PROPOSALS for a large-scale solar farm that would take over about 23,000 hectares of agricultural land near Northallerton have been recommended for refusal by planning officers.

Two planning applications from farmers Stuart Charlton and Philip Sanderson will be debated by Hambleton District Council’s planning committee on Thursday (November 13), regarding land north east of Ainderby Steeple.

Refusal has been recommended by planning officers for both applications.

The proposals have already faced criticism from residents of the village who fear the idyllic setting would be seriously harmed and that it would become known as a “solar park village”.

Resident John Ozelton said: “It is an inappropriate development that would damage the nature and heritage of the village.

“It would be visible from a number of houses and would detract from residents’ enjoyment of their homes – and because some homes are elevated it would be impossible to screen the panels for them.”

The first planning application is for a ground-mounted photovoltaic solar farm over 9.6 acres of land, which is currently being used for grazing livestock and is close to the heritage Wensleydale Railway tourist line.

It would include almost 6,000 individual solar panels standing at 2.44m that would generate about 1.5Mw of electricity at peak times – enough to power 323 homes and offsetting 624,790kg of carbon dioxide a year.

The second application is for a 13 hectare site in the same area, which is just 400m from Ainderby Steeple at its nearest point.

The second, larger site would have about 18,000 panels and is anticipated to generate 5.9Mw of electricity at peak times, capable of powering 1,318 homes.

Ainderby Steeple Parish Council has said it wishes to see both applications refused because it is too close to the village, and within sight of the Grade I listed St Helen’s Church and churchyard.

Bowler Energy, which is working alongside the farmers, said the proposal would help the government meet its target of 15 per cent of the country’s energy coming from renewable sources by 2020, while diversifying and strengthening the rural economy.

A spokesman for the firm said: “The development proposed would not result in the loss of agricultural land as the installation of the solar array is a temporary, albeit long-term, use of the land which would incorporate the on-going agricultural activity, through sheep grazing.”

It has been proposed the solar farm, which would be silent and feature non-reflective panels, would be screened from the village through the planting of hedgerows.