A solar farm proposed for land on the Stamford-Rutland border is being examined by the Planning Inspectorate.

Today, Wednesday 17 May, the examination of a proposal to install solar panels on a 2175 acre stretch of land on the rural border has begun.

The proposal has been passed to the Planning Inspectorate due to the size of the development, which is too large to be decided upon by the local council.

Following months of debate, as well as heavy protest from local pressure groups and residents, the Mallard Pass Solar Farm plans were passed to the UK's Government planning assessor for consideration.

The Planning Inspectorate is assessing plans for the 2175 acre solar farm proposed for land in Rutland and Lincolnshire (South West). 

Mallard Pass is proposed for a fertile collection of fields stretching just north of Stamford and across Eastern Rutland, around the villages of Essendine, Carlby, Braceborough, Casewick, Belmesthorpe and Ryhall. If passed, this will be the largest solar farm in the UK. 

Canadian Solar and Wendel Energy, the company behind the proposal, have held two public consultations over the past year, and are now having evidence scrutinised by the Inspectorate.

People registered as 'interested parties' will also be able to speak and ask questions at a series of meetings that began today.

Alongside Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns, a local group have come together objecting the proposal. They are known as the Mallard Pass Action Group, and they are are against the height of the panels, disruption of such a development, and the size of the development, which would be one of the largest in the country.

Ms Kearns shared her stance on the proposal in November 2022.

She said: "It would be eight times the size of the U.K.'s largest solar plant – the 250 acre Shotwick Solar Park in Flintshire. It's the size of 1,400 football pitches. It's so large that it can't be approved by Rutland County Council – it has to be approved by the Government as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project."

Ms Kearns wrote to the developers on 23 November 2022 Image credit: Alicia Kearns.

News of the examination will be shared by Oakham Nub News as it comes.

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