Proposed installation of a photovoltaic solar farm with associated infrastructure including inverters/transformers, battery storage and substation with client and DNO switching equipment with underground connection to the adjacent Dormington substation.

The application was approved with an amendment to the Case Officer’s recommendation.

(Councillors Paul Andrews and John Hardwick left the committee to act as local ward members for the next application.)

The principal planning officer gave a presentation on the application and the updates/representations received following the publication of the agenda as provided in the update sheets and appended to these minutes.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking Ms Cotton, spoke on behalf of Dormington and Mordiford Group Parish Council, Mr Williams, local resident, spoke in objection to the application and Mr Hall, applicant, spoke in support of the application.

In accordance with the council's constitution the local ward members spoke on the application. The local ward member for the Backbury ward explained the central issue concerning the application was the impact of the development on the Landscape and whether the proposed planting and landscaping was adequate to mitigate the impact. The application presented benefits in terms of power generation and biodiversity with the reduction in phosphates in the Frome Valley. The local ward member for the Hagley ward explained that the visual impact of the development was a concern. The planting scheme and landscaping which would mitigate the impact of the development must be implemented in accordance with the conditions. It was noted that the Bartestree and Lugwardine Parish Council had not objected to the application. The development would be located on grade 3 agricultural land which was prone to flooding; the application would remove phosphate pollution from the land. The application was an important contribution to the expansion of green energy and the need to reduce carbon. The committee discussed the application.

The committee discussed the application.

Councillor Polly Andrews proposed and Councillor Elizabeth Foxton seconded a motion that the application be approved consistent with the case officers recommendation.

The committee raised a change to condition 6 to require ongoing monitoring of the impact of the development on wild birds.

The committee further raised the inclusion of an informative to encourage the applicant to undertake ongoing engagement with the local Parish Councils.

The lead development manager provided clarification and explained that the inclusion of the following wording in the recommendation, to provide a delegation to officers, would allow those changes sought by the committee to be implemented: ' and any other further conditions considered necessary by officers named in the scheme of delegation to officers.'

The inclusion of the wording 'and any other further conditions considered necessary by officers named in the scheme of delegation to officers' in the recommendation was confirmed as acceptable by proposer and seconder.

The local members closed the debate.

The motion to approve the application assistance with the case officers recommendation and including the addition of the wording 'and any other further conditions considered necessary by officers named in the scheme of delegation to officers' was put to the vote and was carried.

RESOLVED – that:

That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions, the varied condition above and any other further conditions considered necessary by officers named in the scheme  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6