'Clarity’ sought after concerns raised over future of Telford solar farm hedges
Concern that hedgerows and trees would be ripped up to make room for new security fences at a Telford solar farm prompted planners to seek ‘clarity’ from colleagues.
Telford & Wrekin Council has now been given permission by its own development controllers for a new 3m-high fence to be installed around the site at Wheat Leasows following an assessment period.
Objections from members of the public included an opponent of the solar farm who wrote: “Ripping out a hedge adjacent to this very busy rat run in January will cause considerable disruption.
“It is unfortunate that a security fence so inappropriate in this rural landscape has to be erected to prevent thieves.”
They added that they hoped the council had “learnt their lesson and sticks to solar on roofs in future”.
A concerned neighbour wrote that the hedgerows should be protected.
“The legality of removing or damaging these hedgerows should and will be questioned both of Telford & Wrekin Council and of the applicant should they fail to be protected,” they wrote.
“There is no need or excuse to remove hedges for this application in our view and we trust that Telford & Wrekin will ensure that national and local planning policy is followed, the work supervised and any breach enforced as it should be.”
Council planners recognised the concerns and added that “further clarity” has been provided by way of an amended ecology report.
This, planners wrote, “outlines that all hedgerows and trees on site will be retained and trimming works will be restricted”.
A planning condition has also been imposed to ensure that work is carried out according to plans.
The council’s ecology department is also “supportive of the works”.
Regarding the fences themselves the planners said they are “acceptable in terms of both scale and design”.
They added: “Although the proposed fencing will be higher than that which is existing, officers are satisfied that the reasoning behind the increased height has been sufficiently justified in this instance.
“Furthermore, by virtue of the design of the fencing and the finishing colour proposed, officers do not consider the proposed fencing would lead to an incongruous, unsympathetic addition on the application site or within the surrounding area.”
A council spokesperson confirmed that a recent break-in at the site involved the theft of cabling but that it remains safe and secure.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s 4MW solar farm was completed at the end of 2014.
The income that more than 15,000 panels on the 11.7-hectare site generates helps support the council’s revenue budget.
