A fresh bid to build a solar farm has been met with renewed objections. 

Proposals by Lightsoure bp for the site near Burnhope, County Durham, have been lodged despite a judicial review ruling Durham County Council’s decision to approve the scheme was “unlawful”. 

The developer resubmitted its application for the 92-hectare site earlier this year and said it had improved landscaping to minimise visual impacts. However, campaigners argue the proposal is the same size and still contains 110,640 panels.

Up to 14 fields near the County Durham village could be overlaid with panels, including areas near the Chapman’s Well nature reserve. 

Lightsource bp said the project would deliver energy to around 14,000 homes and provide £500,000 in community benefits and millions in business rates.

Objecting to the proposal, Victoria Dodd warned of the “huge” detrimental impact on the village. 

“The sheer scale of the proposed development is intimidating,” she said. “The encroachment on the village and residents of Burnhope will be overwhelming and should not be allowed to proceed. 

“This is an industrial-sized development in a tiny village. The glare and glint imposed is beyond what is reasonable to residents who live so close by. Burnhope is a beautiful, tranquil, rural village in the countryside with scenic walks and wildlife. All of this will be destroyed on an industrial scale by this thoughtless and crass proposal.”

Meanwhile, Janet Baldacchino, a nearby resident, said: “I find it fascinating but also alarming that our village is being subjected to cash giants throwing their financial muscle to try and crush a small rural village. It feels like corporate bullying.”

And one objector, who withheld their name, said: “ The people of Burnhope have made it perfectly clear they do not want this thing to go ahead, anyone with any common sense whatsoever will understand why. 

“You don't represent the people of Burnhope or anywhere else for that matter. You represent yourself. You don't care how much this thing will blight people's lives, you are just going through the motions until you get your own way. 

“The birds and wildlife who don't have a voice and are going to lose their home because of you, it is they who enrich our lives, not the tosh you talk about. I hope the whole rotten project is fraught with problems and difficulties and causes you nothing but trouble from the start.”

Up to 14 fields near the County Durham village could be overlaid with panels, including areas near the Chapman’s Well nature reserve. Up to 14 fields near the County Durham village could be overlaid with panels, including areas near the Chapman’s Well nature reserve. (Image: Lightsource bp)

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North Durham MP Luke Akehurst also joined the dozens of residents in opposing the proposal. 

But Lightsource bp said the visual impact would be minimal. A statement added: “Any notable effects on landscape character or visual receptors as a result of the proposed development would be confined to relatively short stretches of local footpaths, bridleways or roads either within or directly adjacent to the site and to some limited residential receptors in close proximity. 

“Overall, although some inevitable landscape and visual effects, of the kind which are inherent with any solar energy development, would arise as a result of the proposed development, the total extent of these effects would be localised and limited in nature.”