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Plans for a controversial solar farm that residents believed had been withdrawn appear to be back on the table after a fresh application was submitted.
Earlier this year, power producer ILOS New Energy UK Ltd unveiled proposals for a 22.5-megawatt solar farm on land at Upper Walton Farm, near Onibury.
The plans attracted criticism from tenant farmer Rob Alderson, who said the development would cost him his livelihood, as well as opposition from local campaigners and councillor Josh Dickin.
ILOS withdrew a resubmitted Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening request on October 19 before submitting a third request nine days later.
The latest application describes the site as “Norton Estate, Upper Onibury”, whereas previous submissions referred to it as “Upper Walton Farm”. However, Keep Shropshire Beautiful says the scale of the proposed development remains unchanged, with plans for a 22.5-megawatt ground-mounted solar farm covering almost 45 hectares.
Onibury Parish Council raised concerns with Shropshire Council over an earlier decision that a full Environmental Impact Assessment was not required.
While the council’s February screening opinion concluded an EIA was unnecessary, it identified ecology, cultural heritage and archaeology, and cumulative environmental effects as issues requiring further consideration.
According to Keep Shropshire Beautiful, a second screening request was submitted after the parish council raised its concerns, but that application was later withdrawn and replaced by the latest submission.
The campaign group has now lodged formal representations with Shropshire Council arguing that a full Environmental Impact Assessment should be required before any planning application is considered.
Rachel Pitt, speaking on behalf of Keep Shropshire Beautiful, said: “This is now the third time in under a year that ILOS have asked Shropshire Council to confirm they do not need to carry out a full environmental assessment.
“Each submission has described the site slightly differently. We are asking the council to look carefully at what is actually being proposed here and require the thorough assessment this landscape deserves.”
Mr Middleton said the group’s submission raises concerns over the impact on Grade 2 agricultural land, classified as Best and Most Versatile farmland, and the site’s location within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Impact Risk Zone.
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