Cox’s Brook – Solar Farm

Summary of Work:

Landgage Heritage provided heritage and archaeological advice and assessment in relation to the installation of a proposed solar farm comprising up to 40,000, 3.8 metres high photovoltaic panels and associated infrastructures across almost 27 hectares of agricultural land in Twigworth, Gloucestershire. 

The proposed development was located close to the access drive to grade II* listed Wallsworth Hall, during initial due diligence reviews Landgage Heritage noted the potential sensitivity of the drive, even if the house itself was not intervisible with the scheme, anticipating Historic England’s (HE) position.

During pre-application discussions, HE inspectors were concerned at the potential proximity of the scheme. The HE inspector maintained this position and a potential objection to the scheme, even when the proposals were set back behind a distant hedge and would no longer affect either the experience along the drive or from the listed house.

In response, Landgage Heritage arranged a meeting with a senior HE inspector the client and the local planning authority’s (LPA) planning officers. At this meeting Landgage robustly represented the client’s case, successfully challenged HE’s understanding of the potential impact of the scheme and highlighted the benefits provided by planting proposals that had been put forward. HE changed their position from alleging meaningful harm down to a negligible level of residual harm.

This change in position ensured that there was no objection from HE, nor from the LPA’s conservation officer and the application was subsequently approved.