CPRE leader horrified by solar site
THE chairman of the Torridge branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England is horrified at the scale of a solar farm which is currently under construction near Hatherleigh.
Penny Mills believes the scale of the site proves her fears there are too many large solar farm planning applications being submitted to local authorities.
Three are currently under construction between Hatherleigh and Holsworthy.
The 35-acre solar farm at Willsland, between Highampton and Hatherleigh was approved by the planning inspectorate at appeal last year after West Devon Borough Council refused it.
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Mrs Mills said: "It is highly visible from the main Hatherleigh-Highampton road, the A3072, on the sloping farmland above the road, as we all knew it would be.
"This application was a typical example of how something has been imposed on a community against their wishes.
"This scheme was objected to by many people including the CPRE, the local parish council, and residents, and the West Devon Borough Council Plans Committee voted to refuse it.
"Now work has begun to build it and the true impact can be seen.
"I understand there have been problems with the huge lorries transporting the equipment trying to get up and down the narrow lane, with its ancient hedges and banks.
"There is no doubt it is changing the whole face of this part of rural Devon. We won't be able to call it an unspoilt, undiscovered part of Devon any more, which is a great loss."
Pauline Warner, from West Devon Borough Council's planning department, said: "We have an adopted core strategy which was adopted in 2011, so it is up to date, as well as having the National Planning Policy Framework, which asks us to look at renewable energy applications in a favourable light, although we have to take them each in their merit.
"We have a strategic planning officer/member working group which will be looking at core policies including looking at renewable energy policies.
"We know councillors are concerned about the accumulative impact of solar farms and wind turbines."
Torridge District Council said solar farms will be on the agenda of the next meeting of its renewable energy working group.
The council endorsed 'An Assessment of the Landscape Sensitivity to Onshore Wind Energy & Field-Scale Photovoltaic Development' in December 2011. The study assesses the sensitivity of the Torridge landscape to wind energy developments and field-scale solar PV developments.
2 Comments
by vulcan
Thursday, March 14 2013, 5:41PM
“I would rather look at wind farms or fields of solar panels rather than a Nuclear power station. Beauty is in the eye etc. Oh and I like the thought that those are benign and removable without threatening the health of thousands of people for thousands of years”
by Rockall2011
Thursday, March 14 2013, 4:21PM
“If we fail to have various forms of renewable energy, I hope Mrs Mills won't complain when the lights go out! Although I appreciate the need to consider culmative effect et cetera, at least with solar, wind et cetera they can be removed in a way you can't with nuclear, and of course, no radioactive waste that will be around for hundreds of years - that's if you can find new storage venues.”