Campaigners call for developers of solar farm in Crowland area to extend consultation

Campaigners fighting against plans to build a massive solar farm are calling on developers to extend their latest consultation.

Meridian Solar Farm Ltd is currently running a targeted consultation on its plans to build a series of solar arrays on four parcels of land running between Crowland, Shepeau Stow and Sutton St Edmund - which ends on October 22.

Meridian Action Group (MAG) says the 38 changes have been announced for the solar farm - which will increase the area covered by solar panels by almost 15 hectares.

The developers say they are running a targeted consultation as the changes are localised and that the comments will be used in its Development Consent Order (DCO) application.

One of the changes proposed is a new location for the battery storage within the site for battery storage, alongside a new substation north of Queens Bank, Whaplode Drove.

Campaigners also say that some of the changes are being proposed to mitigate flooding risk and to accommodate large vehicle movements on narrow roads.

MAG chairman Jane Thompson said: “It points to poor planning and a lack of local knowledge in the first place that Meridian Solar is now making allowances for possible flood risk and negotiating our many narrow roads.”

Campaigners say the consultation document was hard to read and also say that some households received three copies while others received none.

MAG member Sally Waltham, who spent hours pouring over the consultation document, said: “These changes will cause much disruption to many people, both local residents and road users. No explanation is offered for why land within the original boundaries cannot be used instead of additional land take.”

Meridian, which is a subsidiary of Downing Renewable Developments, said it held a stage two consultation between April and June this year. It added that the latest short consultation is in line with planning rules.

A spokesman said: “We are now carrying out a targeted consultation on a number of localised changes and, as such, are seeking views on these proposed changes so that this feedback can be considered alongside the wider feedback received to date.

“We are also conducting this consultation in line with guidance on the Planning Act 2008, which recommends a bespoke and proportionate approach to further consultation where a project has not fundamentally changed, but localised refinements are proposed.”

The firm went onto say: “Feedback gathered through this targeted consultation will be considered alongside comments received during our stage two consultation held earlier this year. These will be summarised in a Consultation Report, which will explain how we have had regard to the feedback and how it has influenced the final proposals. This report will form part of our Development Consent Order (DCO) application.

“As part of this process, we will summarise and provide a response to the comments received on the changes. Once our application for development consent has been accepted, an Examining Authority appointed by the Planning Inspectorate (on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) will examine the application

“During the examination stage, stakeholders and members of the community will be able to register their interest in our proposals directly with the Planning Inspectorate. The inspectorate will then provide updates on the progress of the application during the examination process and set out further opportunities to contribute to the process.”