When registering with the Planning Inspectorate, you need to include comments on the plans. Once registered, you can add to this, so don’t worry if you don’t include everything initially. When writing your comments, they should be unique to you (don’t copy and paste) and specific. You may want to think about including your thoughts on the following:

  • Use of agricultural land

  • The design or lack of design in the plans

  • Use of solar panels over other green technologies

  • 13 mile cable corridor to link the Escrick site to the Monk Fryston substation

  • Impact on the local community

  • Traffic during construction

  • Impact on local wildlife

  • Feedback about specific elements of the plans/things that you feel could be improved

  • Any discrepancies or errors in the documents submitted to the Planning Inspectorate

  • Any other concerns that you have

    Please feel free to use the Objection Template below as an example, but please don’t copy and paste this. This is not a comprehensive or specific objection, but it does cover some of the key issues. Do personalise it to suit your location, views and concerns. The more specific detail you can include for each of your points, the better.

    Template: Objection to Light Valley Solar Project

I object to the proposed Light Valley Solar Project. This proposal raises significant concerns for local residents, the environment, and the long-term character of our rural communities.

1. Use of Agricultural Land

The proposal would cover a large area of land (over 2,500 acres) currently in agricultural use.

The applicant acknowledges that there will be long-term impacts on Grade 1 and 2 agricultural land, which is among the most productive in the UK.

Given the national importance of food security, I am concerned that:

  • High-quality agricultural land is being prioritised for solar development rather than lower-grade or brownfield land.

  • The cumulative loss of such land across multiple solar schemes is not being sufficiently considered.

2. Design (or Lack of Design Detail)

The application appears to rely heavily on “illustrative layouts” and flexibility for later design stages, particularly regarding site layouts and cable routing.

This raises concerns that:

  • The true visual, environmental, and community impacts are not fully defined at this stage.

  • The Planning Inspectorate is being asked to approve a scheme without sufficient design certainty.

I would request greater clarity and fixed parameters, particularly on:

  • Panel layout and density

  • Landscaping and screening

  • Final routing of infrastructure

3. Use of Solar Panels Over Other Green Technologies

I question whether:

  • Alternative or complementary technologies (e.g. rooftop solar, wind, or distributed energy systems) have been adequately considered.

  • Large-scale ground-mounted solar is the most appropriate use of this land.

4. Cable Corridor (Approx. 13 Miles)

The proposal includes a substantial underground cable corridor connecting sites to Monk Fryston substation.

Concerns include:

  • The length and scale of disruption during installation

  • Temporary construction compounds and working widths

  • Impacts on farmland, hedgerows, and local habitats along the route

  • Impacts on local residents

This infrastructure appears to extend the project’s impact far beyond the main solar sites. Is this appropriate/reasonable?

5. Impact on the Local Community

The project spans multiple rural communities.

Key concerns:

  • Industrialisation of rural landscapes

  • Visual and character impacts

  • Long-term change to the identity of the area

  • Pace and scale of the change

6. Traffic During Construction

Concerns include:

  • HGV traffic on rural roads that are not constructed for such traffic

  • Road safety impacts

  • Noise, dust, and disruption to residents

7. Impact on Local Wildlife

Although the applicant states that biodiversity net gain will be delivered, there are identified risks including:

  • Changes to habitats during construction and decommissioning

  • Disturbance to existing ecosystems

While I support the transition to renewable energy, I do not believe this proposal, in its current form, strikes the right balance between national energy needs and local environmental, agricultural, and community impacts.

I therefore request that the Planning Inspectorate gives full and careful consideration to these concerns during the Examination process.