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ITV News
09-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Plans for huge solar farm will 'spoil views of Malvern Hills', residents say
Plans for a 271-acre solar farm in Worcestershire will 'ruin views of the Malvern Hills ', according to concerned residents. The proposed development would span countryside near Powick and would be spread over chunks of land around the main A road in the area, the A449. If it gets the go ahead, the solar farm will cover an area equivalent to around 170 football pitches. It is understood by ITV News that three different farmers would be required to lease their land to the company behind the proposals for it to be feasible. Concerned locals from Preserve Powick Landscape and Nature (PPLAN) say the plans will destroy the landscape, be damaging for wildlife and increase fire risk. They say they are also worried about the increase in traffic and noise pollution in the area. Pictures from SWNS The group has put up signs around the site and recently they marched through the affected fields in an attempt to halt the proposals. Speaking to ITV News Central, campaigner Andrea Trickett-Born said: "It's habitat loss, it's views to and from our beautiful Malvern Hills. It's the road works on the A449 which is a single carriage way road, which are going to take place for seven months plus. "But mainly, our beautiful countryside and losing this beautiful vista. If Covid has taught us anything it is to preserve our green spaces." Meanwhile, Jo Loader said hundreds of thousands of people visit the Malvern Hills each year and they want to protect the area for everyone to be able to enjoy for years to come. "We want to preserve the views, they are really special", she added. RWE Renewables UK Solar & Storage Ltd, the company behind the plans, said: "Providing a sustainable, secure home-grown source of clean electricity is essential to the UK's power security and to helping meet the Government's Clean Power 2030 targets - solar power is low cost, easy and quick to deploy while the land can be returned to its original agricultural use at the end of the project's lifecycle. "We appreciate there will be contrary opinions, and as such engagement and opportunity to encourage and listen to feedback is a cornerstone of RWE's approach to any project, including at Chapel Hill Solar Farm. The project equally has its support – during consultation in the Autumn of 2023 over 54% of feedback respondents stated that they supported the proposal for Chapel Hill Solar Farm. "Feedback as a whole has been positive, with a widespread recognition of the need for renewable energy to help tackle climate change, the ecological crisis and the UK's energy security." It added: "The batteries we propose to use are lithium-ion batteries which are exactly the same as in your mobile phone. It is safe technology. The batteries we propose to use already have significant safety measures built into them, in line with national fire chief battery guidance, that help prevent the risk of fire in the first place." A decision on whether plans will move forward is expected in the autumn.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Locals fear Britain's biggest solar farm will 'spoil views of the Malvern Hills' if plans for huge 271-acre development go ahead
Britain's biggest solar farm could spoil views of the Malvern Hills, protesters have claimed as they marched in an attempt to halt plans for the 271-acre development. Opponents to the proposals by RWE Renewables UK Solar & Storage Ltd near Powick in Worcestershire claim it will destroy the landscape and could pose a fire risk. The group from Preserve Powick Landscape and Nature (PPLAN) marched through parts of the proposed site yesterday having already erected signs around the area. They are worried that the solar farm will disrupt views of the Malvern Hills, cause harm to local wildlife and present a fire risk from batteries used to store energy. Powick resident Steve Lloyd, who lives across from the proposed entrance to the site, told how he was also concerned about increased traffic and noise in the area. He said: 'It's mainly the size of it. I'm a farmer - and it's so close to my house and my farm. I'm just thinking about what could go wrong. 'Apparently they can catch fire from the battery storage system. People are worried about the fire risk, and the wildlife. There's also the glare from it - and just the actual size of it. Traffic is also very much a concern - it's on a single track lane.' The site would be bigger than that current largest scheme in the UK, which is found at Shotwick Solar Park in Deeside, North Wales, which covers 250 acres. PPLAN leader Peter Loader, who lives adjacent to the proposed development, is concerned about fire risks and traffic disruptions which could last seven months. He said: 'The reason I've been coordinating these events that have taken place in opposition to the solar farm is primarily the impact on the landscape. 'There are a lot of people who won't be able to walk through that area - and the Malvern Hills is an area of outstanding natural beauty. 'Both the Malvern Hills Trust and the National Landscape people have objected because the view from the Malvern Hills would clearly be impacted by this site. 'The A449 has more than 20,000 vehicles a day going along it - and that is pretty much the capacity for a single carriageway A-road. 'Because they need to lay a cable from this side to the nearest substation, they're proposing putting roadworks up for seven months - and that's pretty serious.' Mr Loader said the construction would 'affect people's day to day lives' with taking children to school, but could also impact ambulances. He continued: 'Many residents are concerned about the fire risk - when they catch fire, they can't be put out. When that happens, there's a toxic vapour cloud that forms, and the fairly large housing estate is downwind.' Fellow campaigner and resident Andrea Trickett-Born told BBC News: 'I do think there is a better place for solar panels. 'It's on roofs, it's on public buildings, it's on schools, it's on warehouses, on car parks - anywhere else that's not just taking up available, usable farmland.' But Bente Klein, from RWE Renewables UK Solar & Storage Ltd, told the BBC that the site was near the National Grid and it was therefore the 'best and most suitable' location. She added that trees and hedges meant there would be no major effects on views. Malvern Hills District Council told the BBC it could not comment on the project during the planning process, but confirmed that the application was submitted in January.
