Appeal against Nottinghamshire solar farm rejection fails

An appeal concerning the proposed construction of a solar farm in Nottinghamshire, which had previously been rejected, has now been dismissed. Hamilton Solar Ltd initially submitted an application in 2022 for a 23-acre site located on Cauldwell Road, situated between Mansfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield. The company stated that this development would enable a nearby industrial estate to “benefit from the zero-carbon power”. Ashfield District Council subsequently rejected the application, citing concerns regarding its potential impact on the surrounding countryside and the adjacent Mound on Hamilton Hill, a monument potentially dating back to the Bronze Age. According to a report compiled by an inspector after a visit in February, the proposed site and its environs “make a positive contribution to the character of the countryside” and are “sensitive to change”. The Planning Inspectorate’s report acknowledged proposals for a “landscape and mitigation and enhancements plan” intended to mitigate the environmental impact. However, it stated that the plans “would be a development of significant proportions to the edge of Sutton-in-Ashfield, which would harm the appearance of a large area of land incorporating open and undeveloped agricultural fields”. The report further elaborated, stating: “The subsequent loss of openness and erosion of the site’s undeveloped qualities would undermine how the countryside relates to the settlement.” Another reason cited for the dismissal of the appeal was the concern regarding the potential impact on the Mound on Hamilton Hill. The Planning Inspectorate report indicated that Historic England (HE) had provided advice concerning the scheduled monument, noting that the site has served various functions throughout centuries. The report quoted Historic England, stating: “HE refers to many possibilities for the potential use of the mound, including as a Bronze Age barrow, look out, and site for gallows, [but] its significance is most likely to relate to its administrative and decision-making functions as a ‘moot’.” “The stated benefits would be of greater significance and would outweigh the identified harm.”