A LOCAL man is hoping to get the Government onside in his fight against a solar farm outside his house, as he calls on the local MP to attack subsidy payments on illegal developments.
Broughton Gifford resident Dan Gerber has asked local MP Michelle Donelan to raise the issue at Parliament, after he discovered that the solar farm on Norrington Common – built unlawfully a stone’s throw from his house – has received nearly three quarters of a million pounds in Government subsidies despite not having valid planning permission.
Dan said, “The issue is simple. The Norrington solar farm is an unlawful development. The solar farm has no planning permission and should not be there. This solar farm continues to accrue a fortune in government subsidies, which come out of the pockets of everyone in the UK through higher energy bills and go directly to these foreign companies, which are predominantly owned by US hedge funds.
“My point is not to argue that subsidies to legal solar farms are a bad thing; the point is that it is it is surely illegal (and ridiculous) that a development that is unlawful should be getting subsidised with taxpayers’ money.”
According to data at www.variablepitch.co.uk the solar farm, owned by American-based SunEdison, accumulated over £700,000 in subsidies between August 2014 and July 2015.
Dan continued, “Can you imagine if a developer built a coal plant, housing estate or a school with no planning permission – and then received government subsidies? Of course, that would not happen. So, why should the Norrington solar farm be allowed to continue to take our money?
“To compound the ridiculous nature of the situation, the Norrington solar farm is 70% larger than it should be – the developer itself shows the actual plan that has 70% more rows than the original plan. One wonders what implication this has on an even increased amount of subsidies for the extra rows.
“Once again, this is not about renewable energy – or if you are for or against. This is simply about the government wasting our money lining the pockets of a foreign company that owns something that is unlawful.
“That is why I wrote to Michelle Donelan, imploring her to act. Here is an excerpt from that e-mail:
“Can you try to get a Private Members’ Bill introduced banning government subsidies to unlawful development (or get a government minister to introduce a Bill)?
“There can be no moral, legal or political objection to such a bill. Every MP would – and should – support such a bill. I cannot imagine anyone standing up in Parliament in support of government subsidies to unlawful development.
“This is not a matter for a local planning authority. They do not pay the subsidies. So, relying on a local council to enforce while the subsidies keep rolling in is ludicrous. I am sure the public would be outraged to learn that the government is subsidising unlawful developments.”
The solar farm near Norrington Common was built last year just 45 metres away from Dan’s Grade II* listed house. The planning permission was later overturned by Wiltshire Council after it emerged that neither Dan nor English Heritage had been consulted.
Local residents protested against the farm in September last year, when they were joined by Michelle Donelan before she was elected.
At the time, Michelle Donelan told Melksham News, “This isn’t a protest against the development of solar power, but an issue of local people wanting control. There must be more decision-making powers given to the residents so they can choose what is right for the area.”