Decision

The Planning Committee resolved that:

a)    It was agreed that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in the committee report subject to a minor revision to the wording of condition 1 to clarify the final date by which the facility must be decommissioned and the land restored; and

b)    the precise wording of this revised condition to be delegated to and agreed between the Chair of the Planning Committee West and the Lead Planning Officer.

Revised condition wording

1. On or before 31 March 2068 (being 55 years following the development hereby permitted being brought into use), or within six months of the cessation of electricity generation by the solar PV facility hereby permitted (whichever is the sooner), the solar PV panels, frames, ground screws, inverter housings, and all associated structures, foundations and fencing approved shall be dismantled and removed from the site. The site shall subsequently be restored in accordance with a scheme and method statement (that shall include deconstruction traffic management) that shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority no later than three months following the cessation of power production.

Reason: To ensure that the site is adequately restored following the decommissioning of the site in the interests of the visual amenities of the area, in accordance with Policy DM1 of Taunton Deane Core Strategy.

(Voting, 6 For, 2 Abstentions)