Hope Hastings Country Park solar farm discussion is transparent

It is to be welcomed that the motion was amended so that the solar farm proposal should start by consulting Natural England.

HBC will now consult with Natural England as a first step. It is to be hoped that this process will be open and transparent and that the public can have confidence in the process.

However my experience of how HBC consulted with Natural England concerning Rocklands and Ecclesbourne Glen leaves room for concern.

It is hoped that all consultation reports produced by Natural England will be put in the public domain. The Rocklands debacle has shown that HBC prefer to keep key reports secret. Nearly five years on we are still fighting to get copies of HBC commissioned reports into the landslip.

I can only hope that HBC will not spin the opinion of Natural England to meet their own objectives as they did for the landslip where HBC falsely claimed that NE would not agree to any works to stabilise the landslip.

It is also hoped that HBC will not attempt to predetermine the report by telling Natural England what to say as they did concerning land stability issues and restoration options.