Plans for a new solar energy farm in fields south of Lancaster have been recommended for approval despite objections from residents.
The planned new solar farm, three substations, cables, CCTV and security fencing is being planned for land south of Burrow Beck, Bailrigg Lane.
Both Scotforth Parish Council and Bailrigg Village Residents Association have objected to the plans, which have been submitted by landowners Lancaster City Council.
The parish council has said this is the "wrong location for this development" and the solar farm would create "visual harm to a gateway location into Lancaster and Bailrigg".
They say there would be "harmful impact of construction traffic on Bailrigg residents, their visitors and upon trees/hedges along Bailrigg Lane" and "adverse glint/glare impact upon student residents", as well as concerns over flooding.
The residents association has said there is a "lack of construction management information" as "residents need to know how they will be able to go about their daily lives during construction".
There has been no objection from County Highways, subject to a detailed construction management plan "to ensure that the size and volume of vehicles related to the construction phase can be mitigated along the narrow lane with no footways".
The proposed site is agricultural land just south of Lancaster, to the east of the A6 and Filter House (now Bailrigg Student Living).
A large-scale housing development was recently refused on land immediately northeast of the application site, between Bailrigg and south Lancaster.
The proposal is to install solar panels across the circa 6.5ha site area, to produce 4MW of sustainable energy, with three associated substations within the site.
The proposed solar panels measure between one metre and 2.55 metres above the ground level, measuring approximately 3.8 metres long front to back, and separated by circa 4.66 metres between lines of panels within the site.
All proposed installations are over eight metres from the Burrow Beck. Security cameras would be attached to up-to six-metre-tall posts, and plans propose two-metre-tall wire mesh security fencing.
A council report says: "Given the nature of the development and proposed sustainable drainage system, the subterranean groundwater and surface water flood risk at the site is only attributed very limited harm, despite the failure of the flood risk sequential test.
"Impacts from glint and glare can be mitigated to have low impacts subject to mitigative landscaping. Impact upon the highway and neighbours during the construction phase can similarly be mitigated through a construction management plan, and as such are neutral in planning balance.
"Whilst there are several limited harm impacts identified, which cumulatively weigh against the proposal, the cumulative social, economic and environmental benefits of a renewable energy development on the edge of the city delivering biodiversity enhancements are considered to be significant, despite the relatively modest scale of the 4MW solar development. These public benefits are considered to comfortably outweigh the identified harm."
The report recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to several conditions.
The full planning report can be seen HERE.
Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee, a group of elected councillors, will make the final decision. They will also visit the site ahead of a meeting to discuss the plans.
The meeting will be held on Monday, September 30 at 10.30am at Morecambe Town Hall, and is open to the public.
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