NB - You can find further info on the campaign below including a helpful form to object to the application with North Yorkshire Planners at:

 

https://stoptunstallsolar.com

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North Yorkshire Council is considering a planning application (ZD25/00369/FULL) for a 40-year industrial power plant spanning over 110 acres of productive farmland between Tunstall and East Appleton.

This proposal threatens to turn our rural community into an industrial zone, setting a devastating precedent for the entire area. For one local family at Low Pasture, the plan is a nightmare: 3-meter-high solar panels and security fencing will completely surround their home, destroying their quality of life and "turning their home into an industrial compound." This is an unacceptable and disproportionate sacrifice for one family to bear.

As a recent Yorkshire Post investigation highlighted, residents in our situation feel like "'prisoners in our home.'"

This is not a "Not In My Back Yard" (NIMBY) argument. This is a "Wrong Plan, Wrong Place" argument, based on critical failures in planning, policy, and developer accountability.

This plan is a direct threat to our food security, our heritage, our road safety, and our community's future. The developer's claims of "low-grade land" and "biodiversity net gain" are contradicted by clear evidence.

We, the undersigned, call on North Yorkshire Council to REJECT this application. We demand that the Council upholds its own policies and listens to the serious objections raised by statutory consultees like Historic England and the Local Highways Authority, who have deemed the developer's information "insufficient" and "not acceptable."

Key Reasons for signing this petition:
Cumulative Landscape Impact: This 23.5MW site, combined with the 5MW farm next door, creates a massive, industrial zone, destroying the rural character of the landscape.

Harm to National Heritage: Historic England OBJECTS to the plan, stating it will harm the setting of nationally important Bronze Age burial mounds and that the developer's assessment is "insufficient."

Highway Safety Risk: The NYC Highways Authority CHALLENGED the HGV plan as unsafe for Catterick Lane, a route used daily by families attending the Mini Explorers Nursery.

Misrepresentation of Farmland: The applicant's claim of "100% Grade 4" land is contradicted by evidence of high-quality Grade 3a (Best & Most Versatile) land at the adjacent site. We demand an independent assessment.

Threat to National Food Security: This proposal is in direct conflict with national policy (HCWS466) which explicitly states "best agricultural land must be protected for food security" and developers must avoid BMV land. The applicant has not met this test.

A 'Trojan Horse' Application: The plan conveniently excludes a northern parcel of land (closer to Tunstall) where the developer owes NYCC a "clawback" fee. Evidence shows their intent is to develop this land later, hiding the true, larger scale of this project.

Flawed Planning Process: The Council did not require a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), even after Historic England stated the developer's information was "insufficient" to make a decision.

Circumventing National Scrutiny: The total generating capacity of local projects connecting to the same substation is ~117.8MW, more than double the 50MW threshold for a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This looks like a deliberate strategy to avoid rigorous national scrutiny.

Proven History of Failed Promises: The company responsible for the adjacent site (same landowner) was DISSOLVED in April 2025 after failing to deliver its biodiversity promises (e.g., the 2021 report showed promised trees "had died"). The new developer shares key personnel (inc. their CCO) from the original developer, Anesco, showing a clear pattern of failure and non-accountability.

Loss of Vital Wildlife Habitat: The developer's flawed survey ignores local evidence of Red List breeding birds (Curlews, Oystercatchers) and vital feeding grounds for geese that will be permanently lost.

Grave Decommissioning Risk: Public records show the new developer's project company is DORMANT, and its parent company has £11.6M losses and £26.2M in net liabilities. This follows the exact pattern of the dissolved company next door. There is an unacceptable risk that taxpayers will be left to pay the multi-million-pound cleanup cost.

Failure to Prioritise Brownfield: This is not "anti-solar." It is "pro-smart-solar." National policy states rooftops and brownfield land must be used first.

Please sign this petition to demand that North Yorkshire Council REJECTS application ZD25/00369/FULL and protects our community, heritage, and food security from this unacceptable proposal.