Alarm has been raised about the “countryside being ruined” as a second solar farm and battery storage site is proposed for fields near Evenwood.
Permission has already been granted for Bluefield Renewables to build a large solar energy site at Bluestone Farm, but now Qair is proposing an even bigger one at nearby Bucks Head Farm. The new proposal would cover about 73 football pitches.
Although a planning application is yet to be submitted, a public consultation was held on Monday, March 3, at Evenwood’s Randolph Community Centre.
Reporting back to Cockfield Parish Council’s meeting that evening, Cllr Neville Singleton said the solar farm would occupy about 52 hectares (128.5 acres).
He added: “I might be wrong, but I didn’t think Bucks Head had 128 acres. We are going to have a mass [at Bluestone Farm], and then we are going to get another mass – twice the size – within less than a mile.
“I wouldn’t like to see it. We are doing away with all our farmland and countryside.”
If the scheme goes ahead, Qair says it will be capable of exporting up to 41.5MW of electricity to the grid and importing up to 21MW for battery storage.
The issue is also being looked into by Evenwood’s county councillor Robert Potts, who also attended the consultation event.
He said: “A number of people approached me and voiced concerns regarding the project.
“Just to clarify, this project does not already have planning permission. In fact Qair informed me yesterday, that they do not plan on submitting a planning application until about the end of May.
“As the Evenwood county councillor, I currently have the ability to ask for projects like this one to be called to a full planning committee and that will happen for this project.”
About a dozen people attended Evenwood Parish Council’s meeting on March 10, to express their concerns.
A resident said: “It is going to be there apparently for 40 years, so you are looking at different generations.
“We are looking at people growing up in that environment and who wants batteries the size of this room in fields, all lined up?
“You have to think about the long-term impact upon this community and it is going to be devastating.”
It was revealed that a Qair representative was due to meet the parish council immediately after the public consultation, but the meeting was postponed.
It was agreed that the public would be allowed to attend when the parish council meets the Qair representative and that another public meeting would be held after that.
