Only a few hours after Brigg Blog posted about proposals to create a new solar farm at Cadney to generate electricity, we received an update on another local 'green' renewable power project - this time earmarked for land 2.5km northwest of Broughton and known as the Little Crow Solar Park.
The latter scheme has been under consideration for some time and is now progressing at national level through the Planning Inspectorate, which sent a representative to our area on April 6 to look at the site and the surrounding area.
The purpose was to enable the 'examining authority' to familiarise itself about the site’s relationship with:
- The town of Broughton and Scunthorpe steelworks.
- The strategic and local highway network in the area.
- Local public footpath/rights of way.
The visit looked at paths within the application site itself and the B1207 (Appleby Lane and Ermine Street) and the B1208.
The representative drove along Ermine Street, Appleby Lane, Broughton High Street and the B1208 between its junctions with the B1207 and the A18.
A walk was made through the woodland bounding Appleby Lane into the application site, following the route of Footpath 214.
It is anticipated that the Planning Inspectorate will make a recommendation in due course to the Government which will make a decision on the solar park, designed to generate sufficient electricity to power thousands of homes.
Due to its potential generating capacity which stands at over 50MW, this development constitutes a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. Therefore, instead of applying to North Lincolnshire Council for planning permission, the applicant must apply to the Secretary of State for what's called a Development Consent Order.
Through its website, the company concerned explains: "Our formal submission was accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate on the 23rd of December 2020."
View more details about this major project here...
PICTURED: A solar panel on the roof of a domestic property on Brigg's Cherry Tree Avenue.
