Reepham Town Council has raised objections to the Pettywell Solar Farm planning application following its meeting on Wednesday 15 January, with the four councillors present voting unanimously against the plans.
 
The meeting was attended by almost 40 members of the public, as well as representatives from the developer, Albanwise Synergy.
 
The solar farm, which is planned for land east of Nowhere Lane, is a renewable energy-generating project including photovoltaic panels, supporting infrastructure including inverters, transformers, a substation, a battery energy storage system, fencing, CCTV cameras, access tracks, and biodiversity and landscape mitigation.
 
The project, which also borders Marriott’s Way and the B1145, has a 40-year lifespan, according to Albanwise.
 
In its submission to Broadland District Council, the town council said the proposed solar farm represents a “significant intrusion on valuable agricultural land, threatens local wildlife and would negatively affect tourism and the local economy.
 
“The cumulative impact of this development, combined with other major projects, risks overburdening the town and its infrastructure.
 
“Additionally, the lack of a legally binding decommissioning plan and the uncertain future of the land after the solar farm’s lifespan poses a further risk to the long-term integrity of the site.”
 
Objections to the plans have also been lodged by local MP Jerome Mayhew, County Councillor Greg Peck, CPRE Norfolk and more than 60 residents. However, no objections have been raised by such bodies as Natural England, the Environment Agency and Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service.
 
The issue appears to boil down to balancing the need for energy security and decarbonising the country’s electricity network with food security in the face of climate change and uncertain global supply chains.
 
Many residents and businesses point out that Reepham and nearby villages are already enduring ongoing roadworks, HGV movements and road closures associated with the cable routes passing through the district from two major offshore wind farm projects off the north Norfolk coast.
 
Residents, led by Hugh Ivins, who lives in Whitwell, next to the proposed solar farm site, noted that, according to government statements, “applicants should, where possible, utilise suitable previously developed land, brownfield land, contaminated land and industrial land, avoiding the use of best and most versatile agricultural land where possible”.
 
He added that an online petition has so far received more than 100 signatures objecting to the proposal. “The solar farm is simply in the wrong place,” Mr Ivins concluded.
 
However, Albanwise Synergy renewables development manager Chris Banks points out that the project area is primarily a combination of grades 3a and 3b agricultural land, with some grade 2 – land that is currently used for producing common commodity crops, of which the UK is an exporter, and non-specialist crops that can be grown in many areas across the country.
 
At the town council meeting, Albanwise said that, as a response to feedback from a consultation, it has reduced the total land area of the project by around 25%, repositioned the battery energy storage compound and made improvements to the proposed landscaping around the edges of the site.
 
The Hertfordshire-based renewables business also revealed that it is considering proposals to establish a community benefit fund worth £2,000 per megawatt (MW).
 
As the proposed solar farm has a total rating of 40 MW, which could provide enough electricity a year to power more than 14,000 dwellings, this would also offer around £80,000 for local community use.
 
The planning application (reference 2024/3676) has a potential determination date of 31 March. A spokesperson from Broadland’s planning department said comments can still be made, via the link HERE, up until 30 March.
 
See our earlier stories:

• Public consultation now open on solar farm planning application
• Plans revealed for proposed Pettywell solar farm