®Planning appeal decision
Fern Brook Solar Farm, Land at Park Farm, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 5JG
the construction of a solar photovoltaic farm, battery storage and associated infrastructure, including inverters, batteries, substations, security cameras, fencing, access tracks and landscaping
- Authority
- Dorset
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- utilities-energy · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
- Inspector
- Ware P
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect on the character and appearance of the landscape
- The effect on the setting of designated and non-designated heritage assets
What decided it
The exceptionally weighty public benefits of renewable energy provision and addressing climate change significantly and demonstrably outweighed the limited landscape and heritage harm identified.
The limited harm to landscape character and the less than substantial harm to heritage assets were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme, particularly the exceptionally weighty need for renewable energy, tipping the balance in favour of allowing the appeal.
Framework references: 174, 158
Plan policies cited: Policy GRF1, LP Policy 4, LP Policy 5, LP Policy 21, LP Policy 22, NP Policy MOT5, NP Policy MOT7
Judgments cited: Stroud District Council v SSCLG and Gladman Developments Ltd. [2015] WL 849499
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.