An international energy company has lost its bid to build a major new solar park in Solihull.

Councillors last week voted against Total Energies' planning application for the 49.9MW solar farm on green belt land to the east of the borough.

The development would have seen five parcels of land across Bickenhill and Catherine de Barnes turned into the energy facility.

If approved, the scheme would have seen the rows of panels in place for up to 40 years.

The application was met with significant opposition from local residents. It also received objections from both Hampton in Arden Parish Council and Bickenhill and Marston Green Parish Council, both of which said the development was inappropriate for the green belt.

Speaking at last week's Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council planning committee meeting, local resident Mr Clover said: "It is crucial to consider the unmitigated physical reality on the ground.

"I personally am concerned that Total Energies are unproven in building large scale solar farms in the UK.

"Despite their global energy prowess they, to date, have not completed a major utilities scale solar project in the UK from an empty field to an active power generator.

"This is evident from the frequent changes in their plans."

He added: "We urge not to approve Solihull becoming the initial testbed for an unproven company development, especially here."

The application had been recommended for approval by planning officers at the borough council.

Planners said the harm to the green belt was outweighed by the benefits of the scheme.

"The harm to the landscape character and appearance of the area, which carries moderate weight would reduce over time," a council report said.

It added: "There are a number of positive benefits accruing from the proposal, of which the national and local imperatives aimed at increasing the provision of renewable energy is the single most important matter.

"The proposal would contribute to this approach and improve energy resilience."

However, councillors were split over the decision, with two voting in favour of approval and the other seven voting against.

In a debate which lasted well over an hour, a variety of issues were raised including the suitability of the land for development as well as the impact of construction traffic on local roads.

Cllr David Hoey said: "The Bickenhill site is very important as it gives access to families and children to get out.

"The land in Catherine de Barnes is of quite high value with regard to food production, that is an important point to consider - food security is obviously important like energy security."

He added later on in the meeting: "I think the most fundamental point is the access. We seem to be skirting around it."

Planning officer Mark Andrews told councillors "clear justification" was needed to refuse the application.

Ultimately, councillors sided with the over-40 residents who objected.

And chairman, Cllr Rob Grinsell, also rubbished an additional note supplied to the committee before the meeting which claimed an extra 38 notices of support were submitted to the application.

"They all started by saying 'as a local resident' - [but are addressed] Redditch, Dudley, Bloxwitch, Bristol," he said.

"I totally ignore the update report that tells us we received an additional 38 letters of support.

"The applicant's agent might want to take that on board because I don't know how they were generated."

Total Energies has the right to appeal the decision.