15MW solar farm at Harp Farm, Harp Farm Road, Boxley
Summary of planning committee decision
Deferred by Maidstone Planning Committee on 13 Nov 2025.
No officer report was published for this decision; this summary is from the committee minutes.
What was proposed
The application was for a 15 megawatt solar farm, with panels, inverter stations, storage containers, a substation, fencing, CCTV poles and access tracks.
“25/502166/FULL - CREATION OF 15MW SOLAR FARM (INCLUDING CABLE ROUTE FROM SITE TO POINT OF CONNECTION) COMPRISING 2.6M HIGH SOLAR PANELS, 6 NO. INVERTER STATIONS, 3 NO. STORAGE CONTAINERS (SPARES, COMMS AND WELFARE), 1 NO. TRANSFORMER, SUBSTATION, PRIVATE SWITCHGEAR, DNO SWITCHGEAR, 2.2M HIGH FENCING, 40 NO. 4.5M HIGH CCTV POLES, ACCESS TRACKS, LIGHTING, AND TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION COMPOUND - HARP FARM, HARP FARM ROAD, BOXLEY, KENT”
Minutes
Who spoke
An objector and the applicant's representative addressed the meeting.
Why the decision was deferred
Members deferred the application to negotiate an amended landscaping scheme with more trees to screen the development, and the provision of wetlands or ponds for ecological enhancement.
“(a) Negotiate an amended landscaping scheme to include more trees to provide ecological connections/enhancements between existing woodlands to the southwest and north of the site, and in order to better mitigate/screen the visual impact of the development, particularly from the North Downs Way National Trail; and…”
“(b) Negotiate the provision of wetlands/ponds to provide ecological enhancement.”
Minutes
The decision
The application was deferred pending that further negotiation.
“RESOLVED: That consideration of this application be deferred to:”
Minutes
How the committee voted
The vote to defer was carried 6 to 5, decided by the Chairman's casting vote.
“Note: Chairman’s casting vote for deferral…”
Minutes
Councillors at the meeting
- Paul WilbyChairLib Dem
- Maureen CleatorLabour
- Fay GoochIndependent
- Tony HarwoodLib Dem
- Stuart JefferyIndependent
- Mark NaghiDeclared an interestLib Dem
- John PerryConservative
- Paddy RiordanConservative
- Claudine RussellConservative
- Denis SpoonerConservative
- Stephen ThompsonIndependent
- Dan WilkinsonLabour
- Donna GreenanSubstitute for SummersgillIndependent
Apologies Michael Summersgill Independent
Also attending Paul Harper Independent, Kimberley Milham Independent
Source: Plota analysis of the council's minutes; parties from the council's list of councillors.
Sources
- Maidstone Planning Committee minutes, 13 November 2025
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of Maidstone's committee minutes. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
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See the API →At the meeting
- Committee
- Maidstone Planning Committee
- Council
- Maidstone
- Date
- Thursday 13 November 2025
- Committee decided
- Deferred
- Vote
- (chair's casting vote)
- Councillors
- 13Conservative 4Independent 3Lib Dem 3Labour 2Independent 1Show councillors
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- Maidstone committee decisions →
This committee's year
34 decisions in the 12 months to this meeting.
Source: Plota analysis of the committee's minutes.