Arundel and South Downs MP, Andrew Griffith, has welcomed news from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government that the Secretary of State has accepted his call-in request on the Wisborough Green solar farm application.
The MP was dismayed at Chichester District Council’s decision to permit planning for a 25-hectare solar farm on farmland between Wisborough Green and Loxwood. The application was subject to a significant number of objections citing concerns about construction traffic and safety on the rural lanes, concerns about flooding, and an overall loss of open countryside.
Last week’s planning committee voted in favour of the application.
Andrew has previously led opposition, organising a petition that was presented in Parliament, and following the council’s decision he wrote to the Secretary of State to request that the application was ‘called-in’ for government scrutiny.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government wrote to Chichester District Council on Friday to issue an Article 31 Direction. The council must not publish its decision until the Secretary of State has reviewed the case for himself.
Andrew Griffith MP said:
“It was important that this solar farm application was called-in. I am pleased that the Secretary of State has accepted my petition and will look at this application for himself. Using his powers, he can direct under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 that the application should be referred to him for determination.
“This is a process that fully supports local democracy by giving a stronger voice to the local residents whose views were completely ignored in last weeks decision. This solar farm has direct consequences of delivering ‘open season’ on our farmland and should never have been approved. I will do everything I can to protect our part of rural West Sussex.”
