Plans for solar farm near Holbeach Bank are thrown out by South Holland District Council’s planning committee

Plans for a solar farm have been thrown out by councillors last night.

Villagers armed with placards packed into the public gallery at South Holland District Council’s chamber to watch the debate on whether AUK PE13 Ltd would get the green light to install a 48MW solar farm on land near Holbeach Bank.

Members of the planning committee had been recommended to approve the application but they sensationally turned it down stating that productive land in South Holland is not the place for this type of development.

Speaking at last night’s meeting Coun Gary Taylor said: “There is a place for this and that is on a rooftop and not on the best producing farmland.

“These are not farms, these are large scale industrial developments in the countryside. They are not farms and I am refusing to use that word.

“This is no time to sit on the fence, it is time for real leadership from this council. We need to stand up for the local community.”

Ward member Coun Nick Worth, who is also the ward member also spoke out at the meeting, stating that jobs will be lost as a result of this application and expressed concerns that the site could be classed as ‘brownfield’ site at the end of the life span of the development – which was increased last night to 40 years.

He also highlighted that there are other solar farm applications in the pipeline.

He said: “If you say yes to this, then you will open the door to them all. Do you want to become a dumping ground for solar panels?”

Members expressed concerns about the loss of vital agricultural land along with the impact on the landscape.