00:00The move towards renewable energy is changing what gets built and where.
00:05Ministers, councils and businesses are all under pressure to cut carbon,
00:10but green infrastructure still needs land,
00:13and that can create a difficult argument when protected spaces are involved.
00:18In Shirley, Solihull, the IM group wants to install ground-mounted solar panels
00:24and battery storage at the gate, the business part formerly known as Fall.
00:29The company says the scheme would help its headquarters generate electricity
00:33and reduce reliance on the national grid.
00:37Planning papers say the power produced could be equivalent to supplying between 200 and 250 homes per year.
00:44They also say it would save between 100 and 150 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually
00:50and support 100 alternating current charges at once.
00:55The issue is the site is in the green belt.
00:58The applicant argues it should be treated as grey belt and says any harm to openness
01:03would be negligible because of the scheme's scale, location and nature.
01:09Solihull Council is considering the application.
01:12Public consultation remains open until the 10th of June.
01:16Residents there can view the plans and submit comments through the council's planning portal
01:21before councillors or planning office decide whether permission should be granted in due course.
01:27For more details,
01:27please visit the gate agency or call the
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