®Planning appeal decision
Land north of The Street, Cawston, Cawston, Norfolk, NR11 7QR
a ground-mounted solar farm including associated infrastructure, namely inverters, transformer, a DNO substation, battery storage and grid connection
- Authority
- Broadland District Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Thompson P
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Effect of the proposed development on the use of best and most versatile agricultural land, including consideration of the site selection process and evidence to justify any loss
- The effect of the scale and form of the proposed development on the surrounding rural landscape character, cumulative with other schemes approved on the site and nearby, including Oulton Airfield
- The benefits of the appeal scheme
What decided it
The unjustified loss of best and most versatile agricultural land, when a Council-approved alternative scheme demonstrated a lesser loss was achievable, outweighed the renewable energy and other benefits.
The considerable and significant benefits of renewable energy generation, biodiversity net gain and economic benefits were outweighed by the greater significance of the harm from the unjustified loss of best and most versatile agricultural land over the lifetime of the development.
Framework references: 158, 175
Plan policies cited: DMDPD Policy GC5, DMDPD Policy GC2, DMDPD Policy EN2, JCS Policy 17, JCS Policy 20
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.