Cambridgeshire community could lose out on a £1.25 million investment if Eric Pickles blocks solar farm plan
Eric Pickles will scrutinise plans for a 250-acre solar farm - Credit: Archant
Developers keen to build a 250-acre solar farm say the local community could lose out on a £1.25 million investment if the project is blocked by communities secretary Eric Pickles.
As reported in the Crow last week, the scheme at Vine Farm, Shingay-cum-Wendy, has been recommended for approval by South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee, but is now being looked at by the government’s department for communities and local government (DCLG).
Carl-Niklas Wentzel is managing director of UK Solar Provider, and said the scheme has evolved to the point where it has the backing of many local people.
He said: “We consulted early with the parish and local residents, and while there initially was opposition to our original proposals, we have since had intensive conversations with the parish and statutory consultees.
“Importantly, we have negotiated a legally binding agreement with the local residents relating to the mitigation of the effects of the solar development. This has enabled the Parishes of Shingay-cum-Wendy and Bassingbourn to support this scheme.”
You may also want to watch:
Mr Wentzel said a 75-acre ‘wildlife corridor’ would be built to screen the solar farm from homes. This would be accessible to residents via a series of footpaths and bridleways.
“Additionally, as community stakeholders, a non-profit-company which is owned and run by residents, an income stream of no less than £50,000 per year for 25 years, totalling not less than £1.25m in current value will be received.
Most Read
- 1 CCTV appeal after vehicles interfered with in Royston
- 2 Heath threatened with 'eyesore' borehole kiosks
- 3 King James Academy to continue as school sport hub for north east Hertfordshire
- 4 What's next for Thakeham development after Local Plan sites revealed?
- 5 Street singers lift people's spirits with town centre flash mob
- 6 Busy week for Royston firefighting crews as they keep people safe
- 7 Royston man to stand trial for permitting production of cannabis
- 8 University of Hertfordshire paedophile caught with more than 500 child abuse images
- 9 Girl power and horse power prove a winning combination for Meldreth racing driver Lizzy
- 10 Riverdance's 25th anniversary show lifts the roof off Cambridge Corn Exchange
“Now this is all at risk, due to the referral to the DCLG. We run a very tight timeline and are simply risking project success.
“The community and us have put in hundreds of hours to work out a solution that is widely received as beneficial, and now we are simply waiting and waiting until we potentially run out of time.”
The solar farm now has the backing of both Wendy and Bassingbourn parish councils.
A spokesman for the DCLG it was not able to comment on the reasons behind the decision to look at the solar farm scheme in further detail.
