Solar farm plans prompt questions on land use

A proposal for a solar farm between villages near Selby has raised debate about agricultural land being used for green energy schemes.

A planning application is being prepared for a 49.9MW solar farm and battery energy storage scheme (BESS) on farmland between the villages of Cawood and Wistow.

Renewable energy company Quintas Cleantech said the 60-hectare Wiswood solar farm would power the equivalent of 15,150 homes, and the land could still be used for grazing animals.

However, North Yorkshire councillor Stephanie Duckett raised concerns about using "good agricultural land", expressing her preference for solar schemes to use poorer agricultural land or brownfield sites.

An environmental impact assessment report was submitted to North Yorkshire Council ahead of a full application being filed.

An initial consultation exercise had been held with local residents, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The applicants said the scheme would "provide biodiversity enhancements" across the site, beyond the national requirement of 10%.

Supporting documents added: "The proposal will have a lifespan of 40 years, after which all equipment will be removed from the site and the land will continue to be used for agriculture."

Several other solar farms have been planned for the area, including one near the village of Camblesforth.

Duckett said there had been a proliferation of schemes being proposed for the former Selby district recently.

"The main problem is that they are being planned on good agricultural land," she added.

"They say they will return the land back to agricultural land after 40 years, but who knows if these companies will still be around to pay to get rid of all that concrete you need to set up these solar farms."

Planning authorities have previously been encouraged to encourage solar farms on poorer quality land rather than agricultural land classes as 'best and most versatile' (BMV).

Quintas Cleantech said detailed soil assessments would be included with the planning application to find out if the proposed site was BMV, but this would not prevent it from being developed as a solar farm and BESS.

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