Latest news with #LuminousEnergy
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Concerns raised over huge solar farm
People living near a proposed solar farm in Lincolnshire have been giving their views at a public hearing. Plans for the Springwell solar farm in North Kesteven have been under scrutiny by government-appointed planning inspectors. The site near Navenby would eventually cover an area the size of 1,700 football pitches. Developers EDF Renewables UK and Luminous Energy said it would power 180,000 homes and help the transition to renewable energy. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the plans have attracted opposition. Dozens of local people attended the hearings at the County Assembly Rooms in Lincoln. Marc Williams, who leads the Springwell Solar Farm Action Group, told LDRS: "The community is so concerned about this. "We usually get two or three people at parish council meetings. Whenever this is on the agenda, 70 or 80 will turn up. "Everyone's against it, apart from those who will profit." Conservative councillor Rob Kendrick told the planning inspectors: "The amount of developments are of grave concern to residents. "Lincolnshire is marketed as the county of big skies, but it will become the county of big solar. That must have a negative impact on lives and employment." Representatives for the applicant told the inspectors that the large scale was necessary to make it commercially feasible. The land is owned by the Blankney Estate and the project designs had intentionally avoided Grade One farmland, they added. In a statement, project development manager Rory Carmichael said the firm had made changes to the plans "following extensive consultation and engagement with the community". "During this six-month examination, members of the public can share their views on our updated proposals directly to the Planning Inspectorate in writing, and at public hearings like the ones held this week. "We encourage everyone local to the project to have their say." The planning inspectorate will make a recommendation to the government, which is expected to make a final decision by spring 2026. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Concern over impact of large-scale solar farm Local Democracy Reporting Service Springwell Solar Farm Springwell Solar Farm Action Group
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Concerns raised over Springwell solar farm plans
People living near a proposed solar farm in Lincolnshire have been giving their views at a public for the Springwell solar farm in North Kesteven have been under scrutiny by government-appointed planning site near Navenby would eventually cover an area the size of 2,800 football EDF Renewables UK and Luminous Energy said it would power 180,000 homes and help the transition to renewable energy. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the plans have attracted of local people attended the hearings at the County Assembly Rooms in Williams, who leads the Springwell Solar Farm Action Group, told LDRS: "The community is so concerned about this. "We usually get two or three people at parish council meetings. Whenever this is on the agenda, 70 or 80 will turn up."Everyone's against it, apart from those who will profit."Conservative councillor Rob Kendrick told the planning inspectors: "The amount of developments are of grave concern to residents."Lincolnshire is marketed as the county of big skies, but it will become the county of big solar. That must have a negative impact on lives and employment." Representatives for the applicant told the inspectors that the large scale was necessary to make it commercially land is owned by the Blankney Estate and the project designs had intentionally avoided Grade One farmland, they a statement, project development manager Rory Carmichael said the firm had made changes to the plans "following extensive consultation and engagement with the community". "During this six-month examination, members of the public can share their views on our updated proposals directly to the Planning Inspectorate in writing, and at public hearings like the ones held this week."We encourage everyone local to the project to have their say."The planning inspectorate will make a recommendation to the government, which is expected to make a final decision by spring to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Concern over impact of large-scale solar farm in Lincolnshire
Councillors have joined campaigners in voicing concerns over plans for a large-scale solar farm in proposed 1,280-hectare Springwell Solar Farm, between Lincoln and Sleaford, would be about nine times the size of London's Hyde Park, with a capacity of 800MW, as well as battery developers, EDF Renewables UK and Luminous Energy, said it could power 180,000 homes and help the transition to renewable said the sheer scale of the development would lead to the loss of farmland and leave an "enormous scar" on the countryside. Due to the size of the project, the final decision will be made by the at a meeting on Tuesday, officials from North Kesteven District Council agreed to send a list of objections to the planning inspectorate to highlight their include loss of farmland, the impact on the landscape and concerns about the safety of the lithium-ion David Suiter told the meeting: "If you look at a map, it will leave an enormous scar on North Kesteven – the scale is quite alarming."There is a climate emergency, but putting solar farms on agricultural land is not the only solution," he Marianne Overton added: "There are so many better options to fulfil net-zero requirements – this is just ridiculous."She claimed more than 40% of the proposed site was "good farmland"."It's a very big site – that's an awful lot of food we're not growing and will need to import," she councillor criticised the planning Ian Carrington told the meeting: "If you want to build a chicken farm, you need planning permission."But if you want to bring tons of highly toxic materials formed into batteries which may or may not be fire-safe, you can plonk them down in the middle of the countryside."The proposals previously attracted criticism from local MPs have also voiced their opposition to large-scale energy projects in the meetings are likely to be held later this year, and a decision could be made early next year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
