Hundreds object to green belt solar farm

More than 400 people have objected to plans for a temporary solar farm on green belt land.

Opponents said the development at Usworth House Farm near Springwell village, on the outskirts of Sunderland and the urban edge of Gateshead, would be "inappropriate".

Sunderland City Council planners acknowledged the farm would be an "inappropriate development in the green belt" but would still be acceptable, subject to conditions.

The proposals, which date back to 2023, have been recommended for approval and a decision is expected on 6 January.

Opponents have also raised concerns about the development's impact on wildlife.

Conditions could include completion of a section 106 legal agreement to "mitigate and compensate for impacts on farmland birds".

It has also been argued that the "public benefits" of "substantial renewable energy" would "amount to very special circumstances" to justify the development.

It would consist of approximately 59,319 solar PV panels estimated to generate renewable energy for more than 11,000 homes a year.

Applicant Boom Power Ltd is seeking a lifespan of 40 years for the farm after which it would be decommissioned and brought back to its original state.

New planting and additional bird nesting have also been proposed because most of the site is within a wildlife corridor.

The plans received 443 objections during a consultation, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Some said the plan would "encroach" and be an "inappropriate development" on green belt land.

Some opponents also criticised the proposed 40-year lifespan of the farm and said there was "no certainty that the land will ever be restored".

Other concerns included the proposed development "interfering" with the character of Springwell village.

Alternative sites were also considered, but planners said the applicant had demonstrated that "no less sensitive sites" were available.

There were 32 representations in support, saying the plan was "much better than housing".

If approved, the application will be referred to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

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