Latest news with #OaklandsFarm
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Tributes paid to Shropshire poultry farming pioneer
Tributes have been paid to a Shropshire poultry farmer who has died aged 95. John Aled Griffiths OBE was a renowned figure during a long career in the poultry industry, during which he built a major business from a base at Oaklands Farm in the county. The company went on to become one of the largest egg producers in the UK, packing over one billion each advocate for the education of young farmers, Mr Griffiths went on to be both an honorary fellow and a governor of Harper Adams University. Born in North Wales, Mr Griffiths is said to have reared his first chicks by his 10th birthday. He went on to play a leading role in the British Poultry industry and received an OBE for his services to the field in 1993. Harper Adams University vice-chancellor Prof Ken Sloan, said: "It is almost impossible to find words which are adequate to capture the contribution that Aled made to the poultry industry and the wider agricultural community."The numerous awards and honours he received over many years confirms the respect in which he was held and the gratitude that we all have for knowing him and working with him."He will be missed by all who had the opportunity to know him and I am grateful for his contribution to and support for Harper Adams."Mr Griffiths' colleagues said he keenly understood the value of education and served as chairman of the Poultry Husbandry Experimental Unit at the then Harper Adams Agricultural College between 1983 and 2022 received the Egg Poultry Industry Conference Lifetime Achievement Award - and he was among the inaugural inductees into its Hall of Fame when it was introduced in 2023. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Government approves large-scale solar park in South Derbyshire
Plans for a large-scale solar farm in South Derbyshire have been approved by the government.A proposal for the Oaklands Farm Solar Park project was submitted to the planning inspectorate in February solar farm and energy storage facility would cover more than 400 acres of land (161 hectares), between the villages of Rosliston and Walton-on-Trent, according to the planning Thursday, Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero granted permission for the development to go ahead. The planning inspectorate oversaw the application due to its scale and national said in a statement: "Following an examination during which the public, statutory consultees and interested parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the examining authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 19 March."More than 300 people commented on the application on the government's planning website, with many concerned about loss of farming government said the examining authority listened and "gave full consideration to all local views"."Local people, the local authority and other interested parties were able to participate in this six-month examination," it added. According to planning documents, the firm behind the project said it provide "enough clean renewable electricity to power in the region of 35,000 homes".
Reuters
19-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
UK government gives go-ahead for BayWa solar project
LONDON, June 19 (Reuters) - The British government has given development consent to a 140 megawatt (MW) solar farm in South Derbyshire in England, the UK's Planning Inspectorate said on Thursday. The Oaklands Farm solar park, which is being developed by renewable energy developer BayWa ( opens new tab, will also have up to 37.5 MW of battery storage capacity. The project will generate enough renewable power to supply around 35,000 homes, BayWa said in a separate release. Construction, which is expected to cost around 80 million pounds ($107 million), will start in 2026. ($1 = 0.7449 pounds)
