Plans for the controversial Botley West Solar Farm has left an objecting council feeling “deeply concerned” about its impact on locals and the countryside.
The solar farm would be the largest solar farm in Europe, covering 15 parishes within 3,450 acres of land near Botley, Woodstock and Kidlington, which is mostly owned by Blenheim Estates.
The reasons people have for opposing the scheme include the loss of green belt land, the fact the site would be so close to people’s homes, the impact on farming land and the impact on the heritage site of Blenheim.
The matter was discussed at the West Oxfordshire District Council meeting on Wednesday, March 19.
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Conservative councillor Roger Faulkner put forward a motion which called for the leader of the council to write to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, to object to the proposal.
An amendment was put forward by Liberal Democrat councillor Dan Levy which changed the wording to say they opposed the scheme “as currently proposed”.
Mr Levy said: “The proposals from PVDP [Photovolt Development Partners] and Blenheim are unacceptable as they currently stand.
“Of course we do have to do our bit for clean energy, and we already are […] but that does not mean that every solar farm that’s proposed has to be accepted.
“PVDP had the opportunity to listen through the consultation process and make changes to what they had proposed, and would have produced a scheme that might have been acceptable.
“It would be smaller, further than where residents live, would have had more respect for the historic landscape and not take prime farmland.
“PVDP had that opportunity but the changes they made were minor, and therefore the proposals remain unacceptable.
“We aren’t NIMBYs or climate change deniers.
“There are numerous ways in which the PVPD proposal is unacceptable.”
Councillor Roger Faulkner said the amendment “waters down” the original motion and that it opens the opportunity for the council to support Botley West in the future, but agreed to accept it.
Leader of the district council Andy Graham sent the council’s relevant representation at the end of February which provided a detailed outline of the council’s view on the plans for the solar farm.
Councillor Michael Brooker called the motion “pointless” and said he could not support it because the Development Control Committee had already sent its representation to the planning inspectorate.
The amended motion passed through the council, with 27 voting in favour, seven against, three abstaining, and one not voting.
(Image: Newsquest) PVDP say the scheme would bring 840 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to approximately 330,000 homes in Oxfordshire.
The scale of the development means that a decision must be made by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) rather than West Oxfordshire District Council.
PINS will consider the relevant representations from different interested parties during the examination stage.
The Security of State for Energy Security and Net Zero will make the final decision on whether the solar farm goes ahead.
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25025197.oxfordshire-council-object-controversial-solar-farm/?ref=rss
