
Mitigation measures proposed to soften the impact of the development on biodiversity and neighbouring properties include planting trees and hedges along the site border and creating a wildflower meadow.
However, the planting would take approximately 15 years to mature, according to a report presented to councillors. Nonetheless, after 15 years the effects of the development from most viewpoints would be between moderate to none.
Some councillors also argued the use of the land for solar production rather than agriculture would be more beneficial for local wildlife.
Councillor Maggie Thompson said: “The fact that this land is not going to be farmed and not going to be combined routinely every year actually will save thousands upon thousands of small, furry animals’ lives.”
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