Solar farms in Derbyshire Move a Step Closer

Plans for solar farms in Derbyshire are moving a step closer following consultation on the project.

Derbyshire County Council Councillors will next week (Tuesday 5 May 2015) hear that there is overall support for ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels − better known as solar farms – at five proposed sites in the North East and Amber Valley areas of the county.

Following a six week consultation, which included drop in sessions close to the sites, local residents indicated they generally agreed with proposals to put solar farms on underused land we own.

This includes former colliery or underused agricultural land unsuitable for growing crops.

Planning permission will now be sought next month (May) to develop sites at:

• agricultural land at Mansfield Road, Temple Normanton
• former Williamthorpe Colliery, Holmewood.
• Westthorpe Hills, former Westthorpe Colliery, Killamarsh
• land at Pye Bridge, Alfreton
• former Swanwick Colliery reclamation land, Swanwick

Proposals to develop agricultural land at Swathwick Lane, Swathwick, Wingerworth have been dropped following concerns by local residents that it would be too intrusive.

If planning permission is granted solar panels would be installed in the ground to generate electricity from the sun. An energy supplier then pays us for each unit of electricity produced with extra payments if the electricity is then exported to the National Grid.

If any of the sites get the go-ahead they could be up and running by March 2016.

Service Director for Transport and Environment, Allison Thomas, said:

“These sites are not currently being put to their best use so if we get planning approval it offers great potential to generate a good income for the council and so help protect services.

“Generally these locations tend not to be of much environmental interest so developing them could also provide a good opportunity to improve the local conservation.

“We have made a public commitment in our Climate Change Charter to invest in renewable energy technologies to help reduce our negative impact on climate change and provide local, green sources of energy, and it is pleasing to know that, in principle, we have the support of local residents.”