Erewash village residents fears for the future of ancient site, over solar farm plans branded "ridiclous"

Residents in a Derbyshire village fear for its future over “ridiculous” plans for a 120-acre solar farm metres from an ancient “hermit’s cave”.

Plans from ABEI Energy would see the 120-acre solar farm built on agricultural fields at Boyah Grange, south of Dale Abbey and metres from woodland containing a protected ancient “hermit’s cave”, known as The Hermitage, dating back to 1130.

A decision will be made by Erewash Borough Council in the next few months, with the 35.2 megawatt scheme said to be capable of providing clean energy for 14,000 homes a year.

Villagers in Dale Abbey, between Kirk Hallam and Spondon, say the solar farm ought to be built on brownfield land such as the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station or the former Stanton Ironworks site.

Paul Harvey (pictured right), a campaigner and semi-retired videographer who has lived in Dale Abbey for 47 years, said: “They keep doing things in this area that we think are stupid. There are just so many. If you don’t fight for it, you don’t keep it.

“I have some sympathy with the farmers, it is a tough way to make a living, but 120 acres is a hell of a lot.

“The landscape will never recover from that.

“I don’t think it will be visible from the village itself but the impact it will have on the village, including the landscape, footpaths and wildlife, will be significant.

“It is not just about solar panels either, it will be seven-foot-high deer fencing, CCTV towers and floodlights.

“It will be like the prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III (a German PoW camp in western Poland during the Second World War).

“It is 75,000 solar panels and you just think ‘what next?’.

“You can’t blame the farmers but it does seem excessive.

“There are only 93 of us in the village, but a lot of people come to Dale Abbey for the countryside.”

Alison Jackson, a retired GP, said: “It is sad that farmers feel that in our economy they can’t make ends meet with farming.

“I understand the need to diversify but it is sad that the way to do that is to cover the countryside in solar panels.

“We will lose valuable farmland that should be used for providing land for food production.

“This is a historical area and the Hermit’s Cave is a historical site, it is quite jarring to see these two things together. This is ancient ground.”

Nick Jackson, retired owner of a women’s underwear company, dubbed the plans “ridiculous”.

He said: “We need those fields to grow harvest for produce and it is crazy that we are doing the opposite.

“Down the road we have Rolls-Royce working on nuclear technology which provides 10x more electricity and that makes this just seem crazy.

“We have Ratcliffe power station just down the road and we are looking at building on fields. That is just criminal.”

A villager who did not want to be named said there was not a resident in Dale Abbey who was in favour of the application.

He said: “It is ridiculous. It is such a glorious spot and there are very few open green spaces in Erewash and that is just going to be destroyed by a whopping great solar farm.”

Alex Boyd, a project manager who has lived in the village for seven years, said: “I am not happy about it. It is going to take up a lot of the countryside.

“There is a lot of industrial land around Stanton and Stapleford that should be used first.

“This would destroy Green Belt land and the setting of the Hermit’s Cave. It is disrespectful.”

A spokesperson for ABEI Energy said: “We fully acknowledge the strength of local feeling and the importance of preserving the character and heritage of rural communities. 

“Following public engagement events prior to submitting a planning application we have adapted the scheme to take into account the feedback whilst still producing a viable project.

“We will continue to work with the local council during the processing of the application in order to achieve the best development for the site.

“Solar farms, like the one proposed, are one of the most established renewable electricity technologies in the UK and the cheapest form of electricity production worldwide. 

“Solar farms can be built quickly and, coupled with consistent reductions in the cost of materials and improvements in efficiency of panels, large-scale solar is now viable to deploy subsidy-free at no cost to the consumer. 

“The government has committed to sustained growth in solar capacity to ensure that the UK is on a pathway that allows it to meet net zero emissions targets and clean air objectives.

“The UK faces pressing challenges in meeting its legally binding climate targets, and renewable energy generation is a crucial part of that journey. 

“The proposed development aligns with both national and local policies and will generate enough power to supply approximately 14,000 households.

“This proposed development site will continue to share an agricultural use throughout its lifetime, with the grazing of sheep.

“‘Wildlife and Countryside Link’, an environment and wildlife protection group, have said that it considers solar farms to have ‘an insignificant impact on agricultural land compared with other types of development and that solar farms did not remotely pose enough of a threat to food security’. 

“The Government recognises that climate change is the biggest challenge to food security in the UK and that solar farms could help to address this impact.

“Our proposal avoids Best and Most Versatile agricultural land and has been subject to detailed environmental assessments to ensure that the local landscape and biodiversity is protected and, where possible, enhanced with additional planting.

“Heritage assets in the area, such as The Hermits Cave, have been fully assessed by our independent consultants and the proposed project would not affect their structure or their setting due to the topography of the site and intervening distances.

“We are also exploring opportunities for community benefit funds and local educational initiatives that, together with the landscape and biodiversity enhancements, will leave a positive legacy for the area.

“We believe this scheme would contribute meaningfully to the UK’s green energy future while respecting the values and concerns of the local community, and we encourage local residents to engage with the formal planning process or contact us directly with questions or concerns.”

Above right: pictured: Hermit's Cave - credit: Eddie Bisknell