Our Case:
The EDAG Report
This report brings together technical, environmental, legal and strategic evidence demonstrating that East Durham is being disproportionately targeted for industrial-scale solar and BESS installations. The cumulative impact is unsafe, unplanned, unnecessary—and avoidable.
1. Scale and Imbalance of Development
East Durham hosts the largest concentration of solar/BESS proposals in County Durham. Productive farmland is being consumed at a scale not reflected elsewhere in the region.
2. Environmental & Agricultural Damage
Soil compaction, hydrological disruption, habitat loss and long-term restoration risks are significant—and poorly accounted for in current planning practice.
3. Technical Inefficiency of UK Solar
Solar energy yield is significantly lower in northern England compared to southern Europe, meaning more land is required for the same output.
4. BESS Fire & Safety Hazards
Thermal runaway can release explosive force, toxic gases, PFAS-contaminated smoke, and carcinogenic firewater run-off. Emergency services currently lack adequate standards.
5. Systemic & Cyber Risks
Inverter-based systems and foreign-made control electronics represent critical vulnerabilities to the national grid.
6. Governance & Planning Failures
Developers repeatedly exploit loopholes, inconsistent EIAs, and fragmented oversight.
7. A Better Strategic Path Exists
A rooftop and brownfield-first approach would protect farmland while providing equivalent or greater energy output.
The report will be updated periodically, so please come back and check you have the up to date version
Objection Flyers
At the outset of this journey it became apparent that the technical scale of the projects were extremely daunting. For this reason we decided to support those who did not have the confidence, time or digital capabilities to submit their objections. These flyers have been distributed through village letterboxes and in person.
Every person in a household can object and everyone in the country can object.
Feel free to download or share the link for each objection letter.
They can be emailed to planning@durham.gov.uk
OR posted to PO Box 274, Planning Department, Durham County Council, Stanley, County Durham DH8 1HG
DM/25/01345/FPA
Carrs Farm BESS Flyer
Printable A4 document with information on the site and objections.
DM/25/01835/FPA
Woodlands BESS Flyer
DM/25/01881/FPA
Hallfield Farm Solar + BESS Flyer
