Plans ongoing for 75-hectare Foxholes Solar Farm on hill overlooking Norwell conservation village
A 75.38 hectare farm site could be populated with solar panels if plans are approved.
An application has been underway for the Foxholes Solar farm, on the outskirts of Norwell, since 2022, with the latest alterations made in March this year.
Submitted by Foxholes Solar Ltd, for land at Foxholes Farm, Bathley Lane, the plans would see the side of a hill to the south of the village covered in 82,038 solar modules, and associated infrastructure.
The land is classed as a mixture of good and moderate quality agricultural land.
Planning documents state the development “will have an operational life of 40 years, after which time it will be decommissioned, the equipment removed and the land restored to its original condition”.
The development would have a capacity of up to 49.9MW of renewable energy — putting it under the current 50MW threshold for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects which require government consent.
The application will therefore be decided by Newark and Sherwood District Council.
The panels to be used in the project will sit up to four metres above the ground level, and will move to follow the path of the sun.
Planning documents added: “[The site] has no environmental or historic designations, is relatively secluded from surrounding residential properties and will have limited impact on the visual amenities of the surrounding area.”
Additional hedgerows are proposed to be included to provide additional screening of the site, particularly along the two public rights of way which pass through it.
To the east, the application site borders land proposed to be included in the large-scale Great North Road (GNR) Solar and Biodiversity Park — but the adjacent area is not planned to house any solar panels as part of the GNR scheme.
A number of objections have been received from members of the public and submitted to the planning portal, with one Norwell resident saying the development “will ruin the views of the village as you approach it from Bathley Hill and will present a ugly view from this conservation village looking towards Bathley Hill”.
Other concerns have been raised about the affect on the public rights of way, with many equestrians from the area using these to exercise their horses, as well as a “negative effect on tourism” at caravan sites used by people seeking peaceful countryside holidays near the village.
Possible flooding has also been highlighted, with residents fearing the development would put additional pressure on The Beck at the bottom of the hill.
Another resident wrote: “Norwell village is a conservation village and although this proposal comes under the jurisdiction of Bathley Parish Council the site cannot be seen at all by the parishioners of Bathley, but will be hugely invasive to those living in Norwell.”
