Plan for solar farm near village to be decided

Plans for a solar farm near a village in Nottinghamshire are set to be decided at a council meeting.

Newark and Sherwood District Council’s planning committee has been recommended by officers to approve an application from Foxholes Solar Ltd to build a solar farm on land at Foxholes Farm, near Norwell.

The applicant states the proposed development would produce 49.9MW of renewable energy and could provide enough electricity to power about 15,750 homes.

According to a council report the application has received 148 objections which raised concerns the solar farm would be “visually intrusive” and would have an impact on habitats in the area.

However, the applicant states the proposed development would have a “limited impact on the visual amenities of the surrounding area” and adds care had been taken to retain existing trees where possible.

Documents lodged with the council said the site, covering about 75 hectares (185.3 acres) of agricultural land, would operate for 40 years before being decommissioned and returned to its former use.

A report prepared for councillors, who will meet on 27 April, concludes the “substantial public benefits” associated with the provision of renewable energy “decisively outweigh” the harms identified with the proposed development.