THE COMPANY behind plans for a solar farm at Yorkley says it will plough £180,000 into the local community if the project gets the go-ahead – but planners will be told they should not attach any weight to the offer when they consider a planning application.

Mitcheldean-based Bee Green Solar wants to put 18,656 ground-mounted panels on land at Yorkley Court Farm.

The firm says that while it is under no obligation to offer cash or other benefits to the area, it is setting up a company interest company to encourage other developers to put cash into a pot to develop local facilities.

Bee Green Solar is also pledging £100,000 to renovate listed buildings on the site.

The Forest Council's planning committee will meet next Monday (June 29) to consider the proposal and the recommendation from officials is that it is refused permission.

On the question of the community contribution, the advice to councillors is that while the payment "may be desirable and may be one which could be seen as a strong reason for granting permission", it falls outside the scope of planning regulations.

A report to the committee states: "...this contribution cannot be a material consideration and members should not give it any weight in assessing the planning merits of this application."

Among the reasons for the recommendation to refuse the application is that it has not been demonstrated that poorer quality land is being used.

It is also claimed the applicants have not shown it will not have an adverse impact on the landsape or that the site is safe and stable to accommodate the development and it will also affect nearby "heritage assets".

The council has received 16 letters from residents objecting to the plan and a total of 44 letters – including 25 that were pre-printed – in support.

Bee Green Solar wants to create a five megawatt solar farm on a 30-acre former open cast mine on the site which it says could supply 1,200 homes with electricity.

The company says the £180,000 would be split between West Dean Parish Council and Lydney Town Council to distribute as they see fit.

Bee Green Solar's boss, Richard Wood, said: "Bee Green as a company has already supported a number of good causes locally – supplying solar panels to the Victoria Centre in Lydney, as well as giving financial support to the town's rugby club."

"This is something we plan to continue doing and we very much hope this will be the way forward with our latest solar project.

"The site connects the Forest's past and present and is ideally situated not far from Lydney's Norchard sub station which used to burn coal."

The plan is one of three around the Forest currently going through the planning system.

At Awre, plans for 187,000 solar panels have attracted criticism but the company behind the scheme says it will help safeguard local farming.

Peter Grubb, director at Smiths Gore, the consultancy responsible for developing the Awre Peninsula Farmers' Community Solar Scheme, said: "The objective of the Awre solar scheme is very much to safeguard local farming at a time when it is facing increasing challenges and to help safeguard the peninsula itself and existing recreational access to its footpaths."

But a public meeting in the village last week attended by about 80 people came out against the plans.

Dave Johnson, of the Solar Action Group, said: "Many present did not realise the sheer size and scale of the proposal and that the solar panels will be one metre higher than normal due to the flood risk.

At Northwood Green near Westbury, Severn Valley Woodworks is looking for permission to install 384 panels on existing buildings.

The company says the vast majority of the power generated will be used on site.