Stephenson Halliday is delighted to have successfully supported Vattenfall UK with an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for Kemberton Solar Farm near Telford in Shropshire.
In 2022 our client, Vattenfall UK, was refused permission by Shropshire Council for the installation of a ground-mounted solar farm and associated infrastructure on agricultural land between the village of Kemberton and the urban edge of Telford. The reasons for refusal claimed, amongst other things, that there would be an unacceptably adverse impact on the openness of the Green Belt and that the very special circumstances required to overcome an objection to the harm did not exist. It was also claimed that there would be unacceptable harm to landscape character.
John Ingham, Landscape Planning Director at Stephenson Halliday, provided expert witness services relating to landscape, visual and Green Belt matters. He presented the case with evidence to address the spatial and visual aspects of openness in the green belt and considered the site’s contribution to its five purposes, which was a key concern for the Council.
The appeal was allowed and planning permission was granted in February 2024 (APP/L3245/W/23/3329815).
In drawing conclusions, the inspector stated “In this case I consider that the public benefits of the proposal are of a magnitude that they would clearly outweigh the combined weight of the harm to the Green Belt and to the heritage assets. Therefore, the very special circumstances needed to justify the development exist, and the proposal would not conflict with the policies in the development plan outlined above or the Framework.”
This positive outcome follows our involvement in another recent successful appeal against Shropshire Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for Ledwyche Solar Farm (APP/L3245/W/23/3314982). In relation to this earlier appeal, John Ingham provided evidence regarding the character, appearance and amenity of the landscape including the setting of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape (formerly AONB).