SANDRIDGE Solar Farm developers have confirmed that they will appeal the decision by Wiltshire Council to reject their planning application.
The announcement by St. John Hughes, director of Sandridge Solar Power that they will appeal Wiltshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee’s decision to refuse their application was expected after they received a lot of support for the proposed development on land east of Melksham.
The planning application for Sandridge Solar Farm had received a positive recommendation for approval from the council’s planning officer as well as strong support from MP Duncan Hames, Melksham Without Parish Council and Melksham Town Council. However, Seend Parish Council opposed the proposal and public opinion was divided.
The application was rejected after a vote from councillors – with the visual impact on the area cited as the reason.
St.John Hughes said, “We are very disappointed with the decision. It is a robust application that fulfils planning policy and guidelines, and an established need for more renewables in the county. The public, local parish councils and town council are strongly in favour of it, and the planning officer has recommended approval, so naturally we will be appealing the decision. The substantial positive benefits for the county and the UK outweighed the minor impacts.”
An independent inspector acting for the secretary of state will now consider the planning application.
The solar farm would have the capacity to generate enough electricity for approximately 11,400 average UK households – more than all of the properties in Melksham. It would save up to 504,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over the 25-year lifetime of the project.
St.John Hughes continued, “We had hoped that the planning committee’s decision would be positive, reflecting the strong local support we have received. This is a constructive project, which presents multiple benefits locally and for the whole of Wiltshire.”
At a public exhibition held in October, 60% of people who completed a feedback form said they support the solar farm proposal. All three parish councils from Melksham Without, Melksham Town and Bromham, in whose adjacency the project is located, also voted in favour of the project. 62 public comments were submitted to the council in support of the proposal, as well as two additional petitions with 180 signatures.
The solar farm site would continue to be used for agriculture and food production. Meadows of species-rich grassland will be created to enhance the biodiversity value of the site and provide grazing for sheep. All the existing hedgerows will be retained and additional hedgerow habitat created.
A community benefit fund would be set up, providing around £44,000 per year for the 25-year lifetime of Sandridge Solar Farm to community projects, and is thought to be the largest fund of it’s kind in the country.
Sandridge Solar Power will now begin the appeals process. Timescales for this process are not yet known.
