Date for appeal against decision to reject plans for large solar farm near Leamington has been pushed back

Campaigners against plans to build a large solar farm to the south-east of Leamington will have to wait a bit longer to see if an appeal against a decision to reject the proposals is successful.

An appeal has been made by Staffordshire Solar 1 Ltd to the Secretary of State against the decision made by Warwick District Council’s (WDC) planning committee in May last year.

Objectors to the solar farm plans stand outside Leamington Town Hall before the planning meeting in May last year. Among them is Warwick District Councillor Rebecca Davidson (Green, Radford Semele) who was one who spoke at the meeting. The district council's planning committee voted to reject the plans by a majority of 8/1. Picture supplied.

placeholder image — Objectors to the solar farm plans stand outside Leamington Town Hall before the planning meeting in May last year. Among them is Warwick District Councillor Rebecca Davidson (Green, Radford Semele) who was one who spoke at the meeting. The district council's planning committee voted to reject the plans by a majority of 8/1. Picture supplied.

An Inspector has been appointed by the Secretary of State to determine this appeal and the two-day hearing was initially set to have taken place at the Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington from Wednesday February 4.

But the the hearing will now take place at the same venue from Wednesday April 15 with the decision to come soon after.

Staffordshire Solar wants to build the solar farm and battery storage together with all associated works, landscaping, equipment and necessary infrastructure on 86 hectares of agricultural land on the outskirts of Radford Semele.

The plans were recommended for approval by WDC’s planning experts, their view being that the benefits outweighed the harms, but eight out of nine elected officials tasked with the final call said no at the planning meeting in May.

The proposals elicited a huge backlash from locals with more than 300 objections, including a petition signed by more than 1,200 people.

Leamington MP Matt Western, Radford Semele Parish Council and Warwickshire County Council’s landscape professionals all objected with their arguments against based on landscape harm, the loss of quality agricultural land, open space and the cumulative impact of so many solar farms popping up locally.

The plans can be viewed on WDC’s planning portal using the reference W/24/1404