“Plans for a hugely controversial 200-acre solar farm near Chippenham are to be decided this week.
The proposal for fields south east of Chippenham at Forest Gate would produce enough electricity for almost 14,000 homes according to developers Eden Renewables.
The developers add it could save 20,000 tonnes of C02 a year.
Almost 600 comments have been made on the application, with hundreds both for and against the scheme.
The plans were submitted in 2021 but there has been debate around the idea since 2020 and a decision from the council is due on Thursday, March 2.
One person commented on the application: “I vehemently object to this planning proposal.
“I am a passionate supporter of any genuinely green environmental projects or proposals.
“However, this proposed development does nothing to improve or assist in lessening environmental impact or offsetting carbon emissions.
“In fact, it creates in its conception, manufacture, importation, implementation and all important end of life disposal greater harm than good.
“I am therefore completely against planning consent being granted for such a poorly thought through and ill-conceived proposal in this green belt residential location.”
Another commented: “I strongly OBJECT to the solar power station on the Bowood/Forest gate land because I can’t imagine anyone ever saying “Oh what a beautiful view across the countryside with all those solar panels now on that farmland”! No because people say “oh what a beautiful view across those lovely fields”.
“They are ugly compared to beautiful natural farmland and are destructive to wildlife.”
But Wiltshire councillor and head of climate group Zero Chippenham Dr Nick Murry said: “Zero Chippenham welcomes these revised plans and the amendments to the site layout, which will we understand will reduce the visual impact of the project by scaling back the site area by over 20 per cent, as well as reducing the height of the panels, without significantly reducing generation capacity.
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read the entire article
Holden, Jude. Witlshire Times 27 February 2023.
Comment on the Proposal
Wiltshire Council PL/2021/06112
https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z000015skWXAAY/pl202106112?tabset-8903c=2
Site Address
Land at Forest Gate, Pewsham, Chippenham, SN15 3RS
Proposal
The development of a solar farm of up to 49.9 MW of generating capacity, comprising the installation of solar photovoltaic panels and associated infrastructure including customer cabin, customer substation, DNO substation and equipment, inverter and transformer substations, spare part container, associated battery storage, access tracks, fencing, security cameras, landscape planting and associated works