High Peak solar farm gets go-ahead after planners consider impact on Peak District views

High Peak Borough Council’s development committee approved the planning application with conditions for a solar array with supporting infrastructure and works with access, fencing and landscape planting at Carpenter Plc, at Dinting Lodge Industrial Estate, in Dinting, Glossop, for applicant Centrica.

A borough council case officer stated: “Officers have considered the impact of the solar array scheme on the setting of the Peak District National Park.

“In these regards, the development would not have the potential to adversely affect the natural beauty, special qualities and key characteristics of this protected landscape as confirmed by the council’s Landscape Consultant in assessing the applicant’s Landscape Visual Impact Assessment submissions.”

The council’s landscape consultant considered Centrica’s original and revised landscape assessment and mitigation proposals including hedgerow and tree planting which were included on the landscape plans.

Despite considering the need for tree planting to reduce visual impacts from distant Peak District National Park views, the council considered the degree of harm from visual impacts from the proposed development would still be at an acceptable level.

The scheme includes a 2.35 hectare site comprising a substantial area of greenfield land to the south-east of the Carpenter Plc factory which manufactures, stores and distributes polyethylene foam, processed fibre and related products near Charlesworth, Glossop, the Peak District National Park, and a residential area on Dinting Road.

It features a solar photovoltaic array which will operate over a 40-year life period with solar PV arrays with a maximum height of 2.37m, inverters, a transformer, onsite cabling and maintenance tracks.

Access to the proposed solar array for ongoing operations and maintenance would be gained by the existing car park at the Carpenter facility. A temporary construction access track, however, is proposed from the existing junction located on Dinting Road.

In addition, it has also been proposed that an affected footpath be temporarily closed during construction works with a suggested diversion route along Dinting Road to join the existing public right of way on the east side of the site.

One objection to the scheme received by the council raised concerns that there should not be an expansion at the Carpenter Plc site until claims of persistent night time noise were resolved.

However, High Peak Borough Council’s Environmental Health Officer raised no objections subject to conditions after an assessment indicated that noise from the proposed development will not be significant, but it was accepted that there is likely to be some loss of amenity during the construction and groundworks phase.

Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority also concluded there would not be a significant impact on the area’s highways from the development but it recommended temporary access from Dinting Road as well as permanent access from Shaw Lane following the installation. The county council’s flood authority also raised no objections.

A council spokesperson stated: “The scheme would create some conflict with local plan policy protecting landscape character.”

But the spokesperson added: “The proposed solar array, however, would make a material and early contribution to the objective of achieving the decarbonisation of energy production outweighing such harm.”

High Peak Borough Council’s development committee, following a meeting at The Pavilion Gardens, in Buxton, agreed that powers be delegated to the Head of Development Services and the Committee Chairperson for the approval of Centrica’s planning application for the solar array scheme subject to conditions and comments from outstanding consultees.

The conditions include that a detailed scheme of soft and hard landscaping be approved, that there will be an approved restoration scheme following the solar site’s 40-year lifespan and that badger gates be provided as recommended by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust .