Plans have been submitted for a large solar array at an award-winning North Yorkshire hotel and restaurant.
The proposal would see 2,880 solar panels installed on the Middleton Lodge Estate, near Richmond, as part of efforts to make the venue more sustainable.
If approved, the scheme would generate around 1.27GWh of electricity – enough to meet much of the estate’s energy needs and allow it to operate largely off-grid.
Planning documents state the development could save approximately 493 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
The panels would be mounted on frames with a maximum height of 2.9 metres and positioned to minimise visual impact.
The site has been chosen to sit alongside existing agricultural buildings and will be screened by trees, hedgerows and the natural landscape.
Developers say the array would have a lifespan of around 25 years, after which the land would be returned to agricultural use.
The plans also include measures to boost biodiversity, with species-rich grassland to be created beneath and around the panels, along with new native hedgerow planting.
The site lies near several heritage assets, including Middleton Lodge Hall, but planning documents state the development would not harm their setting due to existing screening and distance from the main estate buildings.
Supporting documents state: “Overall, the impacts are considered minor to negligible, and therefore acceptable in planning terms, particularly when weighed against the substantial sustainability benefits of on-site renewable energy generation for Middleton Lodge Estate.
“Importantly, the array is screened from all vantage points associated with listed assets. The proposed native hedge along the north-eastern boundary will further soften distant views, reinforce the traditional field pattern, and strengthen screening to the east.”
Access for construction and maintenance would be via existing estate tracks, with minimal additional traffic expected.
The estate’s restaurant, Forge, was awarded a Michelin Star in 2025 and a Green Star for sustainability.
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May be well intentioned but these arrays are incredibly intrusive and steal agricultural land .