Solar farm plan wins support of opposition

A proposal to put 19,200 panels at a former quarry site at Bromfield, on the outskirts of Ludlow, will power machinery at the sand and gravel works next door, as well as the Ludlow Food Centre nearby.

A full planning application has yet to be made, but the proposal has bucked the trend by drawing complements from protestors who vigorously opposed four other solar sites around the region.

Charlie Houston, the man behind the scheme, has even joined with campaigners in vocally criticising other solar farm applications that he sees as "an affront" to those trying to put renewable energy in the right place.

Save South Shropshire Countryside campaigned against solar farm plans in Whitton, near Ludow and Acton Scott, near Church Stretton, both of which were thrown out by Shropshire Council's south planning committee in October.

The group is also campaigning against plans in Tasley, near Bridgnorth, Neen Sollars, near Cleobury Mortimer, and a re-submittal of the Acton Scott scheme.

But chairman of the campaign group, Peter van Duijvenvoorde, praised the approach of Mr Houston, whom he said had approached him for input.

He said: "It's a former brownfield site, though it now has been grassed over and is used for grazing. It's quite well screened and could be a substantially better site than others we have seen for this type of installation - but I'm sure people will have their own opinions on that.

"It is an interesting approach he has taken, to talk to people who might object to it first, before submitting an application.

"I'm reserving my judgement until I see the full application, but I like the way they're going about it - and out of all of the solar farm applications we've seen this would be the favoured location."

Andy Boddington, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow North, added: "Charlie contacted me when first drawing up the plans. I suggested moving it further away from the river and increasing biodiversity on the site, both of which he has done in the plans.

"I think if we're going to have solar farms that's the place to do it, and I think it's a brilliant idea to link directly with the quarry and the Food Centre."

Mr Houston said a screening application in June determined no environmental impact assessment was needed and hoped to submit a full application before Christmas.

He admitted being involved in the campaign against the solar site at High Point, Neen Sollars, where he lives but said it was not hypocritical.

"It's not only in the wrong place, it's a badly put together application. It's an affront to people like me who do try and do the right thing and keep the name solar energy good.

"There is no easy way of getting energy in this country, but solar is an efficient, low cost way of doing it with a great future.

"The question is where do you put it, and can you site it well?

"There is a clear difference between what we're trying to do here and what's happening in Neen Sollars - this is well sited, well screened from dwellings and rights of way and on previously developed land.

"It will connect into the sand and gravel quarry and cover all their daytime use - they have a conveyor belt there, a washer and a grinder.

"It will also power Ludlow Food Centre. It's going to take those two big energy users off grid in daylight hours.

"Solar is great, it's clean - but it's got to be in the right place, and it's got to have the support of the local community, and we have that," he said.

James Jamieson of TGC Renewables, the firm behind the 25-acre, 14,200 panel Neen Sollars proposal, said the firm had taken into account visual impact, traffic and land use issues, ecology, archaeology, public access, tourism and flooding and drainage, and concluded the location was appropriate.