Solar Farms: Council explore 20 hectare site at Lympne and Pent Farm Postling applies for 27.7 hectare site
shepwayvox
None come along for ages, then two at once.
Solar Farms are fast becoming the fashion in our district, what with a planning application (23/0580/FH) lodged on land owned by Pent Farm, Postling. And another site is to be scoped by Folkestone & Hythe Disttrict Council land it owns at Otterpool Park in Lympne.
The Pent Farm application which is live, is proposed on a 27.7 hectare site (68.5 acres) and the land is classified as Grade 3b land. Grade 3b is moderate quality agricultural land which is capable of producing moderate yields of a narrow range of crops, principally cereals and grass or lower yields of a wider range of crops or high yields of grass which can be grazed or harvested over most of the year.
We know the land is drained, and we suspect is capable of growing good arable crops despite it being classified as grade 3b. A yield of 8 tonnes per hectare of wheat would be expected. The only reason we suspect that such a scheme is being proposed is, it’s next to a electricity substation, so can feed into the grid easily.
The second proposed solar farm, which is merely an exploratory/scoping proposal has been put forward by Otterpool Park LLP. The land is owned by the Council. The land is classified as Grade 2 land. No planning application has been lodged.
The proposal states:
The opportunity to deliver a solar park on Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) land on the boundary of Otterpool Park presents an effective solution to lower electrical demand and demonstrate an exemplary approach to community power generation and use. The site covers 20 hectares of agricultural land and is owned by Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC).
Grade 2 is very good quality agricultural land and a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops can usually be grown. This land is currently be farmed with either wheat or winter barley and can produced about 10 – 12 tonnes per hectare.
Now for those of you who are not aware, ,including Cllrs on the planning committee, the presence of what is called, best and most versatile (BMV) agricultural land is a material consideration in taking planning decisions. This includes a requirement that planning decisions take sufficient account of soil quality, particularly where significant areas of BMV agricultural land are involved. BMV land comprises land in Grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification system. So the Pent Farm application does not need to take into account the land quality as it is classified as 3B. However, any proposal which might come forward at a later date for a potential solar farm on the land owned by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, would need to take the soil quality and the land classification Grade 2 into account.
The Solar Farm opportunity was discussed at last night’s cabinet meeting.
We fail to understand the Council’s or Otterpool Park LLP thinking on this, because with all the roof space on 8,500 homes they intend to build, there should not be a need for a single panel on the ground. Also if the panels are on ones roof, one receives the smart export guarantee (this only generates a modest income) if one has to purchase the electricity from any future supplier, the customer gains no financial benefit.
So much about Otterpool doesn’t make sense, given Climate Change is upon us. Resources will become scarcer. Taking away potential agricultural land; which currently feeds us is, we believe, a bonkers idea, especially when there are other solutions.
