Call for fresh Whitestone consultations rejected by Government officials
A REQUEST to order fresh consultations over the Whitestone solar energy planning application has been rejected by Government staff - clearing the way for the plan to move forward to a decision on whether it can go ahead.
Whitestone want to develop three large areas spanning Conisbrough Parks and two sites in Rotherham around Ulley, Wales/Kiveteon Park and Woodall, but their plan has proved highly controversial.
The Government decision will come as a blow to protestors, who have raised a series of complaints about the scheme - largely focused on the impact of such wide-reaching development on communities in the areas affected.
Rawmarsh and Conisbrough MP John Healey wrote to the Government’s chief planning officer, suggesting that the three sites should be subjected to local consultations - rather than being done as one.
Mr Healey described the over-arching consultation as “artificial”, though it resulted in Whitestone scaling back their proposals by more than a third, based on the feedback they received.
The development is so large it will be decided by the Government, rather than through the normal planning process which is overseen by councils.
The Planning Inspectorate has now written to Whitestone to confirm the “decision to accept an application for examination for an order granting development consent”.
The letter states that it had “concluded that the application is of a satisfactory standard”.
It also confirms the decision was made by Government officials, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
The Whitestone proposals highlight the sensitivities around the Government’s aim to move towards a carbon neutral society, to help fight climate change.
Major electricity generation schemes will be needed to harness the power needed, and to store it until it is needed to be fed into the national grid.
But the impact of such schemes on surrounding communities causes widespread opposition.
In Conisbrough, a protest group was set up to fight the proposals because of the impact they believe it would have on the historic Consbrough Parks area.
Rotherham MP Sarah Champion and Rother Valley MP Jake Richards, who’s constituencies are also affected, have raised their own concerns about the scheme.