The planning committee of Gedling Borough Council has given its go ahead to an application to create a country park out of a part of the former site of Gedling Colliery in Nottinghamshire. A separate application has been put forward for consideration to create a solar panel farm on 34 acres of the proposed country park.
A Solar Farm
(image credit: mcmees24)
Mark Glover, who is the chair of Gedling Conservation Trust has claimed that the proposed solar panel farm would look an eyesore to anyone visiting the country park and that it would be preposterous to build such a thing in the intended location. What was the spoil tip has turned into a hill that has a variety of species living there.
It is expected that work will commence on the park at some point later in 2013 and is costing £1.1 million with the funding being made by the council. The park will cover 250 acres and will incorporate woods, footpaths and a new access providing a delightful natural habitat. Furthermore, it is expected that the council will be going to submit more applications to build a children’s play area plus a centre for visitors at a future date.
In 2012 RE-Fin Solar that is a solar farm developer had plans submitted to the council with a view to creating the farm that would incorporate 23,000 solar panels in the centre of the proposed park. The application for the solar panel farm is expected to receive the consideration of council planners at some point later in 2013.
The actual site is owned by UK Coal but closed back in 1991 since which time it has not been utilised for anything. It is expected that the council will lease the land and expects to complete the paperwork in the course of the next few days but hopes that it will eventually buy the land.
