A group of town and parish councils has called on North Yorkshire Council to ensure its under-staffed planning department fully assesses plans for a huge solar energy scheme.
The open letter has been signed by 11 councils with concerns about the 500MW Light Valley Solar project planned for agricultural land near Selby.
The letter says it has formally placed the council’s planning department “on notice” regarding the controversial scheme.
It adds: “If approved, it will impact an area extending approximately 13 miles, perhaps one of the biggest developments in this region for decades.
“This is a very large-scale industrial solar facility, with nearly one million 4m to 5m high solar panels, associated substations and battery storage sites – if approved it will be one of the largest developments in the UK.”
Light Valley has been declared a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), meaning it will be decided by the Secretary of State rather than local councillors.
The councils say that their role within the planning process is limited and it is the job of North Yorkshire Council to provide a detailed response as part of the consultation
The unitary authority’s planning department has recently faced criticism from parish councillors and its own members about delays in dealing with applications and providing responses to applicants.
Earlier this year, it emerged that the department was 15 members short amid a national shortage of qualified planning staff.
The letter continues: “We respectfully request that the council’s planning team has sufficient resources at hand to thoroughly assess and respond to the Light Valley Solar application as it enters the development consent order process, with a likely planning submission to the Planning Inspectorate in early 2026.
“We ask that the council’s response provides a transparent, timely and balanced, comprehensive evaluation addressing the key issues of landscape impact; heritage considerations; and highways and transport implications.
“Given the scale and potential long-term effects of the proposal, we believe that a full and robust assessment from North Yorkshire Council’s planning team is essential to protect the interests of our communities and the wider area.”
The letter concludes by offering to help North Yorkshire Council prepare its response and notes that a large amount of research has already been carried out by the parish councils.
North Yorkshire Council’s director for community development, Nic Harne, confirmed receipt of the letter and said the authority would respond.
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