Over the past couple of weeks I've been circulating information throughout the community about a company's proposal to install a solar farm on land to the south of Fillpoke Lane between Crimdon and High Hesleden.
To outline its plans the company will hold a public exhibition at the Ship Inn at High Hesleden this coming Tuesday, 18 February between 2 and 8pm. This event will mark the beginning of a three week public engagement exercise, which the company says will give it a view on whether or not to submit a full planning application to the county council. I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation to let the company know what their feelings are about a solar farm in open countryside between our villages. Please see full background details in this link: Company seeks public opinion on Solar Farm proposal at Fillpoke Lane
Since I began publicising the company's proposals it appears there's a handful of residents who believe there's no point in engaging with the company because this is already a done deal, or even that it doesn't matter what we say. While people are entitled to their own opinion, I profoundly disagree with any suggestion that it doesn't matter what we have to say. Quite the opposite is true, and there's evidence to prove that engaging and organising in our communities can reap rewards if we stand together behind a common cause.
A few years ago a company announced plans to construct a solar farm at nearby Sheraton, which at the moment is still in the Blackhall ward. The community as a whole didn't want it so we worked with residents to organise a campaign to fight the proposal. Although it was a long drawn-out struggle the community prevailed in the end when the planning committee refused planning consent for the solar farm. Members of the planning committee were persuaded by our campaign and its main message - this was the wrong type of the development in the wrong place.
Although the company subsequently appealed the council's decision to refuse consent we should never be put off by what might happen next. The community campaign in Sheraton showed what we can achieve when we organise, agree a united campaign and then work alongside one another to make a stand.
The late trade union leader Bob Crow once said that 'if you fight back you won't always win. But if you don't fight back you will always lose'. I for one will never concede without a fight - and I know from experience that our communities share the same tenacity when the time comes to stand together.
We have plans in place to hold our own public meeting for residents of Hesleden, Crimdon and Blackhall where we'll have the opportunity to voice our opinion on this latest solar farm proposal, with full details to be announced soon. In the meantime I would encourage every resident and business to engage in the pubic consultation exercise over the next few weeks. That will set the scene for what comes next.
Please follow the link below for full details of the Sheraton solar farm campaign: Committee rejects Sheraton Solar Farm proposal
