Action group formed against plans for 536 hectare solar farm in north Doncaster
Residents have formed an action group against plans for a solar farm which would be larger than any currently operating in the UK.
Some 75 locals have joined the Fenwick Solar Farm Action Group to campaign against plans by Boom Power for a large-scale renewable energy farm of the same name.
The group will fight the plans due to concerns such as their potential impact on biodiversity, loss of farmland and aesthetic transformation of the rural landscape.
If approved, Fenwick Solar Farm will span 536 hectares to the north of Doncaster city centre in Fenwick village, near Askern, Moss, Topham and Sykehouse.
Approximately 75 percent of land in Fenwick and 90 percent of its public bridleways will become part of the site, according to campaigners.
It will be larger than any solar farm currently operating in the UK, although not as large as several which are currently going through planning processes across the country.
The farm will generate enough carbon-free electricity to power around 75,000 homes, according to Boom.
Plans were first announced on the Boom Power website, along with several public consultations which have now closed.
Residents formed the action group in response, and have since hosted several public meetings to discuss their opposition to the plans.
Meetings have been attended by local council figures including Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones, planning officers and councillors including the ward’s Thomas Noon, who has opposed the plans.
A JustGiving crowdfunder to raise money for costs associated with fighting the plans has so far raised £2,020 of a £5,000 target.
Formal oppositions to the plans have cited concerns that the transformation of the area will displace or affect local wildlife and plants.
Loss of farmland is also a key concern, with residents stating that the solar farm will not offer the same level of employment and economic benefits as the site’s current agricultural use.
Concerns were also raised over the visual impact of the proposal, with fears that altering the landscape will reduce its beauty and diminish property value.
One resident said: “The proposal has already caused significant division among local residents, pitting neighbours against each other. This discord can have lasting negative effects on our community spirit and unity.”
Elements of the proposal aim to reduce disruption to residents, including maintaining existing hedgerows, establishing ‘buffer areas’ to separate the solar array from local housing, and planting to shield it from public view.
Some details were also adjusted following public consultations last year to mitigate residents’ concerns.
Changes include an increase in the solar PV area to mitigate environmental damage, and the refinement of the Grid Connection Corridor to a narrower route.
Boom Power states that the development “will contribute to the government’s target for a net zero electricity grid by 2034 and overall net zero carbon economy by 2050.”
A spokesperson for BOOM Power said: “The new government has made clear the scale of challenge that the UK faces in moving towards a net zero future to combat the climate emergency and energy insecurity.
“If approved, Fenwick Solar Farm will generate enough low-carbon electricity to power around 75,000 homes and help Doncaster meet its climate change priorities.
“Since the project launch, we have been working closely with City of Doncaster Council and local communities. The feedback received, along with our extensive environmental assessments, has helped inform the design process and identify how potential impacts could be reduced – this has included additional buffer zones and environmental mitigations to site our equipment more sensitively in the landscape.
“We recognise the importance of public rights of way to the community and will not be shutting any existing bridleways or Public Rights of Way. In response to feedback received during statutory consultation, we are working with City of Doncaster council to reroute a small section of the footpath east of Fenwick.
“Ultimately, we will make an application to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero for a Development Consent order. City of Doncaster Council are a statutory consultee in this process, and other interested parties will have the opportunity to raise their concerns directly with the Planning Inspectorate through the application process.
“We anticipate submitting our application towards the end of the year.”