Agenda and minutes

The Chair informed the Committee that the Council was undertaking an audio recording of the meeting and that it was being live streamed.

Councillors L Dales and K Melton declared an other registrable interest for any relevant items, as they were appointed representatives on the Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board.

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Planning Development, which sought Committee approval regarding the Local Impact Report.

It was reported that the One Earth Solar Farm Project was in the examination stage, with the Preliminary Meeting having taken place on the 8 July 2025, followed by Open Floor Hearings on the 8 and 9 of July and Issue Specific Hearing One on the 9 and 10 July. The examination would take place over a 6-month period and would primarily be a written process, supplemented by hearings throughout that period. There were a series of deadlines that were fixed by the Examining Authority (ExA) whereby responses must be made by the Council, to ensure that the Council retained the opportunity to influence the process. The Local Impact Report (LIR) was required to be submitted to the ExA by Deadline One - 29 July 2025. If the LIR was not issued by the set deadline, the ExA had no obligation to take it into account, in accordance with the provisions set out in the Planning Act 2008.

Members debated the LIR at length and the report was welcomed and an acknowledgment that Officers had put a lot of work into the submission.  Members during the debate raised a number of issues regarding environmental impacts, such as ground contamination, fire hazards, noise levels, landscape character and water run-off. Members also debated the socio-economic impacts, whether 60 years could be considered to be temporary, what the breakdown of best and most versatile land was and community benefits. Officers gave clarity on some of these issues, including the extent of delegation. The lack of detail on trees was also mentioned, as well as the potential use of land between solar panels for farming. Officers gave reassurance that Members could continue to discuss concerns on behalf of communities impacted.

In accordance with the Planning Protocol, as Councillor Oldham arrived during the  Officer presentation, she took no part in the vote.

AGREED          (unanimously) that the Planning Committee delegate to Officers to                         finalise the draft Local Impact Report, enabling its release to the                            Examining Authority by Deadline One.