EAST RIDING – Residents concerned about the scale of a proposed solar farm around Beverley are being urged to attend a series of public information events taking place over the next few days.
The events, organised by the Clean Air Solar Farm project team, come as opposition to the scheme continues to grow, with campaigners claiming many residents are only now becoming aware of the true scale of the proposals.
The proposed Clean Air Solar Farm, being brought forward by PS Renewables and Perigus Energy, would cover around 2,853 acres of land near Beverley, according to figures reported by the BBC.
To put that into perspective, campaigners say the development would stretch across approximately 2,160 football pitches and cover an area around seven times the size of Beverley Westwood.
For many local residents, it is only now that the sheer scale of the proposal is becoming clear.
What initially appeared to be another renewable energy project is, according to campaigners, one of the largest developments ever proposed in the immediate vicinity of Beverley.
For some residents, a further source of concern is the discovery that East Riding Council will not have the final say over whether the development proceeds.
Because of its size, the project falls under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project process. This means the application will ultimately be decided by central government following examination by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than by East Riding Council’s Planning Committee.
Many residents who would ordinarily expect local councillors to determine a development of this magnitude are discovering that the final decision rests with ministers in Westminster.
Opponents say this leaves local communities feeling powerless over proposals that could permanently alter the landscape around Beverley.
The development would be split across two sites. A northern section would sit approximately three miles north of Beverley to the east of the A164, while a southern section would be located south-west of the A1079 near the proposed grid connection point.
If approved, the scheme would have a generating capacity of up to 500MW, enough electricity to power around 160,000 homes.
Developers say the project would make a significant contribution towards the UK’s net zero ambitions and could be operational by 2033. The solar farm would then remain in place for up to 60 years.
However, residents opposed to the plans argue the project represents another step in the gradual industrialisation of East Yorkshire’s countryside.
According to comments made to the BBC, David Hume, Chairman of the Clean Air Action Group, believes the proposal would consume around 20 per cent of the land surrounding Beverley.
Speaking to the BBC, he said many people were only now becoming aware of what was being proposed.
He told the broadcaster that residents were “horrified and angry” and felt local communities had not been adequately consulted.
Hume also raised concerns about the loss of agricultural land and the wider impact on the character of the area.
Campaigners argue the project would introduce extensive arrays of solar panels, substations, converter stations and associated infrastructure into what is currently open countryside.
They also fear years of disruption during construction.
Hume told the BBC the construction phase could last five to six years and affect residents across the area.
“Once this land is gone, if we can’t mount a good enough argument now that this is the wrong proposal in the wrong place at the wrong time, this land is gone forever,” he said.
Among those opposing the plans is Walkington resident Andrew Chandler.
Speaking to the BBC, Chandler said he initially supported the proposal when he first received information about it.
“Green energy, it’s obviously the direction we need to be moving in,” he said.
However, after examining the plans more closely, he said he became concerned about the scale of the development.
“The more I looked into it, the more I realised just what the scale of it was and how it’s going to industrialise the landscape.”
Chandler told the BBC he moved to the area because of its countryside and fears that character could be permanently changed.
His description of replacing East Yorkshire’s famous “fields of gold” with “fields of glass” is likely to resonate with many residents.
The proposal also comes against the backdrop of a growing number of large-scale energy infrastructure projects being proposed across East Yorkshire.
Over recent years residents have seen plans for solar farms, battery storage facilities, substations, transmission infrastructure and other energy-related developments emerge across the region.
Critics argue that while each proposal is assessed individually, the cumulative effect risks fundamentally changing the character of the East Riding.
Supporters, meanwhile, point to the need for renewable energy generation, energy security and the UK’s legal commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
A spokesperson for Clean Air Solar Farm said the development would make a “significant contribution towards meeting the country’s ambitious plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050”.
The company says it wants residents to attend consultation events and provide feedback on the proposals.
Upcoming consultation events
Lockington Village Hall
22 June
3pm to 7pm
Beverley Memorial Hall
23 June
3pm to 7pm
Walkington Village Hall
24 June
3pm to 7pm
Online webinar
29 June
7pm to 7.30pm
The project team says feedback received during the consultation process will help shape the final design before a Development Consent Order application is submitted.
Whether residents ultimately support or oppose the scheme, one thing is becoming increasingly clear.
This is not a small solar farm on the edge of a field.
It is a proposal that would reshape a significant area of East Riding countryside and one that many local people are only now beginning to fully understand.
This article includes information published by Clean Air Solar Farm together with comments made by campaign representatives and residents in interviews with the BBC.