Mayor urges ‘everybody’ to support campaigners against huge South Yorkshire solar farm
Green Nation’s Whitestone Solar Farm proposal spans three different sites and has been met with fervent opposition from residents and political figures
The Mayor of South Yorkshire has urged ‘everybody that can’ to support campaigners fighting against a huge solar farm development across Rotherham and Doncaster.
Green Nation’s Whitestone Solar Farm proposal spans three different sites and has been met with fervent opposition from residents and political figures, including Mayor Oliver Coppard.
He told a meeting of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board: “I maintain that the scheme is too big and in the wrong place.
“I will work with residents to make that case to Government for as long as I can and hopefully get the right choice from Government when they take that decision at the appropriate time.”
Mayor Coppard told board members he had recently held a public meeting at the Ivanhoe Centre in Conisbrough, close to one of the proposed Whitestone sites.
He urged people to ‘support the campaigners who are fighting against that Whitestone development’.
The City of Doncaster Council and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council have both passed motions expressing their opposition to the solar farm proposals, but neither hold any power on the outcome.
Additionally, local MPs, including John Healey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, have objected to the proposals.
Whitestone Solar Farm’s categorisation as a ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project’ means the decision will be taken by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Developers said the sites had been selected due to their proximity to Brinsworth substation, which would connect the solar farm to the National Grid and avoid high quality agricultural land.
Green Nation say it would make a significant contribution to national energy goals to reduce energy costs, create energy security and fight against climate change.
The size of the proposed development has also ‘reduced substantially’ following feedback from residents, the developers have said.
In December 2025, climate minister Katie White MP said the UK was going through a transition and needed to take advantage of the declining price of solar.
She wouldn’t comment directly on the Whitestone proposal, due to the decision on planning permission resting on her colleagues with DESNZ.