A public hearing into plans for a controversial solar farm between Darlington and Stockton has begun.
Officials representing the Government Planning Inspectorate, the applicant, and residents were present in Darlington on Tuesday and Wednesday at the opening of the hearing.
Stretching from Brafferton, off the A167 near Darlington, to the north east of Bishopton, the Byers Gill Solar Farm is set to generate energy for about 70,000 homes.
However, residents opposing the proposal said it would devastate local communities and farmland.
The six areas outlined for the solar panels are Brafferton, Hauxley Farm, Byers Gill Wood, Great Stainton, and two near Bishopton. The project will have a lifespan of 40 years, after which the land will be returned to its former state, said applicant RWE.
A strong community campaign has been supported by hundreds of residents and politicians since it was formed in 2022, as other solar farms have been approved nearby.
The Byers Gill application by RWE will be decided by the Government Planning Inspectorate due to its proposed size.
Bishopton resident Norman Mullaney told how one resident warned of becoming “a prisoner” in the village if the solar farm is approved.
“There is a large amount of anxiety and anguish about the impact of the poorly-located solar farm,” he said.
“The size and location of the development is a major concern. It’s been dropped in. There’s a significant, major impact on residents.”
Peter Wood, chair of the Bishopton Village Hall Association, said his family’s 150-year history in farming enabled him to understand the importance of the farmland that is under threat - and has been used by a successful potato-growing business. He added: “This is good productive land and we’re losing it.”
Locals have instead suggested wind turbines would be better suited for the land, which could still be used for farming and wildlife would not be adversely affected.
Peter Galvin, who owns a nearby dog kennels, told the hearing how the solar farm could impact his business.
“This project will have a devastating effect on us as a family in terms of the inconvenience and its appearance,” he said.
The hearing heard that “adequate and extensive assessments have been carried out of the potential impacts of the project”.
Michael Baker, Project Manager for Byers Gill Solar, previously said: “The approach taken to the design of the project has been shaped and influenced by the local landscape, and with local communities and their enjoyment of the local area in mind.
“The height of the solar PV modules has been reduced, construction access routes have been altered in line with feedback, and we have moved back the solar panel further from residential properties.”
Further meetings are proposed later this year. Byers Gill Solar was contacted for further comment.
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