PLANNING chiefs have thrown out proposals for a solar farm on agricultural land at Cuerdley near Penketh, Warrington.
The scheme would have involved 33 hectares of Green Belt land at Fowl Farm, off Mowcroft Lane.
Widespread public consultation was carried out, with more 1,000 residents and business circulated with a leaflet outlining the proposals. The borough council received five objections
Planners were told the solar farm would be designed to allow the grazing of animals, such as sheep, to continue. It would be operational for 40 years, after which the site would be returned to agricultural use.
Access to the site would be via Mowcroft Lane and energy generated by the solar farm would be fed into the National Grid.
A package of landscape, ecological and biodiversity benefits would be included in the development, including the installation of barn owl boxes, bird nesting boxes, beehives, log piles, and restoration of traditional field boundaries.
But planning officers decided the development was inappropriate development in the Green Belt and there were no very special circumstances that would outweigh the harm to the Green Belt.
Fowl Farm, is a locally listed building and the Grade 2 Listed Brookside Farm is one kilometre away.
In addition, a World War 2 anti-aircraft battery which is a scheduled monument is 400 metres away.
