Solar Farm big enough to power more than 23,000 homes to be built on Brentwood farmland
Planning officers say the benefits of sustainable power outweighed the harms
Piers Meyler
14:00, 23 Jul 2026
(Image: Google)
A solar farm big enough to power more than 20,000 homes on almost 100 hectares of farmland is set to be built in Essex. The scheme at Fitzwalters Farm, north of the A12 in Shenfield is set to produce 49.9MW of power, enough for 23,410 homes a year, the equivalent of 77 per cent of the 30,600 occupied households in the borough.
The 95 hectare development on green belt on land around Hall Lane would 'temporarily see the loss of farmland.' But officers said at the planning meeting on July 21 there was "no significant permanent loss of farming land". They add that the benefits of sustainable power outweighed the harms.
An officer said: "The harms are substantially outweighed by the public benefits and this weighs significantly in favour of granting permission. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a marginal or finally balanced recommendation from officers.
"This is a temporary planning permission for up to 40 years of operation. It is a temporary use of land before reverting to former agricultural use. There would be a significant positive contribution towards national energy security. The proposal does not represent inappropriate development in the green belt. The site would remain greenbelt."
Deborah Stones who has lived on the Fitzwalters Farm estate for 30 years said "This site is good productive farmland and should not be taken out of agricultural production. Once farmland is gone it is gone forever and in all likelihood will be rendered suitable for development after 40 years has expired."
Councillor Philippa Nicholson said: "This proposal would occupy agricultural land for 40 years. 40 years is not a short temporary interruption. It's generational. Although the land may be eventually restored, many of today's residents will never see that restoration. Again, the long-term impacts I don't believe - and my residents don't - that it's been given sufficient weight."
Councillor Phil Mynott, chairman of planning said: “I have concerned about this application but the report says to me the concerns I have about this application have stronger counter arguments against them that they have favour of them and that is what I’ve got to come back to.”
