®Planning appeal decision
Land 800 Metres South Of Park House Farm, Meriden Road, Fillongley, Warwickshire, CV7 8BP
the construction of a temporary solar farm to include the installation of ground mounted solar panels together with associated works, equipment and necessary infrastructure
- Authority
- North Warwickshire Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Heward H
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and development plan policies
- Likely effects upon the significance of heritage assets
- Likely effects upon the character and appearance of the area having regard to landscape and visual effects – including public viewpoints and effects upon users of public rights of way
- The weight to be attached to effects upon Best and Most Versatile agricultural Land
What decided it
The substantial and significant public benefits of renewable energy delivery, energy security, biodiversity net gain and the Council's climate emergency objectives clearly and convincingly outweighed the less than substantial heritage harms and moderate adverse landscape/visual harms identified.
The substantial and significant benefits for climate change, energy security, the local climate emergency, grid connection delivery and biodiversity net gain clearly and convincingly outweighed the less than substantial heritage harms and the significant landscape and visual harms, so that overall the considerations in favour clearly outweighed the total harms identified.
Framework references: 58, 133, 134, 135, 143, 155, 160, 181, 182, 187, 212, 213, 215
Plan policies cited: LP1, LP3, LP14, LP15, LP16, LP30, LP33, LP35, FNP01, FNP02, FNP03, FNP06
Judgments cited: R (on the application of the Friends of Hethel Ltd) v South Norfolk DC [2010]; Holborn Studios v Hackney LBC; Bernard Wheatcroft v SoS for the Environment; Lullington Solar Park Limited v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and South Derbyshire District Council [2024] EWHC 295 (Admin); Bramley Solar Farm Residents Group v Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Bramley Solar Limited and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council [2023] EWHC 2842 (Admin)
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.