Plans for solar farm in Wormegay near King's Lynn refused

Vegetable supplier Alfred G Pearce applied to site the array in a field near the earthworks at Wormegay, near King's Lynn.

It said the panels, which would cover around 6,000 sq m of land south of the fortifications, would supply power to its vegetable packing plant off Castle Road, which employs 60 people.

But West Norfolk council has turned down the proposals after concerns were raised by Historic England.

The heritage watchdog said the solar farm would "further enclose Wormegay Castle scheduled monument with development".

It added: "This would erode the surviving open landscape context to the south and west of the monument and its ‘sense of place’ at the western end of the Wormegay island.

"We believe that this loss of context and setting would be harmful to the significance of the scheduled monument."

The castle shown on the village sign at Wormegay (Image: Chris Bishop)

A heritage impact assessment commissioned by AG Pearce said the solar array would have "no direct physical effect upon the scheduled area [castle]".

But it added the proposed development site did lie within its setting and there was "potential for the installation of the solar array to impact upon the significance of the castle via changes to its setting".

Four objections were received from villagers and one letter of support.

In its decision notice, West Norfolk council said the loss of context and setting would be harmful to the significance of the scheduled monument.

Historic England describes the castle as "a good example of this class of monument".

After the Norman conquest in 1066, Wormegay was granted to Hermer de Ferrers, and it became his main manor and administrative centre.

Historic England says the castle was probably built by de Ferrers or one of his immediate descendants, to preside over the low-lying landscape.