Telegraph
08-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
UK's biggest solar farm ‘will ruin views of the Malvern Hills'
Britain's biggest solar farm will ruin the views of the Malvern Hills if it gets planning permission, residents have warned. Opponents of plans for a 271-acre solar farm near Powick, Worcestershire, have said it will destroy the natural landscape and pose a fire risk to people living nearby. Preserve Powick Landscape and Nature (PPLAN), who have already erected signs around the area, marched from Hospital Lane in Powick through parts of the proposed site on Sunday. They are worried the solar farm will disrupt views of the Malvern Hills, cause harm to local wildlife, and pose fire risks from batteries used to store energy. Peter Loader, the leader of PPLAN who lives adjacent to the site, has described his concerns over the proposed development, including fire risks and traffic disruptions expected to last at least seven months. He said the reason he had been co-ordinating the events in opposition to the solar farm 'is primarily the impact on the landscape'. 'There are a lot of people who won't be able to walk through that area – and the Malvern Hills is an area of outstanding natural beauty,' Mr Loader said. 'Both the Malvern Hills Trust and the National Landscape people have objected because the view from the Malvern Hills would clearly be impacted by this site. 'The A449 has more than 20,000 vehicles a day going along it – and that is pretty much the capacity for a single carriageway A-road. Because they need to lay a cable from this side to the nearest substation, they're proposing putting roadworks up for seven months – and that's pretty serious. 'Not only will it affect people's day-to-day lives, with taking children to school, it will also affect ambulances. Many residents are concerned about the fire risk – when they catch fire, they can't be put out. 'When that happens, there's a toxic vapour cloud that forms, and the fairly large housing estate is downwind.' Steve Lloyd, who lives across from the proposed entrance to the solar farm, said he was worried about increased traffic and noise in the area, as well as the potential fire hazards. He said his greatest concern was 'mainly the size of it'. 'I'm a farmer, and it's so close to my house and my farm. I'm just thinking about what could go wrong. Apparently they can catch fire from the battery storage system,' Mr Lloyd said. 'People are worried about the fire risk and the wildlife. There's also the glare from it, and just the actual size of it. Traffic is also very much a concern – it's on a single-track lane.' RWE Renewables UK Solar & Storage Ltd, which is behind the plans, told the BBC that the site was close to the National Grid, making it 'the best and most suitable' location for the project.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Powick campaigners battle huge solar farm plans near village
Campaigners fighting plans for a 271-acre (109.7-hectare) solar farm near a village argue it would harm landscapes and Preserving Powick Land and Nature (PPLAN) group said the scheme, on land either side of the A449 near Powick, would disrupt views of Worcestershire's Malvern Hills, put a strain on roads and pose fire risks from batteries used for energy Klein, from the energy firm behind the plans, RWE Renewables UK Solar & Storage Ltd, said the proposed site was near the National Grid network and trees and hedges meant there would be no major effects on views.A Malvern Hills District Council spokeswoman said they could not comment during the planning process. Campaigner Peter Loader said: "The sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow."He said the plans meant "massive" battery storage was needed which he claimed was a fire fellow campaigner and resident Andrea Trickett-Born said the solar farm would be visible from Powick and the Malvern that food security was a national issue, she said: "I do think there is a better place for solar panels and it's on roofs, it's on public buildings, it's on schools, it's on warehouses, on car parks - anywhere else that's not just taking up available, usable farmland." However Ms Klein, from RWE, said the biggest risk to food security was climate change, adding: "If we're not actually tackling climate change, then food security will be even more difficult."She said the scheme needed to be as close to the National Grid network as possible and the site was "the best and most suitable" for the project. The council spokeswoman said the application for a solar farm and battery energy storage system at Monksfield Farm, Monksfield Lane, Newland, was submitted in said the authority recognised the role of renewable energy in supporting sustainability and national energy must be balanced against issues such as the landscape, heritage, agriculture, biodiversity, access and the views of the local community, she added. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
