BROUGHTON Gifford residents turned out in force last week to protest against plans to build another solar farm on the edge of the village.
British Solar Renewables held a public consultation at Broughton Gifford Village Hall after announcing their plans to use 40 acres of farmland near the village to build a solar farm. The proposal has been met with strong opposition from local residents, who are concerned that too many renewable companies are targeting the area.
Local man Dan Gerber has become heavily involved with campaigning since the Norrington Common solar farm was, he says, unlawfully built near his house.
Dan said, “I asked each person attending the exhibition whether they were for or against this specific solar proposal for Broughton Gifford.
“One person was in favour of the proposal, 101 were against it and 13 declined to comment. People were concerned that the proposed site is again on greenfield land, even though there is clear government guidance that solar farms should be on brownfield sites.
“There should not be more than one solar farm in a small village. We already have two right next to each other which are destroying a once beautiful rural village. Why should we have a third which would also be against planning policy regarding cumulative impact?
“The developer had a questionnaire that was quite opaque and asked questions about support for renewable energy in general.
“This process will turn into a farce if the developer claims that this particular site in Broughton Gifford has any support. The whole village is against it.”
Dan says that other concerns raised by local people in his survey are:
“• The UK and Wiltshire 2020 Renewable Energy Targets have already been exceeded.
“• An application in Great Chalfield was turned down and Norrington Common’s planning permission was revoked – why should this one be permitted?
“• British Solar Renewables has publicly stated that they are rushing the application through to make money from the subsidies.
“Glastonbury-based British Solar Renewables announced recently that they had submitted the application without public consultation, to make the most of changing subsidy laws.
“Plans on show at the consultation showed their intention to erect photovoltaic panels to cover roughly 20 acres.”
If approved, the solar installation would be built on fields between Melksham and Holt, beside the B3107.
