Story perspectives

Hayley Butcher Approves 32MW Solar Farm With 45MW Storage

8/16/2026

Summary

Story summary

Hayley Butcher approved a 32 MW solar farm with 45 MW battery storage at St Dennis, overturning council’s July 10, 2025 refusal.
Officers recommended the EDF proposal despite councillors rejecting it at the July 10, 2025 meeting.
At a July 16, 2026 meeting, the council failed to approve the project and passed a refusal, citing damage.
The committee has refused six solar farms, all later winning appeals.
Butcher warned of landscape impact and heritage-asset harm, while residents decried industrialisation.

History

Historical Context

The 2009 permission for the 34.5-MW Mynydd y Betws wind farm illustrates Welsh approval of large projects. This follows a European trend set by Denmark’s 1991 Vindeby offshore farm, which helped lift EU installed capacity to about 94 GW by 2011. Today, heritage disputes re-emerge around projects such as Hayley Butcher’s 32-MW St Dennis solar farm.

1 of 2

Story summary

Hayley Butcher approved a 32 MW solar farm with 45 MW battery storage at St Dennis, overturning council’s July 10, 2025 refusal.
Officers recommended the EDF proposal despite councillors rejecting it at the July 10, 2025 meeting.
At a July 16, 2026 meeting, the council failed to approve the project and passed a refusal, citing damage.
The committee has refused six solar farms, all later winning appeals.
Butcher warned of landscape impact and heritage-asset harm, while residents decried industrialisation.

1 / 2