Concerns raised over huge North Yorkshire solar scheme

Members of the Rooftops Not Countryside campaign group say it is “deeply concerning” that the majority of people living and working near the proposed 500MW Light Valley Solar Scheme are in the dark over the project.

Island Green Power UK Ltd has submitted a development consent order application for a network of seven solar farms on 1,020 hectares of land between the villages of Escrick, Monk Fryston, Hambleton, Chapel Haddlesey and South Milford, between York and Selby.

Louise Billingham, spokesperson for the campaign group, said the group met with community groups, residents and businesses in areas which would be directly affected by the scheme earlier this month.

She added: “What we found was deeply concerning. The overwhelming majority of people we spoke to had no knowledge whatsoever of the proposals, even where their homes or livelihoods sit on the doorstep of the planned development.

“Among those we met were a family whose home borders site four, who have received no correspondence about the plans and whose house does not appear on the Light Valley Solar documents.

“They had no knowledge of the plans until we showed them.”

Members of the group say they have taken to going door-to-door to inform residents due to the lack of awareness.

Mrs Billingham added: “Birkin Fisheries, a local business, had no idea the site extended to the boundary of their property.

“It is a well-known wildlife hotspot, and the owner was heartbroken thinking of the impact in the area.

“An allotment owner from South Milford, who had vaguely heard mention of the plans and assumed it was ‘just a field of panels’.

“When shown the plans, she thought it was a joke. The sheer size and scale left her speechless.”

Members of the group say the lack of awareness has been “sad but not surprising”.

“Actual plans of the seven sites are not readily available,” said Mrs Billingham.

“You can search through over 200 documents on the Planning Inspectorate website to find them, but you won’t see any physical plans in the community where residents can actually look at them to see the true scale and size, and the areas impacted. The plans are effectively inaccessible to residents.

“This isn’t local democracy or working with the community; it is inflicting 2,500 acres of industrial infrastructure on a community largely unaware, and certainly not included.”

Due to the size of the proposed development, the scheme has been declared a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, meaning planning permission will be decided by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than North Yorkshire Council.

If granted approval, Light Valley would be larger than the biggest solar scheme currently operational — Cleave Hill in Kent.

The developer says the scheme would provide enough power for 115,000 homes a year.

Anyone wanting to comment on the plans has until April 30 to register with the Planning Inspectorate.

To register, visit https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN0110012