Fresh plans for giant solar farm bigger than 50 football pitches
The proposed 93-acre site could power up to 5,200 homes a year
By Cheshire Live
A revised proposal for a large solar farm at Chads Farm in Tushingham could generate enough electricity to power up to 5,200 homes a year.
Fresh plans for a large solar farm in rural Cheshire are set to be considered by councillors.
The proposed development would cover around 93 acres of agricultural land at Chads Farm on Barnhill Drive in Tushingham.
If approved, the scheme would generate up to 15MW of electricity, which the applicant says could power up to 5,200 homes a year.
The plans have been submitted by Renewable Connections Developments and are due to be considered by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee.
Planning officers have recommended that the scheme should be approved.
The current proposal is a revised version of plans first brought forward in 2022. The changes are intended to address concerns around deep peat deposits on the site.
Peat is an important environmental issue because disturbing it can damage habitats and release stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The solar farm would be built across a site made up mainly of seven medium-scale fields.
Under the revised plans, the majority of three fields would be used for solar panels, while other parts of the site would be retained for ecological enhancement.
The development would be operational for up to 40 years. After that period, the equipment would be removed and the land returned to agricultural use.
The applicant says the project would produce renewable electricity and help reduce carbon emissions.
Planning documents say the solar farm could result in a reduction of around 3,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide in its first year, which is described as the equivalent of taking about 2,300 cars off the road.
However, the plans have attracted local opposition.
Tushingham, Macefen and Bradley Parish Council has objected to the scheme, raising concerns about the impact on a greenfield site, the effect on views from a nearby Grade I listed church, and the visual impact from a bridleway and byway that cross the area.
The parish council has also raised concerns about whether there is enough mitigation for the effect the development would have on the surrounding landscape.
A report prepared for councillors accepts that the site is greenfield land in the countryside.
However, it says other potential sites within a 2km radius of the proposed grid connection off the A41 were considered and were not found to be suitable alternatives.
Reasons included sites being too small to be viable, already having permission for other development, or being affected by significant planning and environmental constraints.
The report concludes that no suitable previously developed alternative sites are currently available.
Large solar farm proposals often create a difficult balance for planning committees.
Supporters argue they help increase renewable energy generation, reduce carbon emissions and support the transition away from fossil fuels.
Opponents often raise concerns about the loss of agricultural land, visual impact, effects on heritage assets, construction traffic and the wider character of the countryside.
In this case, the key issues are likely to include the scale of the scheme, the treatment of peat, the effect on local views, the impact on nearby heritage assets and the environmental benefits of renewable electricity generation.
If approved, the Tushingham solar farm would become a significant renewable energy project for the borough.
The final decision will be made by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee.