A planned solar farm between Rotherham and Doncaster is getting a major redesign after strong feedback from local residents.
Green Nation, the developer behind Whitestone Solar Farm, has announced it will shrink the project by nearly a quarter, removing panels from areas close to homes, villages and public paths.
“During our first consultation… we received considerable feedback from the community and want to thank everyone who took the time to engage,” said Jonathan Thompson, CEO of Green Nation.
Residents had voiced concerns about the project’s scale and proximity to homes. In response, Green Nation has cut 279 hectares (689 acres) from the plan.
These areas will now be left as open space or used for environmental enhancements like wildflower planting to boost biodiversity.
Even with these reductions, the solar farm will still play a key role in delivering clean energy.
The updated design maintains offsets around hedgerows, footpaths and other key features, ensuring the project blends more seamlessly into the landscape.
Green Nation plans to launch a second consultation this autumn, where locals can review the revised plans and preliminary environmental assessments.
Full details on how to participate will be shared closer to the date.
With Labour ripping up planning blocks for their clean energy push, this sort of communication and response to local objections could be the way forward between balacing the needs of the transition and the needs of the people.
