Council criticises process to approve Beverley solar panel farm
The proposed 891 hectare (2,202 acre) site is larger than Monaco and Gibraltar combined, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.It said because the farm, earmarked for an area near Tickton, Meaux, and Weel, is more than 50MW it is deemed a "nationally significant infrastructure project" and has to be decided by the inspectorate rather than the local authority.However, the council can choose to submit a report to voice its concerns and outline the impact the proposal could have on the area.
'Mega sprawl of panels'
Healy feared submitting a report would make the council "complicit in this process", adding: "I don't want to be... I think it absolutely stinks."Labour councillor David Nolan said the site's name sounded "rural, rustic" but the site instead represented "a monstrous mega sprawl of industrial panels". He also voiced concerns about the process by which the project could be approved, adding: "As elected councillors, I do think we have a role to represent residents and to vote on major planning applications - and this is as big as it gets."Conservative councillor Michael Lee described the meeting as "probably the most unusual planning meeting I've ever been to", given it had no say in the outcome.The committee agreed to submit a report to the inspectorate which states they would refuse the proposals if they had power to.
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