Plans for a solar farm just over the Kirklees border are causing a stir.
An application from Biffa Waste Services Ltd has been submitted to Leeds City Council seeking permission to construct and operate what it describes as a “small-scale solar farm” on land at the former Howden Clough Landfill Site in Morley. According to supporting documents on behalf of the applicant, the proposed development is temporary and would operate for around 25 years.
The plot of land, which sits within the Green Belt to the south of the Junction 27 retail park, was first used as a landfill in the 1980s and this use continued for around a decade. It was later restored in the 2000s. The application is concerned with an area of around eight hectares, with four blocks of solar panels to be arranged in the centre, if plans are approved.
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While the site, which sits off Howden Clough Road is within the remit of Leeds City Council, it is in very close proximity to the Birstall and Birkenshaw ward and just 2.2km from Birstall itself. Local councillor, Josh Sheard (Con) has voiced his objection and questioned why Kirklees councillors and communities were not formally notified of the plans, despite the “clear impact” it will have on the area and its Green Belt.
Yesterday (March 18), a spokesperson for Leeds City Council explained that site notices have been displayed in “full compliance” with its statutory obligations, in both Leeds and Kirklees’ administrative areas, as well as on its online planning portal, to ensure all interested parties could view the proposals and comment. They said that Kirklees Council is being notified of the proposals “as a matter of courtesy”.
That same day, a spokesperson for Kirklees Council confirmed that the local authority had not been formally notified of the plans and said it would be requesting to be consulted by Leeds City Council.
Councillor Sheard added: “I fully recognise that the site is a former landfill, but the choice is not simply between a solar farm and leaving the land unused. Across the country, former landfill sites have been successfully restored into public parks and nature areas while continuing to be safely monitored. Monitoring requirements do not prevent public access.
“After nearly two decades, this site has already stabilised and is grassed over. With the right approach, it could be transformed into a valuable community asset, extending local walking routes, improving biodiversity and providing accessible green space for residents. A solar development would instead fence the land off for decades and turn it into an industrial energy site with no meaningful benefit for the local community.”
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