Further Update - 13 March 2024
The Parish Council has had the following update from Babergh District Council -
Babergh District Council advises that they expect to receive additional/amended information from the applicant in April. Babergh will then re-consult/notify the Parish Council on the further submission around the beginning of May. They expect to have completed a report and recommendation sometime in June. If it is decided that the application needs to go before the Planning Committee then this would probably be in July or August.
The decision on the planning application rests with Babergh District Council.
Cllr Marianne Munday
Chair Bentley Parish Council
Solar Farm Application - Bentley Parish Council response and what happens next
At the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 1 February 2024, the Parish Council voted unanimously to object to this planning application.
Here is our agreed response and we have recommended to Babergh District Council (BDC) that they should refuse the application on those grounds.
Bron Curtis, the planning officer at BDC has sent the following email to the Parish Council on 1 Feb -
Further to my meeting with the agent for this application this morning I thought it might be useful for me to set out the expected next steps.
- They are reviewing the community representations and consultation comments received so far and will continue to do so as the late submissions are received over the next few days.
- They are also reviewing the specific questions put to them by the community and consultees.
- They will prepare a response to questions and matters arising, intending to submit this as a single submission, likely by the end of Feb.
- Once we receive this we will carry out a full re-consultation to enable all interested parties the opportunity to review the additional information and submit any further comments.
- I will review the whole file of submissions, representations and consultation advice with a view to writing an assessment and recommendation report.
- If my recommendation is to grant permission the application will be referred to Planning Committee which I expect will likely be no earlier than April and could be later depending on the matters raised and time needed to address these.
Bentley Parish Council will keep residents updated on progress via this website and the Community Facebook page.