Charity take steps to challenge solar farm decision

A countryside charity said it has taken steps towards challenging the government's recent decision to approve a solar farm scheme.

Last month the government approved the development of the Green Hill Solar Farm, which will be built over 2,965 acres (1,200 hectares) of land covering Buckinghamshire, the south and west of Wellingborough and north of Northampton.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Northamptonshire said it had instigated a pre-action protocol letter for a judicial review to challenge the decision.

Island Green Power, the developer behind Green Hill Solar Farm, said: "As we have not yet received the pre-action protocol letter, we are unable to comment at this point.

"We will provide a formal response through the appropriate process once the formal letter has been reviewed."

In a statement posted on social media, CPRE Northamptonshire said: "Bad decisions such as this scheme cannot go unchallenged if the balance between renewable energy and food security is to be maintained."

The two Conservative MPs Sarah Bool, who represents South Northamptonshire, and Stuart Andrew, who represents Daventry, wrote to both West Northamptonshire Council and North Northamptonshire Council to ask if they were considering requesting a judicial review of the government's decision.

Bool said: "This was always the wrong application in the wrong place. A judicial review is the final line of defence and we want to make sure no stone is left unturned."

Andrew said: "I have opposed this development from the outset, and I won't stop standing up for the residents who have fought so hard against these plans."

In response Martin Griffiths, the Reform UK leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said he was examining the decision, adding: "The scale of this development has understandably caused considerable concern among residents, particularly about the impact on agricultural land, the countryside and the communities affected.

"We recognise that judicial review is concerned with the lawfulness of a decision rather than simply whether we agree with it.

"Any decision to proceed would need to be informed by appropriate legal advice and a proper assessment of the costs involved."

Green Hill Solar previously said it hoped construction would begin in 2027, with the aim of providing electricity to homes by 2029.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it could not comment on ongoing legal matters.

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