Netley Marsh solar farm plan by Enviromena thrown out by national park authority planners

Plans for a 25-acre solar farm on the edge of the New Forest have been unanimously refused by the national park authority’s planning committee.

The scheme by the Reading-based clean energy firm Enviromena was branded “fundamentally unsuitable” for the protected landscape by planning offices and local conservation group The Friends of the New Forest.

Planning permission was sought for the installation of a ground-mounted photovoltaic farm with associated infrastructure, engineering works, access and landscaping at Thornlands Farm in Fletchwood Road, Netley Marsh.

The scheme had received the support of Netley Marsh Parish Council; and would create around 42 full time jobs during the construction of 12,000 solar panels and two sub stations.

However, a report to NPA committee members stated authority’s archaeologist and ecologist had both objected, claiming the applicant had not provided enough information to demonstrate the scheme would not be harmful.

There were concerns over the presence of greater crested newts, and it was claimed the applicant had not provided sufficient information to show the species would not be impacted.

A planning report continued: “The semi-industrial nature of ground mounted solar arrays, and the substations required to make the array functional, the fencing and hedgerows planted where there is no historic context and the visual impact on the natural landscape all lead me to conclude that the proposals would have an unacceptable impact on the landscape character of this part of the national park.”

Speaking in opposition of the plans, Sarah Richards of the Friends of the New Forest warned allowing the scheme would change the special character of the national park and make future resistance to similar schemes impossible.

She said: “In the real world the benefits of this proposal need to be balanced against the relevant planning policy. It is the view of the Friends of the New Forest that the benefits do not in any way outweigh the fundamental objectives that seek to protect the special qualities of the New Forest and to support commoning as a local distractive activity.”

Responding to a suggestion that the scheme could be deferred to allow for “technical issues to be resolved”, NPA head of strategy and planning Steve Avery said a deferral would not overcome “fundamental in principal objections”.

He said: “For a solar enterprise of this size in the protected landscape, there is no amount of negotiations or discussions that are going to resolve that at all.”

Debating the scheme, Ann Servier said she was “appalled” by the application, adding: “The New Forest is unique that is why the Friends of the New Forest and the National Park are here.

“Allowing this would be completely against what the national park is meant to do, which is protect the landscape.”

Planning permission was unanimously refused.

Speaking after the meeting, NPA planning committee chair Gordon Bailey said: ‘The committee decided to refuse this application as the scale of it was not considered to be appropriate in the protected national park landscape setting and the applicant hadn’t adequately demonstrated that it needed to be located here rather than on an alternative site outside the park.”

The NPA has also pointed out that it granted permission for a number of renewable energy developments already this year, including 1,134 solar panels on car ports at Paultons Park, Ower; 96 panels at Efford Park, Everton; 48 panels at a farm in Bartley; 20 solar panels at Exbury House; and 12 at spudWORKS in Sway.