In a Swedish context the study aims to shed light on the legal situation that prevails when establishing solar cells on agricultural land. The report focuses on mapping the regulations and reasons on which the County Administrative Board and the court base their decisions and judgements.
The question focuses on describing the problems surrounding solar cells on agricultural land. The legislation, judgements and decisions from the County Administrative Board were examined to gain an understanding of what it looks like in the current situation. The judgment were supplemented with decisions from the county administrative board because there are no prejudicial judgements.
The study focuses on legislation concerning the use of agricultural land. The County Administrative Board has a key role in this aspect because they are the authority that handles matters concerning the establishment of solar cells on agricultural land. The process is handled in a consultation with the support of Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code. The County Administrative Board's task in the consultation is to consider the interests of the community but also to determine whether there is a change in land use.
In the event of a change in land use, Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Environmental Code applies, which means that Chapter 3 Section 4 of the Environmental Code shall also be applied. The regulations mean that usable agricultural land may only be used for the essential interests of society.
xThe approach to clarify the legal situation for the area uses a legal dogmatic method. The study describes the current legal situation and how the County Administrative Board handles the area. The lack of practice in the area has resulted in the study being supplemented with interviews with administrators from the County Administrative Board and industry profess–ionals.
The results of the interviews provided a picture of how the two largest county administrative boards work with the issues and the difference between their approaches. They were also given the opportunity to share what can be improved to facilitate understanding between companies and the County Administrative Board during consultations. As a result, all parties considered that building permits should apply to solar cell parks or that they be included in Chapter nine of the Code on environmentally hazardous activities.
The legal situation and how the County Administrative Board should behave is not always obvious. There are no rulings from higher courts to establish practice in the solar cells area. The two appealed judgements that currently exist will not solve the whole problem of establishing solar cells on agricultural land. More judgment with different conditions and locations will be required to create a case law on solar cell parks on agricultural land.