Councils lose bid to challenge Government approval of massive solar farm
Judge said his decision would likely come “as a disappointment” to the councils and their supporters
Two councils have lost a bid to challenge the approval of the UK’s largest power-generating solar farm at the High Court.
Reform-run Lincolnshire County Council and North Kesteven District Council, led by the Conservatives, had begun legal action against the Government’s approval of Springwell Solar Farm.
The local authorities wanted to challenge the project on the basis that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero did not properly assess its potential impacts on rural villages and landscapes, or the effect of developments using large amounts of limited “best and most versatile” agricultural land.
Planning permission for the 800-megawatt solar farm and accompanying battery storage, which will be located near Ashby de la Launde and Scopwick in North Kesteven, was granted by the Government in April.
The project will cover 1,280 hectares and power 180,000 homes – the equivalent of half the homes in Lincolnshire, developer EDF power solutions UK said at the time.
Lincolnshire County Council and North Kesteven District Council opposed the project at the planning stage and alleged that “proper process” was not followed in the plant’s approval.
At a hearing on Wednesday (November 11), the two councils made a bid to bring the legal challenge at the High Court in London.
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero defended the claim.
In a ruling at the end of the hearing, Mr Justice Kimblin said the challenge could not proceed.
The judge said any claim of a “procedural defect” in the Government’s consideration of the farm’s planning application is “not arguable”.
He acknowledged his decision would likely come “as a disappointment” to the councils and their supporters in the case, but he highlighted the “benefit” of Wednesday’s proceedings in giving their concerns a “proper airing out”.
The county council was also mounting a similar challenge against Beacon Fen solar farm, which was approved for land north of Heckington and east of Ewerby.