Shropshire hospital bosses admit 'better communication' could have helped after controversial solar panels plan fails
A Shropshire hospital where staff objected to chiefs’ plans for solar panels on a much-loved field now says it is “unlikely” to try again after "negative debate" on social media.
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) near Oswestry had received £2.4 million to expand renewable energy with three solar carports, roof-mounted panels and crucially a ground-mounted system on part of a hospital field.
But staff were among scores of people who feared that RJAH’s ‘Path of Positivity’ was at risk. It was created during the Covid-19 pandemic to support the wellbeing of staff.
One apparent member of staff wrote: “I believe this is vital to my wellbeing and I think it is scandalous to use green space in the way proposed.”
Planners at Shropshire Council threw out the application saying it would “result in the permanent and unjustified loss of an existing playing field” and that the “Path of Positivity would be detrimentally harmed by the addition of the solar panels at its centre”.
The issue was raised at a meeting of the RJAH trust board this week when non-executive director Martin Evans said he had seen a “negative debate” on social media.
“I just wondered if there was anything we can learn from a communications perspective.
“What I thought should have been a really positive news story did not play out on that social media site.”
Stacey Keegan, chief executive, said it was “spot on” that the trust could learn from the episode.
“It was well meant,” she said, but “better communication in the first place could have avoided it”.
The meeting heard how the intention had been to use only a small section of the field, an “unkempt” and disused bowling green.
But there was a short time to secure funding and chiefs had to submit plans before the precise location was finalised.
A statements from chiefs at the time said they wanted to “ensure the final site for this ground-mounted solar system does not detract from it”.
They hoped that “wildflowers and other planting schemes as part of this project will actually help to enhance it”.
But following the board meeting an RJAH spokesman said: “We are still considering our options but are unlikely to revisit an application for any ground-mounted solar panels on the hospital field.”
