Solar farm and battery storage at Fitzwalters Farm, Roman Road, Shenfield

What was proposed

The application proposed a solar farm and battery storage system with panels, infrastructure, security measures and a temporary construction compound.

“PROPOSED SOLAR FARM AND BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM TO INCLUDE GROUND-MOUNTED PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SOLAR MODULES AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE (ACCESS ROADS, CABLING, INVERTOR PLATFORMS, CONTROL ROOM, SUBSTATION, STORAGE CONTAINERS, BATTERY COMPOUND, SECURITY FENCING AND CCTV), AND TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION COMPOUND”

Officer report

The site and its surroundings

The site covers about 95.35 hectares of arable Green Belt countryside, with public footpaths, ancient woodland, heritage assets and areas at flood risk.

“Site context 6.5 The application site (red outline) comprises approximately 95.35 hectares 1 (ha) of land at Fitzwalters Farm, Roman Road, Shenfield, with panels within a fenced area of approximately 89 ha. The land is currently in arable agricultural use and is characterised by large open fields bounded by hedgerows, ditches, watercourses and occasional mature trees.”

“21 6.8 The site is crossed and bordered by Public Footpaths 24, 87 and 103, which provide pedestrian links through the countryside and between surrounding settlements. These routes provide publicly accessible views into and across the site. Public Footpaths 24 and 103 are currently severed by the A12 corridor, although the wider Public Rights of Way network remains connected around the site.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the proposal was grey belt development and its renewable energy and biodiversity benefits outweighed identified harms.

“In addition, specialist consultees including the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authority, Essex County Council Highways, National Highways, Natural England, Historic England, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and the Council's specialist advisers ultimately raise no objection to the proposal subject to conditions.”

“The development would deliver substantial public benefits through renewable energy generation, battery storage capacity, biodiversity enhancement, climate change mitigation and support for national energy security objectives.”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

Objectors, ward representatives and a parish council representative spoke against the proposal, while the applicant’s representative explained its benefits.

What members debated

Members debated food security, Green Belt and grey belt status, landscape, ecology, fire safety, screening, traffic and whether 40 years could be temporary.

“During the debate, Members discussed food security and the loss of agricultural land, the assessment of the site as Grey Belt, the scale and landscape effects of the development, ecological impacts, fire safety, screening, construction traffic and the proposed 40-year operational period.”

“In considering the motion, Members discussed whether the site made a strong contribution to the relevant Green Belt purposes and whether the identified harms outweighed the renewable energy and biodiversity benefits of the development. Members supporting refusal considered that the site remained open and productive Green Belt farmland and that the proposal would cause unacceptable landscape and visual harm.”

Minutes

The decision and conditions

Planning permission was approved subject to the report’s conditions, amended conditions and informatives on planting and construction traffic routing.

“The motion to APPROVE the application was CARRIED subject to conditions in the report, the additional and amended conditions presented to the Committee, the agreed informatives concerning semi-mature planting and…”

“16 When preparing the Construction Traffic Management Plan required by Condition 9, the applicant is advised to give particular consideration to routing construction traffic so as to avoid, as far as reasonably practicable, the residential parts of Mountnessing and Ingatestone.”

Minutes