Whitestone solar farm plan causing 'heartache', residents say

Residents campaigning against plans to create one of Europe’s largest solar farms in South Yorkshire have said the proposal is “causing a great deal of heartache across the region”.

The application for the Whitestone solar farm between Doncaster and Rotherham is subject to a complex planning process as it is classed as a national infrastructure project.

Campaigners are holding a series of meetings as they are concerned many residents do not understand the scale of the proposal.

The solar farm was originally set to cover 3,500 acres (5.5sq miles) but Green Nation, the company leading the project, said the area covered by solar panels had been “reduced substantially” following consultation.

It said larger buffer zones had been created around homes, villages, public rights of way and environmentally sensitive areas.

If constructed as proposed, the 750MW solar farm, designed to power about 250,000 homes, would extend from Conisbrough through Ravenfield, Bramley, Wickersley, Hellaby, Thurcroft, Brampton-en-le-Morthen, Anston, Aston, Whiston and towards Brinsworth.

It would be bigger than the Witznitz Solar Park in Germany, currently mainland Europe’s largest operational farm with a 650 MW capacity, covering 1,250 acres.

However, the Dama Solar project in Romania, which is in advanced development, has a planned peak capacity of up to 1.3 GW across 2,630 acres.