Members of a cash-strapped Derbyshire council unanimously approved multi-million-pound plans for a solar farm next to a nature reserve in a matter of minutes

Members of a cash-strapped Derbyshire council unanimously approved multi-million-pound plans for a solar farm next to a nature reserve in a matter of minutes.
In under 20 minutes, Derbyshire County Council approved its own £3.75 million plans for a 25-acre solar farm off Mansfield Road, next to Williamthorpe Nature Reserve, between Chesterfield and Bolsover.
The authority, with a budget of £741 million, faces effective bankruptcy due to a growing forecast overspend of £28 million, cuts of £30 million, leaving it with a forecast £7 million left in emergency reserves.
It is set to approve plans to close numerous care homes, children’s centres and day centres for older people and people with autism, cutting all grants to voluntary groups and charities, imposing a hiring freeze and pausing all non-essential spending, along with many more budget cutbacks.
The solar farm plan would see 14,000 solar panels installed on two agricultural fields – historically a former colliery – to the east of the nature reserve, between Holmewood and the A617.
Council officials say the development will bring in a biodiversity gain, including extra hedges, and sheep would be able to continue grazing on the plot – deemed low agricultural value.
Cllr Mick Yates said a noise management plan for the site would be a “complete waste of money” saying: “I have solar panels on my house and I have never heard a peep from them.”
Cllr Ron Mihaly asked that the council consider making an annual contribution to the local parish council for improvements to offset the impact of the scheme.
Cllr Dermot Murphy said the development was “important for generating renewable and sustainable energy”.
Council planners had written: “The principle, a renewable energy development on previously restored open cast coal land, outside the identified settlement development limits, is not explicitly supported by North East Derbyshire District Council policy, however, the development represents an effective use of poor-quality agricultural land, to temporarily accommodate the solar farm for a period of 40 years, and it would help towards meeting the carbon reduction targets and combating climate change which is in line with national and local planning policies.
“It is accepted that there would be glimpses into the site from visual receptors, but the overall visual impact is considered to be minimal. The development would also only be temporary and therefore any potential harm would be limited.
“In view of the only limited temporary harm to the landscape and with no overall harm in respect all other environmental impacts including protected species residential amenity or flooding, on balance, it is considered the clear benefits in terms of its economic and wider environmental benefits of providing a renewable energy source would clearly outweigh any potential conflict in relation to locating such a new development outside the identified settlement development.”
In late 2021, Cllr Barry Lewis, leader of the county council, said rooftops on industrial sites and warehouses would be better suited for solar development, instead of “taking up space in the countryside”.