Victory for Yorkshire tenant farmers as solar farm proposal rejected

North Yorkshire planning officials have refused an application for a solar farm and battery storage system on tenanted farmland following concern over a family's livelihood.

Harmony Energy wanted to build the renewable energy site on 52 hectares of arable land at Old Malton, which has been farmed by tenant farmers Rob and Emma Sturdy for over 30 years.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is also the MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, had been urged to reject the proposal by the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA).

The North Yorkshire Strategic Planning Committee, which considered the application at its meeting on the 10 October, voted to refuse the development.