Campaigners say they will fight on after plans for the UK’s second-biggest solar farm were given government approval, despite a recommendation that they should be refused.
The One Earth solar farm and its battery storage facility will cover nearly 4,000 acres near Dunham-on-Trent, spanning the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire border.
The independent Planning Inspectorate said it should be turned down for numerous reasons, including flood risk and visual impact.
However, the government ignored this and granted approval for the scheme, saying the renewable energy generated, equivalent to powering 200,000 homes, was vital.
The application by renewable energy companies Ørsted and PS Renewables will surround the villages for the next 60 years.
David White, the leader of an action group opposing the scheme, said: “Even though the government has given permission, it’s a victory for us.
“We were realistic that the government seems to be steamrolling these through.
“The Planning Inspectorate recognised it was the wrong place, which has never happened before. We’re an outlier.
“This solar farm will change the character of the area forever, and there are so many better places to put it.
“We will fight on. We are going through the hundreds of pages with a fine-tooth comb to see if there’s any possible solution. This has given us heart, and we will explore every angle.”
The action group was particularly concerned about how close the battery storage facility would be to a reservoir that provides drinking water to Lincoln.
Ray Armstrong said people living in local villages were “mortified” by the decision.
He said: “They’ve effectively decided to put a massive industrial area here, which will look atrocious and endanger people’s drinking water.”
Martin Oates said: “The character of the area is going to change dramatically.
“The fields in front of my home will be blanketed with huge three-metre-high panels as far as the eye can see.
“We must now consider whether we have grounds to appeal. It could be complicated and costly, but we have to consider it.”
The planning process heard objections from local residents and councils, with West Lindsey councillors describing it as a “get rich quick scheme”.
The final decision was made on behalf of the government by Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Lord Whitehead.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “The only way to have energy security is if we take a pro-growth approach to building more clean energy in Britain. For the past two years, that is exactly what this Government has done.”
One potential legal action is a judicial review to argue that the decision was made incorrectly, as Lincolnshire County Council is currently seeking one for a different application.
By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter