Tameside Council’s draft Local Plan proposes to designate Green Belt land opposite Werneth Low Country Park as a “Solar Opportunity Area” for large‑scale solar development. This would industrialise a peaceful landscape used daily for walking, nature and wellbeing, and which forms the setting of Hyde’s borough war memorial.

The Hyde War Memorial and surrounding land were dedicated to honour the 710 men of Hyde who died in the First World War and gifted to the people to remain open space as a living memorial. Filling adjoining Green Belt with solar panels, fencing, substations and CCTV for decades would fundamentally change the character of this commemorative landscape.

For generations, this area has been a sanctuary for both local residents and a wide variety of wildlife. It's a place where we connect with nature, find peace, and rejuvenate our spirits. The lush greenery, open fields, and thriving ecosystems are an integral part of our community and wellbeing.

The development of industrial-scale solar farms in this area poses significant risks to the natural beauty and biodiversity of Werneth Low Country Park. The proposed construction would not only alter the landscape dramatically but also disturb the natural habitats of numerous wildlife species that call this place home. Birds, mammals, and flora that thrive here face the imminent threat of habitat destruction and displacement due to this development.

Local people are not opposed to renewable energy, but location matters. Rooftops, car parks, industrial estates and brownfield sites should be used before sacrificing valued Green Belt next to a war memorial and family homes. The Council has yet to clearly explain why this site was selected, how large the development could be, or whether affected landowners and custodians were properly notified.

We therefore call on Tameside Council to:

1. Remove the Mottram / Werneth Low Solar Opportunity Area from the Local Plan and protect this Green Belt for future generations.
2. Exclude Hyde War Memorial Trust land and its immediate setting from any renewable energy designation unless full consultation is carried out with the Trust, veterans’ organisations and local residents.​
3. Publish clear evidence and criteria for all renewable energy areas and focus new solar development on rooftops and brownfield land, not on the setting of a war memorial and a much‑loved country park.

Other communities have successfully stopped inappropriate solar farms on Green Belt, such as the Hilfield scheme at Aldenham in Hertfordshire, which was refused after strong public opposition on landscape and heritage grounds. That decision proves that when residents speak up, plans can be changed

What you can do now

By signing this petition you are helping to show how strongly our community feels about protecting Werneth Low and the Hyde War Memorial landscape. To maximise our impact, please also submit your own response to Tameside Council’s Homes, Spaces, Places consultation by 20 February. Go to www.tameside.gov.uk/homesspacesplaces, find the questions on renewable energy / solar opportunity areas, and object to the Mottram / Werneth Low Solar Opportunity Area in your own words, explaining why this Green Belt and war memorial setting must be protected