UPDATE from Mike Bull

When I wrote a short message a few days ago about the latest developments relating to solar panels on  the countryside and on agricultural land,  I mentioned that I had also written to the Planning Officer Thea Billeter and had asked if she had picked up any information about whether the applicants in respect of the Great Curham Farm application are showing any inclination to appeal the recent refusal of planning permission.  I also then promised that if I heard anything I would pass that on to you.

I have heard back from Thea today.  She confirms that she has heard NOTHING but also confirms what we know - that the applicants do have until the end of February to lodge an appeal if they wish to do so.

She agrees with me that the whole attitude in Government has changed in relation to solar panels on  the countryside and on agricultural land,  and she has commented that this is currently demonstrated by the large number of appeals that are being dismissed in recent months.

Given this major shift in the climate relating to this type of development I feel very confident that there will NOT be any appeal. However only time will tell, of course!

Best wishes to you all,

Mike

Liz Truss: Solar farms in rural areas 'make the heart sink'

Liz Truss, the Environment Secretary, tells The Telegraph that solar farms are putting Britain's "beautiful" rural landscape at risk

She told The Telegraph: “English farmland is some of the best in the world and I want to see it dedicated to growing quality food and crops. 

“I do not want to see its productive potential wasted and its appearance blighted by solar farms. Farming is what our farms are for and it is what keeps our landscape beautiful.

“I am committed to food production in this country and it makes my heart sink to see row upon row of solar panels where once there was a field of wheat or grassland for livestock to graze.

“That is why I am scrapping farming subsidies for solar fields. Solar panels are best placed on the 250,000 hectares of south-facing commercial rooftops where they will not compromise the success of our agricultural industry.”

Read the full article here

 

Happy New Year from Mike and Gill Bull

Hello to everyone in Ash Thomas who sees this.  I do hope that you all had a good Christmas. I wish a very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all friends in the village and the local community.

Gill and I have had a really good Christmas and, while we will always miss being among you there where we will always feel at home in Ash Thomas, we have got well settled here in Glossop and are very happy here among our family. We spent Christmas with all of them and all the grandchildren That makes us very lucky.

I do remain "on the case" about Great Curham and the solar panels aspirations of Martin Fisher and the developers / applicants. I always will be watching that and will continue to support all the many objections. I did write to the Planning Officer some months ago to ask if she had picked up any information about any likely appeal.  I got no response so I suspect that they have not heard anything. However I am dropping her another line now and will let you know if I get a response to this latest enquiry.

In the meantime I suspect that many will have seen the very recent article published in the Daily Torygraph (sorry, Telegraph) on 28 December 2014. I have scanned the article and attach a copy. Many apologies for having had to cut and stick it to get it all on one page. That does not make it easy to read but if you print a copy it is far easier because you can simply turn the page through 90 degrees when required!

This article sounds even more like a death knell for any large applications but even more certainly in respect of a proposal affecting 50 acres of Grade 1 land.  I would put their chances of success at appeal no greater than about 5 per cent.  They would be foolish in my view to even speculate and risk wasting the large professional fees that would be involved in filing an appeal!

HAPPY TIMES!

Very best wishes to all and a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Mike and Gill Bull