®Planning appeal decision
Land at Steeraway Farm, Limekiln Lane , Telford, TF1 2JU
Planning appeal 3308481 at Land at Steeraway Farm, Limekiln Lane , Telford, TF1 2JU (Telford and Wrekin Council) was allowed on 9 May 2023 by Inspector Shrigley M, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The impact of the development on the character and appearance of the strategic landscape around the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), having regard to local public rights of way and any benefits associated to the scheme.
Installation of a ground mounted solar farm with continued agricultural use (grazing), ancillary infrastructure and security fencing, landscape provision and ecological enhancements
- Authority
- Telford and Wrekin Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Shrigley M
- Postcode
- TF1 2JU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The impact of the development on the character and appearance of the strategic landscape around the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), having regard to local public rights of way and any benefits associated to the scheme.
What decided it
The substantial weight attributed to the clean and secure renewable energy benefit of the scheme outweighed the localised and contained landscape harm and very limited harm to the setting of the AONB.
The substantial benefit of clean, secure renewable energy generation, together with biodiversity net gain and limited economic benefits, substantially outweighed the localised landscape harm to the Wrekin Forest Strategic Landscape and very limited harm to the setting of the AONB.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- TWLP Policy NE 7TWLP Policy BE 1TWLP Policy ER 1Policy P1 (Shropshire Hills AONB Management Plan 2019-2024)Policy WF 1 (Shropshire Hills AONB Management Plan 2019-2024)
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 174
- Judgments
- North Wiltshire District Council v Secretary of State for the Environment [1993]; Hallam Land Management Ltd v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2019]; DLA Delivery Limited v Baroness Cumberlege of Newick [2018]
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.