Huge solar farm approved for Snarlton Lane

A 17-FIELD solar farm will be built to the east of Melksham after being  given the go-ahead by a government inspector this month.

Developers were granted permission to build the 80.5 hectare farm following an appeal against Wiltshire Council’s refusal in April 2014. 17 fields to the east of Melksham will be taken over to make way for enough photovoltaic panels to power over 11,000 homes.

Part of the scheme will see a community fund set up to benefit people living within 2.75km of the centre of the farm, which  could see £1million donated to the local area. The fund proposed would provide £1,000 per megawatt of installed capacity, equating to around £44,200 per annum for the length of the farm’s 25 year lifespan.

In response to Wiltshire Council turning down the proposal on the grounds that it would have an “unacceptable visual impact on the landscape”, the government inspector commented, “The development would be screened by existing and proposed vegetation and this would limit the opportunities for viewers to perceive landscape change.

“While the proposed scheme would have a detrimental impact on the rural character of the local area there would be little effect on the overall tranquil, open and expansive aspects of the character and appearance of the wider area.”

Melksham Without parish councillor Terry Chivers was pleased with the overturned decision saying, “As the local member for Melksham Without North, I made a point of contacting local residents to seek their views on this very important planning application. It was clear that the application had the support of local residents. With this in mind I, as local member, was amazed that when this application was considered by the Wiltshire Planning Committee, the Conservatives voted en bloc to refuse the application against the wishes of the local community.

“Over the next 25 years, we have £1million that we can invest in the community in the Skylark Road area east of Melksham. I would encourage local residents to have an input to how this money is spent.”

However, Jack Churchill, a member of a local group campaigning against the solar farm said,  “Wiltshire Protect is disappointed and baffled by the decision taken by a planning inspector to grant permission to build one of the UK’s largest solar farms on the edge of Melksham.

“The Planning Inspector has overruled the wishes of local people, Seend Parish Council and Wiltshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee.

“Wiltshire has already reached its 2020 target on renewables, yet now 17 more agricultural fields will be covered for 25 years in 170,000 black glass and metal panels, all surrounded by miles of security fencing and CCTV.  The government have said time and time again, solar should be on buildings and brownfield sites and not on agricultural land.

“Sandridge Solar will be generating its owners well over £2million a year in subsidies – plus much more income for energy they sell to the grid.   What a great shame our money can’t be used to install low cost solar panels and other energy saving solutions onto all Wiltshire homes and businesses.  This would be a benefit to all in Wiltshire, whilst preventing the wholesale destruction of our landscape.”

The community benefit fund proposed by the developers would see money donated to an appointed trust or local authorities. It would be given to encourage projects which provide environmental, social or economic benefits.  The contributions would last from the end of the farm’s first operational year until it is dismantled.

The planning application, registered in November 2013, produced a mixed reaction among local people. Melksham Without Parish Council and Melksham Town Council both approved of the plans, but Seend Parish Council raised objection on the grounds of the loss of farmland.

Wiltshire Council also received around 100 letters of representation expressing various attitudes from members of the public.

To read more correspondence regarding the development, search planning application 13/06140/FUL on www.wiltshire.gov.uk.