Planning appeal decision
Lower Tean Leys Farm, Tean Leys, Lower Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS
Planning appeal 3352966 at Lower Tean Leys Farm, Tean Leys, Lower Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS (Staffordshire Moorlands District Council) was allowed on 16 April 2025 by Inspector Parker C, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, including on the landscape.
‘Installation of a 49.9MW solar photovoltaic array/solar farm with associated infrastructure’
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- utilities-energy · Other Major Developments
- Inspector
- Parker C
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area, including on the landscape
- The effect of the proposal on the living conditions of nearby occupiers
What decided it
The substantial public benefits of renewable energy generation, biodiversity gain and economic benefits were found to outweigh the limited landscape/character harm and the less than substantial heritage harm identified.
The substantial benefits of renewable energy generation, biodiversity net gain and economic/farm diversification benefits outweighed the limited harm to character and appearance and the less than substantial harm to heritage assets' settings, tipping the balance in favour of granting permission.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy SP1Policy SP8Policy SP24Policy SP30Policy DP1Policy SD2Policy SS10Policy DC1Policy DC3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 57Paragraph 135Paragraph 168Paragraph 212Paragraph 215
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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With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in Staffordshire Moorlands
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Dismissed18 May 20263375459Land to the North of Eaves Lane, Armshead, Staffordshire, ST2 8LY
- Dismissed29 April 20266005296Land off Alwoodley, Edge Lane, Endon, Staffordshire, ST9 9DG
- Dismissed27 April 20266004019Far Lakes Farm, Shaw Wall Lane, Whiston, Staffordshire, ST10 2HT
- Allowed26 March 20266002818Apesford Farm, Apesford Lane, Bradnop, Staffordshire, ST13 7EX
- Allowed21 November 20253366600Oakamoor Forest Lodges Ltd, Little Ranger Dimmingsdale, Oakamoor, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 3AS
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.
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