Land West of New Works Lane, Telford, Shropshire, TF6 5BS

the installation of a Solar Farm and associated infrastructure. Summary of Recommendation: That the appeal be dismissed. Procedural and

Authority: Telford and Wrekin Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
Inspector: Robins M

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on the landscape character and appearance of the area, including that of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), including the effect on recreational users
whether the proposal would conflict with the development plan and if so whether there are any material considerations that would outweigh that conflict; the planning balance

What decided it

The Secretary of State's disagreement with the Inspector's finding that landscape harm was significant/unacceptable, instead finding it did not amount to a significant adverse effect under Policy ER1, tipping the balance in favour of the substantial renewable energy and other benefits.

the significant weight given to renewable energy production, significant weight given to planting/community benefits, and limited weight given to economic benefits outweighed the significant weight attributed to landscape harm and very limited harm to the AONB setting

Framework references: 174, 176, 155, 158, 152, 56, 57

Plan policies cited: Policy ER 1, Policy NE 7, Policy BE 1, Policy NE 1, Policy P1, Policy WF1

Judgments cited: DLA Delivery Limited v Baroness Cumberlege of Newick [2018] EWCA Civ 1305

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

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.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

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