Shropshire Star

Solar farm firm likely to appeal refusal of Shropshire plan

An appeal is expected to be launched against a decision to refuse plans for a 43-acre solar farm in the Shropshire countryside, it has been revealed.

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Agents for EBS Energy, the company behind the proposals for land at Whitton, near Ludlow, today said the firm was considering taking its case to the Planning Inspectorate.

It comes after the plans for the solar farm and a separate application for a 54-acre site at Henley Bank in Acton Scott, near Church Stretton, were rejected by Shropshire Council's south planning committee.

Guy Maxfield, of agents Roger Parry and Partners, said those behind the Whitton application had drawn heart from a planned solar farm at Synall Farm in Ditton Priors, which was granted permission on appeal despite being refused for similar reasons.

The Whitton plan was turned down because councillors considered it to be an "industrial development in an area of good landscape value near to an area of outstanding natural beauty".

But Mr Maxfield said councillors had been unwisely swayed by objectors.

He said: "We are disappointed that the planning committee chose not to follow the officers' advice. The application follows both local and national policy and so it is likely the applicant will be appealing this decision. There was significant opposition and that clearly diverted the councillors' attention from their duty to consider the application against the development plan."

Meanwhile, applicants behind the Acton Scott plans said Shropshire has missed an opportunity to safeguard green energy for the next quarter of a century in the area.

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