Plans for the construction of a solar farm the size of 70 football pitches between Scarborough and Malton have been approved.
North Yorkshire Council has given the go-ahead to the application for a 49-hectare solar farm at Carr House Farm, East Heslerton, in the former Scarborough Borough Council’s administrative area.
The construction of the site, which has been granted permission to operate for 40 years, is expected to take six months, and once completed, could generate up to 23.5 megawatts of energy.
The site measures approximately 945m in width by 585m in length and was reduced in scale from a previous scheme, which proposed an 89-hectare site.
The “most dominant feature of the development” is set to be the solar panels, while the batteries are to be contained in shipping container-type structures.
Charging of the batteries will take place at off-peak times and will supply electricity to the local electricity distribution network at times of peak energy demand, according to a council report.
The Highway Authority raised no concerns about the operation of the solar farm “as the frequency and vehicles involved with the solar panel farm will be low”.
No objections were made by the Environment Agency or the North York Moors National Park Authority.
A local resident submitted one letter of support and five objections were also sent to the planning authority, raising concerns about food security and the use of agricultural land.
Commenting in favour of the scheme, a representation by a local stated: “Climate change is one of the biggest threats affecting food production and food security, and solar helps to address climate change with the added benefit of a net positive offset of emissions and biodiversity benefit to the environment.”
Another resident said: “There are more than enough of these ugly monstrosities in the county; North Yorkshire’s landscape is in danger of becoming a sea of ugly black solar panels.”
Due to the presence of “best and most versatile land”, the applicants produced a Soil and Agricultural Quality Report by Land Research Associates.
The summary concluded that the land has “mainly clay soils giving land of subgrade 3b or Grade 4 quality due to wetness and workability limitations”.
Planning officers added that they were satisfied that “no other alternative sites are available if the search area of 3km is accepted as being reasonable”.
The development was approved subject to various conditions by North Yorkshire Council.
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