Save Our Greenbelt in Braithwell

 

An invitation to a Coffee Morning by Save Our Greenbelt

At some time in autumn 2024, I received some information about the proposed Whitestone solar farms in South Yorkshire in the post, but it was so vague that I didn’t take much notice of it, until a couple of days after my exploration of Darnall Cemetery, when a good friend from Micklebring asked me to help Save Our Greenbelt to fight the proposed Whitestone 1 Solar Farm planned for Conisbrough Parks - in my capacity as a geologist.

 

The Whitestone 1 Solar Farm Masterplan as at July 2026

I don't have the knowledge or experience of the drainage and flooding problems that have been anticipated, due to the run off from the array of solar panels, and I therefore advised that the input of a hydrologist would be required, but also that my experience of producing the Doncaster Geodiversity Assessment for Doncaster MBC with the British Geological Survey might be of use. 

 

The Doncaster Geodiversity Assessment

As part of the Local Development Framework, which Doncaster MBC were beginning to prepare, the implementation of Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (PPS9) place equal weight on biodiversity and geodiversity. 

 

An extract from the Doncaster Geodiversity Assessment

Threats posed by inappropriate site development (or the infilling of quarries), which would not be tolerated in wildlife or archaeological sites of comparable scientific or educational value, now need to be taken into account and this not only includes individual sites but also the geomorphology and landforms too – of which the Magnesian Limestone escarpment that runs from the north to the south of Doncaster is a very important example. 

 

An extract from the Doncaster Geodiversity Assessment

Although the geomorphology and landforms were not specifically highlighted in the Doncaster Geodiversity Assessment, the Magnesian Limestone escarpment and the Don Gorge are topographic features that have greatly influenced the history of the borough, including that of Conisbrough Parks. 

 

A Coffee Morning at the Ruddle Centre in Braithwell

I therefore decided to attend the Save Our Greenbelt coffee morning at the Ruddle Centre in Braithwell, before getting a lift to Micklebring from my friends and then walking to Conisbrough via Clifton, which would give me an insight into how the solar farm would affect this area. 

 

Conisbrough Parks shown on the Ordnance Survey map

To give me a bit of background to the Whitestone proposals, I looked at their website only to see a map that was so small that I had to use my hand lens on the computer screen to try and find the places that would be affected, which didn’t leave a very good impression on me. 

 

An updated map of the proposed Whitestone Solar Farms

 

Furthermore, when trying to find Clifton and its Conservation Area on the Doncaster Heritage Map, I was astounded to discover that the proposed solar farm is underlain by a zone that is described as “Major archaeological objection to the development of the site”. 

 

The Doncaster Heritage Map showing Conisbrough Parks