The anticipated application for 111 acres of solar panels at Chalgrave Manor east of Tebworth and Wingfield has now been resubmitted. Not to be confused with the proposal for 110 acres west of Hockliffe, 65 acres north of Tilsworth, or 7 acres in Heath & Reach, Chalgrave Manor is a resubmission that was approved in 2015.
Britain needs more renewable energy and this location is close to the Sundon electric sub station to feed the national grid but these 111 acres are in the green belt whose protected status is only supposed to be breached once non-green belt land has been considered.
It’s to go to Development Management Committee automatically due to its size and public interest.
The previously agreed Renewables Obligation Certificates which were guaranteed by Government have expired but renewable energy can generate revenues from Power Purchase Agreements, where the energy is sold to a third party for sale to the wholesale market. Although the prices are lower the developer is offering a £100,000 Community Benefit Fund over 30 years.
Due to lots more consultation with highways, landscapes, parish councils, CBC is re-running the consultation for 21 days. Comments due by 7th April to judy.martin@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk and quote CB/20/03856/FULL.
My biggest concern is the use of extremely harsh weed killers that destroy the ecology of the land. Keeping the land free from becoming overgrown is expensive but killing the land is not an acceptable way forward. The use of sheep means the land is kept clear but means the panels have to be higher and the cables protected which means higher initial costs. Harsh weed killers create deserts. If commitments are made then then these must be monitored over time and fines must be sufficiently high to ensure compliance.