in May 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\nThey argued it \u201cwould result in significant adverse individual and cumulative effects on landscape character\u201d.<\/p>\n
Officers also highlighted the negative impact the array would have had \u201con visual amenity that cannot be appropriately mitigated\u201d.<\/p>\n
The officials also argued EDF\u2019s planning papers were scant in detailing the site\u2019s archaeological impact, including extra stress caused by construction trucks.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg)
A map showing the solar farms planned for the area surrounding Aldington<\/p>\n
They also noted there was \u201cinsufficient\u201d information on mitigating the impact on badgers and a mineral deposit on the site.<\/p>\n
However, EDF quickly appealed the decision, leading to a government planning inspector visiting the site in February.<\/p>\n
Now, the scheme has once again been thrown out following a six-day inquiry.<\/p>\n
Planning inspector Paul Griffiths said: \u201cThe imposition of a solar array on the various land parcels is bound to have a significant adverse effect on the receiving landscape.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoreover, the experience of walking along the PRoWs [Public Rights of Way] that pass through and near to the proposal would undergo a change that would be a negative one.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat said, if solar arrays are to be brought forward in order to secure the benefits of renewable energy, then landscape and visual impacts of this sort are inevitable.<\/p>\n
Ashford Borough Council and the Planning Inspectorate have rejected EDF Renewables’ proposal. Picture: New Visual Solutions Ltd and Viento Environmental Ltd<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key point, though, is that these impacts must be controlled in an appropriate way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Had it been given the nod, the solar farm would have been removed and agricultural use would have been reinstated 40 years later.<\/p>\n
Arguing its case, EDF emphasised ABC, which is run by an Ashford Independents\/Green Party coalition, is committed to reaching net zero by 2030.<\/p>\n
\u201cHosting the East Stour Solar Farm would lead to a significant carbon dioxide emission reduction, helping to meet the national need,\u201d the firm said in its initial bid in April 2022.<\/p>\n
However, ABC\u2019s Linda Harman believes it was correct to uphold last year\u2019s rejected decision.<\/p>\n
Cllr Linda Harman, Ashford Borough Council. Picture: KMG<\/p>\n
The councillor for Saxon Ward said: \u201cWe are all delighted to see that the Planning Inspector dismissed the appeal submitted by EDF. It gives our community hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cSolar undoubtedly has a place in the UK’s move to renewable energy, but the investor rush should not be at the expense of our countryside and rural communities, not to mention the risk to UK food production.<\/p>\n
\u201cAldington has been besieged by applications for ground-mounted solar due to its proximity to the Sellindge Converter Station.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in the area, Evolution Power\u2019s (EP) plans to build arrays spanning 250 football pitches, also in Aldington.<\/p>\n
The project passed its first round of scrutiny in July last year leading to Evolution bosses formally putting forward its bid to the Planning Inspectorate (PI), the body responsible for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP), after it was accepted for examination.<\/p>\n
\u2018The imposition of a solar array on the various land parcels is bound to have a significant adverse effect\u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
If plans progress, its 400-acre Stonestreet Green solar farm\u2019s photovoltaic panels will power 48,000 homes a year in generating 99.9 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.<\/p>\n
Cllr Harman hopes the best interests of Aldington are considered again when a decision on this application is made next month.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThe inspector considering the recommendation to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the much bigger Stone Street Green application will need to heed this appeal decision as a material consideration.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis recommendation is due by August 19, so we will soon find out how material it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe final decision on Stone Street Green will of course be made by the Secretary of State.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe very much hope that the long views into and out of Aldington are not subjected to the industrialisation proposed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a separate application was submitted earlier this month<\/a> for full planning permission to build a 35MW farm between Kenardington and Woodchurch.<\/p>\nGreen energy firm Quintas Cleantech would add the panels to a 148-acre site \u2013 the size of 68 football pitches \u2013 currently used as agricultural land.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for EDF said the firm is \u201cdisappointed\u201d by the decision and would be \u201cassessing the options\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A planning inspector has upheld a decision to turn down plans for a solar farm which could generate…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":303195,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3843],"tags":[605,728,609,49585,495,70,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-303194","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-environment","8":"tag-ashford","9":"tag-environment","10":"tag-human-interest","11":"tag-hythe","12":"tag-kent","13":"tag-science","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114940729322253781","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/303195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}