downsmail.co.uk


Anger aer U-turn on village solar farm plan


A STAPLEHURST resident who opposed a plan for a 21-hectare solar farm near the village has ac- cused the parish council of “changing horses mid-stream”, after it switched its advice to Maidstone Council. The parish council has now sup- ported a scheme for solar panels at Great Pagehurst Farm in Pagehurst Road – east of Marden and west of Staplehurst – after changes to the planting scheme and the site lay- out. It previously objected to the application by Vogt Solar Ltd. Shirley Roche said:“Wewere de- lighted when the parish council recommended the proposals be thrown out. Now it seems a few cosmetic changes to tree planting and the position of some panels have been enough to change its mind; it’s pathetic. “We thought our concerns were


being represented by our council, but that has changed.We are horri- fied.” She said objections and those set


out in a report by an independent consultant, paid for by residents,


had still to be addressed. The minutes of Staplehurst


Parish Council’s planning commit- tee report: “After a discussion of is- sues relating to visual impact, landscaping, water run-off, wildlife, energy production and the context of wider development, councillors voted by three votes to two (with two abstentions) that the concerns in their original recom- mendation had been satisfied and to recommend approval, with con- ditions.” Mrs Roche added: “The parish council originally objected, saying the solar farm was out-of-keeping with theWealden landscape. How on earth it could have turned its opinion around has left us speech- less.” She will be writing to the bor- ough council, which will make the


final decision on the application, setting out local objections. “We will fight this all the way to appeal if necessary,” she said. Cllr Richard Lusty added his


voice to the criticism. Referring to the parish council’s objection to the Tesco supermarket (see page 29), he said: “I was rather concerned that the council was concerned about preserving scrubland [near the Tesco site] when on the other hand it is saying a solar farm can be al- lowed on prime agricultural land. “Pagehurst Farm is not suitable


for a solar farm of this size.” Downs Mail asked Staplehurst


Parish Council for a response but this had not been received as we went to press. Marden Parish Council has main-


tained its objection to the applica- tion.


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News Council takes


up guidance MAIDSTONE Council has taken advice from two councils to help it determine applications for solar farms in the borough. It follows increased interest


from homeowners and commer- cial enterprises, driven by the Government’s incentive schemes. The council has approved a


solar farm at Lenham. Another ap- plication at Great Pagehurst Farm in Staplehurst (left) is awaiting determination, and several screen- ing opinions have been requested. In the absence of a formal plan-


ning policy or national guidance on solar developments, the coun- cil’s cabinet has amended and adopted guidance from Ashford and Cornwall councils. A report to the cabinet read:


“They are not intended as policy documents ... but instead, set out the most important criteria by which schemes should be judged on a case-by-case basis.” The council will not consult the


public over the documents until a later date, fearing any delay in adopting them would affect its current ability to determine appli- cations. In the longer term it is likely


that the documents may be super- seded by national guidance.


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