PLANS to build Barnsley’s biggest ever solar farm were rejected this week when councillors took the rare decision to go against the recommendations but the firm behind the scheme have already lodged an appeal notification which could end up costing the council a quarter of a million pounds.

The sprawling site, put forward by clean energy firm Enviromena, is roughly the size of 130 football pitches.

According to its designers, the first parcel lies north of Ferry Moor Lane, the second is to the west of Engine Lane and the third which is the largest is to the east of Engine Lane.

The massive development would have seen solar panels installed across three parcels of land to the east and west of Engine Lane for the next 40 years, with construction expected to take around a year.

The scheme, which first surfaced in 2023 before a formal planning application was logged in January last year, has divided the local community.

Enviromena bosses claim the site will generate enough clean electricity to power up to 25,000 homes a year amounting to nearly a quarter of all households in the Barnsley borough.

However, the scale of the project has drawn fierce criticism from campaigners desperate to protect the local landscape.

The council’s planning officers had recommended the application for approval but, in a rarely-seen act, councillors on the board decided to go against the recommendation and instead voted the plans down.

Each of the Reform councillors on the board voted against the plans, as did Labour councillor Joe Hayward.

Campaigner Ann Skelton and Enviromena’s Lee Adams were both given time to speak before the meeting.

Ann said: “I’m a girl from Cudworth, born and bred.

“It is greenbelt land and recommended for approval.

“However, we’re asking you to think about coming to a different conclusion.

“The report correctly says that it is inappropriate development in the greenbelt.”

Coun Hayward told the meeting that the proposal is ‘not respecting the wildlife’ and asked what would come next before stating he would be unable to support the application.

Coun Andy Wray also cited concerns over the policing of the wattage of the solar farm and asked for the application to be deferred to the next planning meeting where more information could be provided, while Coun David Greenhough asked planning boss Gary Hildersley whether similar plans have been rejected and then approved after appeal subsequently costing the council thousands of pounds.

The answer was yes and so he originally voted in favour of the council’s recommendations before voting to defer the meeting.

Reform’s Coun Christopher Charlton then spoke against the plans, citing reasons around the loss of green space, noise, disruption and asked whether or not residents will actually see any benefit to the scheme.

After rejecting the recommendations, councillors then voted against deferring the plans before it was officially rejected.

Enviromena’s Lee told the Chronicle after the meeting it was all part of a ‘Reform pantomime’ with ‘inexperienced councillors’ making the decision.

He said that an appeal notification was lodged immediately after the meeting, and that the appeal process could cost the council around £250,000 should they succeed.

He said: “This is a policy-compliant scheme that has been thoroughly assessed over four years, and the professional conclusion of the council’s own officers was that it should be approved.

“The council has been notified of our intention to appeal and we are confident that it will reaffirm the strength of this project.”

Dedicated campaigner Linda Noble told the Chronicle that despite Enviromena already planning to appeal, they will not stop the fight.

She said: “I’m so proud of Ann.

“I’m sure that we’re all thrilled with the decision but the fight will go on.

“No doubt that Enviromena will appeal and we’ll be ready and waiting.

“The fight isn’t over yet and we’re ready for round two.”