Solar farm with battery storage at Fillpoke Lane, Blackhall Rocks

The site and surroundings

The 61.7-hectare agricultural site lies near Blackhall Rocks, beside homes, a children’s farm, public footpaths, wildlife designations and a listed building.

“The site comprises 61.7 ha of land currently in agricultural use (grade 3b moderate quality) in association with Benridge Farm near Monk Hesleden and High Hesleden. The site is approximately 200m to the north of the County boundary with Hartlepool Borough Council. Blackhall Rocks is located approximately 0.5km north of the site. The farm curtilage is not included within the red line boundary.”

“The site is bounded by - Agricultural land to the east. - Hart to Haswell Countryside walkway and Local Wildlife Site (LWS) to the south. - Agricultural land and woodland to the west. - Unclassified Fillpoke Lane to the North. 13. Tweddle Farm which is a children’s animal farm and a residential property and Tweddle House lie approximately 20m to the northeast.”

Officer report

Planning history

There was no relevant planning history for the application site.

“There is no relevant planning history for the application site. Planning Policy…”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because significant renewable-energy benefits and policy support outweighed identified landscape, amenity, heritage and hedgerow harm.

“The development would result in moderate adverse landscape and visual impacts, including potential cumulative considerations with regard to other permitted renewable development, and some harm in terms of impacts on residential amenity, the setting of a listed building and in respect of hedgerow loss; these harms attract weight. No harm to the Area of Higher Landscape Value is identified.”

“On balance, whilst the scheme results in identified landscape harm, and some harm to residential amenity, a heritage asset and hedgerows, the significant renewable‑energy benefits and policy support for low‑carbon infrastructure are considered to outweigh the harm and the development would suitably mitigate for these and all other impacts.”

Officer report

What consultees said

Most consultees raised no objection subject to conditions, while the Landscape Section identified landscape and potential cumulative harm.

“Railway Local Wildlife Site and wider AHLV lie immediately to the south, while land to the south-east is designated as a Special Landscape Area by Hartlepool Borough Council. It is detailed that the site is identified within the County Durham Landscape Strategy as a Landscape Improvement Priority Area and is assessed as being of moderate landscape value.”

“The Landscape Section acknowledges that the proposed solar farm and battery energy storage system (BESS) would result in the loss of an area of open arable farmland and would have major adverse landscape and visual effects at the site and immediately adjoining areas in the short term.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A local resident spoke against the proposal, while representatives of the applicant, a construction business and the farming family spoke in support.

What members debated

Members discussed traffic, the Heritage Coast, cumulative development, biodiversity and grazing, farmland loss, planning merits and recent appeal decisions.

“The Principal Planning Officer advised that the Highway Authority had raised no objections subject to a Construction Traffic Management Plan. Members were informed that it was anticipated to be four HGV’s in and four HGV’s out per day during the construction period and that appropriate traffic management measures would be secured through planning conditions.”

“The Principal Planning Officer advised that the impact on the heritage coast was referred to within the officer’s report in paragraph 163. It had been identified that the heritage coast lay approximately 800 metres to the east of the site and the landscape had been considered in the proposal.”

Minutes

The vote

Members voted on a motion to follow the officer recommendation and approve the application.

“Councillor A Schulman already stated his ambivalence towards solar energy developments. He felt it was not ideal for a solar farm but had considered the proposal to be one of the better located solar farm applications with the least environmental impact. He therefore moved to go with officer recommendation to approve the application.”

“Councillor M Wilkes advised that the committee had the choice to vote in whichever way based on the Planning merits and demerits. He felt that the cumulative impacts remained an issue which he felt was getting close to saturation. He agreed with Councillor A Schulman and was happy to second the motion to go with officer recommendation to approve the application.”

Minutes