Maja gave bonuses to politicians after the election: The village avoided the possibility of a solar park.

It is not entirely unusual that Maja Flindt Poulsen and Morten Johansen receive visits from deer, foxes, and hares in their garden and fields around the village of Herslev, a little outside Fredericia, where they live.

But what they feared would change.

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> It is so large an extent that it is mentioned that it should be on a scale of eight times Legoland. So one goes a little in shock.

> Morten Johansen, resident of Herslev

For several areas around the town were in Fredericia Municipality's municipal plan designated as possibility zones for a solar park. This meant that if solar parks were built in Fredericia Municipality, they must exclusively be placed in the area around Herslev.

The prospect of solar farms was something of a surprise for the town, says Morten Johansen.

- It affects the entire parish and not just Herslev town. It is so large an extent that it is mentioned that it should be on a scale of eight times Legoland. So one goes a little in shock.

- So every time you went out, you would hit the iron fields. It would destroy everything if people went out for a walk.

But now the couple can breathe a sigh of relief. For plans for a solar park near Herslev are - at least for now - thrown off the board by Fredericia Municipality's new council, just as it has been with several projects with renewable energy in several other municipalities in the country after the municipal elections.

In the constituent agreement, the new council in Fredericia Municipality writes that they will move solar farms to roof constructions. According to the municipality's new mayor Peder Tind from the Liberal Party, this means that Herslev can see itself free of the 'iron fields' that Morten Johansen calls solar farms.

- Now we have the opportunity to have it written into the constituent agreement, so we will do it. And it has of course also been important for us that we keep our promises, he says.

Read also: The Denmark Democrats get their way in Viborg, where energy projects are thrown in the trash can ( https://www.dr.dk/news/domestic/denmarkdemocrats-get-their-way-in-viborg-where-energy-projects-are-thrown-in-the-trash-can )

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Sleepless nights and thoughtless proposals

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As the just-past municipal elections approached, several residents of Herslev made their efforts to stop the solar project.

- We have come with counterarguments and hearing responses and have gathered groups in the town that come with facts about why it should not be in the town, says Morten Johansen.

The economic aspect of the case has also filled a lot, especially for Maja Flindt Poulsen. For if a large solar park is a neighbor to the town, thoughts of the economy arise, she says.

- It has been a little a stress factor, because one is hit by a lot of concerns. Can we sell our house if one wants to move away from here, or are we bound here?

It was on the fields around the town that the solar park was to have been. But now it looks like the residents of Herslev are escaping the 'iron fields', as Morten Johansen calls solar farms. (Photo: © Noa Kallestrup Andersen)

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On the roof instead of on the ground

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Fredericia Municipality's newly elected mayor, Peder Tind from the Liberal Party, has gathered a broad majority of parties in a constituent agreement, where they among other things have agreed that: 'The municipal plan should be adjusted with a view to placing solar farms on roof constructions, when it is possible, instead of in the designated possibility zones.'

But in fact, the Left was earlier this year also with voting for the overall municipal plan, where the area around Herslev was designated as a possibility zone.

The very part about the possibility zone, the party was not a supporter of. Nevertheless, they ended up voting yes to get other things in the plan approved, says Peder Tind.

- We think it was not smart to have possibility zones only in Herslev, and therefore we also recommended that one should take it out.

During the municipal election campaign, the possible solar park near Herslev became a controversial issue. The Social Democrats wanted to keep it in the municipal plan, while the Liberals promised that if they got the opportunity, they would remove it from the municipal plan.

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> Can we sell our house if one wants to move away from here, or are we bound here?

> Maja Flindt Poulsen, resident of Herslev.

Peder Tind from the Liberal Party ended up as is well known with taking over the mayor's chain, and with the new constituent agreement, Herslev is removed as a possibility zone.

- One of the points we have worked on has been to remove these here possibility zones. It has been listened to, and therefore we have also written it into the constituent agreement, and I am really, really happy about it, says Peder Tind.

But is it not a necessity, at some point, to find a place where the solar cells should be?

- I think we should hurry up slowly. First and foremost, the project managers are not in line, says Peder Tind.

- On the other hand, it is also important that we do it. So we do it thoughtfully and in dialogue with local areas. Because it is large local areas that will be tied for the next 25 years with a solar park. Therefore, we must do it right. And if there is a possibility for getting them up on the roofs, then that is our first priority, says Peder Tind.

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Hug the politicians

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The news that Peder Tind was the new mayor in Fredericia Municipality was taken well by Maja Flindt Poulsen and Morten Johansen in Herslev.

The joy was so great that they had to make a trip to the Town Hall Square in Fredericia, where the politicians were to see the Christmas lights in the city turned on. But the couple did not just come to see the Christmas lights.

- We were going to go down and see Santa Claus with our children, and we were going to go down and hug politicians, because we were simply so happy. They deserved to know that we were mega happy. So those who had supported Herslev, they got a big hug and a big thank you, says Maja Flindt Poulsen.

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