Application for solar farm in Somersham and Burstall, near Ipswich, to return to councillors after appeal

A controversial proposal for solar panels to fill three agricultural fields will be reconsidered by councillors this week, having been refused earlier this year.

The application for land to the south of Church Farm in Somersham and to the east of the channel in Burstall, near Ipswich, was blocked by Mid Suffolk District Council in February, having been passed in Babergh. About one quarter of the site is in Mid Suffolk and the rest falls in Babergh.

Applicant Bramford Green Limited appealed the refusal, leading to the application’s return to councillors this Wednesday. Officers are recommending approval.

Simon Chamberlayne, head of planning at Enso Energy – the agent for applicant Bramford Green Limited, said at the February planning meeting: “No statutory consultees object to the development and no land will be lost to it, as it will be temporary.

“We have significantly reduced this scheme in scale and size as a result of feedback from communities and statutory consultees.”

The application is for a 40-year change of the land’s use from agriculture to site for solar panels, after which the landowner and applicant state the site will be reinstated as farmland.

The size of the site had been cut to less than one third of the applicant’s initial plans, which was for a 102-hectare solar farm.

Approximately 75 percent of the 35-hectare site is classed as ‘best and most versatile’ (BMV) land, which means it is the best ground for growing crops.

Every parish and town council representing nearby areas objected to the proposals in February, with the vast majority mentioning loss of agricultural land as a reason.

James Rook, vice chairman of Somersham Parish Council, called the application a ‘green trojan horse’ at the earlier planning meeting.

He continued: “This community doesn’t believe we should be putting solar panels on some of the best farmland in the UK – and, in fact, the world.

“The greenest thing we can do is grow our own food on our doorsteps.

“Our community understands a farmer’s motivation to receive £1,000 an acre guaranteed for 40 years rather than working very hard for around £150 an acre.

“We feel this may be a wise choice for the individual and not for the community.”

The energy generated would go to the national grid, covered the usage of approximately 7,450 homes and saved 6,250 tonnes of CO2 a year.

The site is served by an existing access for vehicles from Church Hill.

Out of the 189 letters, emails and online comments on the application in Feb, 186 were objections. A further 16 objections have been added since the appeal.

This controversial solar site joins others in Suffolk. In December last year, West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock and Suffolk County Council deputy leader Richard Rout criticised the planned 2,792-acre Sunnica solar energy farm.

Sunnica would span four sites in West Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire.