MELKSHAM Without Parish Council has asked that the size of the proposed solar farm in Beanacre be scaled down.
The council wants all solar panels removed from the fields adjacent to Westlands Lane, to reduce the visual impact for residents living on the lane.
In response to revised plans for the solar farm, submitted last month to Wiltshire Council, the parish council said that it has no objections, “if” its conditions are met.
The parish council’s response echoes their response submitted in September last year to the initial planning application – councillors had asked for the number of solar panels visible to residents on Westlands Lane be reduced.
However the revised plans for Wick Solar Farm, which proposes to build a 50-megawatt solar farm on approximately 200 acres of land at Wick Farm, Beanacre, have been criticised for not considering the feedback.
At a recent parish council planning committee meeting, Wiltshire councillor, Phil Alford, said that he still had concerns about the scale and size of the solar farm, and its visual impact on Westlands Lane residents.
“Nothing’s changed,” said cllr Alford about the scale and size of the revised plans, before he explained that he would be “calling in” the application so it can be discussed in detail by Wiltshire Council’s strategic planning committee.
Beanacre residents also raised concerns at the meeting about the solar farm’s potential “damaging” impact on local ecology.
“The ecological importance of Beanacre should not be understated,” said one resident who explained that the because of the village’s lack of light pollution and surrounding “wet land”, the area has a “hugely diverse” wildlife population.
Public consultation on he revised plans closed last month – a decision will be made about the plans by Wiltshire Council.
