Solar farm on Ash Level unanimously rejected

A little Christmas cheer to lighten what, as we write, is a depressingly gloomy December day… the proposed Little South Solar Farm on Ash Level has been refused planning permission.

Its potential impact on the scheduled national monument of Richborough Fort and Amphitheatre convinced Dover District Council’s planning committee that it should not be allowed to proceed and, on Thursday, November 27, members voted 10-0 to reject the 205-acre scheme from Norwegian state-owned company Statkraft (operating here as Little South Clean Energy Ltd) for Goshall Valley, East Street.

Many had been surprised that a DDC planning officer had recommended the scheme be approved, but, thankfully for those who treasure the area and its historic significance, committee members agreed the solar farm would cause “severe” harm to the setting of Grade I-listed heritage assets.

CPRE Kent had submitted a substantial objection to the scheme, which was also opposed by Kent Wildlife Trust and Ash, Preston, Sandwich and Staple parish councils, among more than 650 representations.

The wider campaign, though, was led excellently by Save Ash Level, which cited among its concerns:

• Harm to the heritage significance and landscape setting of the scheduled Roman site of Richborough, which includes the Grade I-listed Richborough Castle
• Destruction of an area enjoyed by locals for walks, bike rides and horse rides
• The land is potentially Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land at Grades 1, 2 and 3a
• Threat to protected species such as water vole, beaver, turtle dove and barn owl

Alex Ridings, co-chair of Save Ash Level, said: “We’re delighted by the decision to Save Ash Level and preserve the importance and setting of Richborough Roman Fort and a landscape which has been important to Britain’s history since Emperor Claudius looked out over it in AD43.

“We hope [this] decision gives hope to the multitude of similar communities fighting behemoth corporations.

“It’s time the government were clearer about the guidelines to prevent schemes like this from even reaching the planning committee stage. In our case, this has been four years of anxiety and worry.

“No doubt the applicant will look at an appeal, but the recent Planning Inspectorate decision to dismiss the appeal for a large solar farm at North Court Farm, Ashford, with significant but lesser protected landscape and heritage conditions to this scheme, gives us strong confidence we won’t see a large-scale solar farm underneath a Scheduled National Monument here.”

And so say all of us!

• To read the CPRE Kent response to the planning application, click here

• Visit the Save Ash Level website here