STORY
Lincolnshire County Council and North Kesteven District Council have formally issued judicial review proceedings over ministerial approval for what would become the UK’s largest solar farm.
The Springwell Solar Farm, approved by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband in April, would cover around 1,280 hectares of land near Scopwick. The councils argue that the application did not properly assess effects on rural villages and landscapes, or adequately consider the cumulative impact of developments in Lincolnshire.
A judge will now decide whether there are arguable grounds for the case to proceed beyond the permission stage. North Kesteven’s leader said the councils were acting on nine points and that, although the action would have a cost, failing to challenge the decision was not considered to be in residents’ interests.