Rutland County Council's planning committee voted to approve plans for a large solar farm on green fields in Rutland last week. 

This decision came in spite of protests by local people, including Rutland Solar Action. 

In response to this news, Director of Rutland Solar Action Group, Doug Reid, said: "We are dismayed by Rutland County Council's approval of this damaging development. It is the wrong decision. 

"Solar should go on roofs, not farmland. Combined with Mallard Pass, our county is taking a disproportionate share of industrial solar, with an area equivalent to Rutland Water being lost. 

"The consensus, quite clearly, is that this is a bad idea and yet it was approved. It is a sad day for Rutland – and the consequences of this non-sensical decision will be regretted for decades to come." 



The plans for the solar farm illustrate how much coverage the pannels will have over the green fields site (Photo: LDRS)

The solar farm, which will cover 220 acres of farmland and be seen for thousands of acres beyond that, has been highly controversial among local people.  

The planning authority received over 200 letters of objection to the plans. This was noted by Councillor for Martinsthorpe ward Andrew Johnson (Lib Dem), who said: "This is a very large and contentious application, and it has generated something in the region of 220 objections, which is enormous, so the public feeling on this is very high." 

Despite these issues, the vote passed to approve the site with seven on the planning committee voting in favour and two against.