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Campaigners oppose solar farm on former airfield

Laura CoffeyNorthamptonshire political reporter, Desborough
BBC A group of four people standing next to each other. The two women are wearing white T-shirts with the campaign group logo. Two people are wearing sunglasses and two are wearing glasses.BBC
Residents have formed a campaign group opposing the plans

A campaign group has been formed to oppose a proposed solar farm on a former RAF airfield.

A planning application was submitted to North Northamptonshire Council in June for solar and energy storage development on the former Desborough Airfield and surrounding land.

Opponents of the scheme say the proposal is too big and will have a "devastating impact" on the environment and wildlife.

Innova, which submitted the application, said: "The proposal would support local and national renewable energy generation, contributing to energy security and the UK's transition to a lower-carbon electricity system."

Agricultural fields. In the distance is a treeline.
RAF Desborough was an airbase during World War Two

Innova said the site would be capable of generating up to 99.9 MW of renewable energy, enough to power about 32,000 homes.

The site would also include up to 100 MW of energy storage.

Keith Walkling, 72, who lives in the nearby village of Wilbarston, said: "You're looking at thousands of panels up 3.2 metres in height. The whole vista will be completely changed."

Brent Knox-Holmes, 63, who also lives in Wilbarston, said: "I think the game-changer is the battery energy storage system which gives them the ability to store electricity when it's being over-produced. These things are very noisy."

RAF Desborough was operational between 1943 and 1953. Plans for a smaller solar development on the same site were approved by the former Kettering Borough Council in 2015.

Innova/OS Maps A map of Desborough Airfield and the surrounding area showing villages and fields. The dark blue shaded area is the site of the proposed solar and energy storage development.Innova/OS Maps
The application states permission is sought for a temporary period of 50 years

Innova said: "The application is supported by extensive environmental and technical assessments covering matters such as landscape and visual impact, ecology, heritage, agricultural land quality, traffic, noise and has taken into account community feedback as part of the iterative design process, resulting in the relocation of the proposed substations and energy storage units.

"The site's suitability for renewable energy development has been recognised for some time.

"Planning permission was granted for a large-scale solar farm at the airfield in 2015, and the Draft Neighbourhood Plan identifies the area as suitable for renewable energy development, including both solar generation and up to 10 wind turbines."

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