Solar Park will ‘fully swamp’ to nine villages

People living in some of the most picturesque villages in Britain have been divided by plans for one of the largest solar parks in the country.

Developers want to create a solar panel on 2,000 acres of farm near Malmsbury in Cottages, which produce adequate energy for 115,000 homes.

Rosie Clarke is one of the hundreds of local campaigners, who believe that it will “reduce the local area”.

But the supporters of the scheme, including former Malmsbury Leslie Bennett mayor, accused the opponents of being “well -associated people”, whose sheets are “full of mistakes”.

The government wants to quite the amount of solar energy generated in the UK. But wherever developers propose new solar fields, opposition springs.

Rosie Clarke lives in a stone hut surrounded by quotes in Wiltshire and Hazgowes.

He is worried that “may be more than a million panels that will be as high as double-decker bus”.

The developers have not confirmed the exact number, but said that it will not be ‘more than 700,000 panels’.

“This will completely give nine local villages to the marshes,” Ms. Clarke said.

“We are in an area of ​​excellent national beauty. It will reduce the local region, which depends a lot on tourism.”

Meanwhile, Leslie Bennett is one of the few people who will speak for the solar plan.

“This is Nimbitism, it’s perfect,” he said.

“We need clean energy. We need to be energy independent.”

The campaign to prevent lime down is well organized. Hundreds of people have been signed up, leflets are printed, these northern wiltshire villages have signs everywhere.

But Mrs. Bennett feels that there are many silent solar supporters who do not dare to speak.

She says, “This is some well -associated rich people who have created a great campaign.”

“But this is an illusion. This sheet is full of mistakes.”

Campares are well aware that there are obstacles against them.

Energy Secretary Ed Milliband has already approved Many big solar schemesLike the lime as big as the lime.

Sri Miliband wants to quite the UK’s solar power generation capacity, which they say “will make the UK a clean energy superpower”.

Ms. Clarke said that she is “all for wind and solar energy”, not just on the farm.

“We should not use agricultural land and destroy our future food security for solar panels,” he said.

Mrs. Bennett said that only half of the 2,000 acres (878 hectares) proposed for development would have solar panels or related buildings.

Developers, Island Green Power, has allocated 47% land for environmental purposes.

Mrs. Bennett said that solar fields have always worked with nature.

He said: “You can keep the sheep there, you can be wildlife there, they can put bees and ponds and all kinds.”

The company’s first public consultation went under serious opposition. His own report found that 88% locals He was opposed to his plans.

Now developers, island Green Power, said that they have heard and learned.

Senior Project Development Manager Will Therlefall said he was really grateful to all those who responded.

New proposals They are now consulting on changes, they said, which will see less to the solar panels and will infiltrate less.

But they are committed to the original plan with 878 hectares (2170 acres) in the scheme, of which 53% are either a solar panel or related infrastructure.

Mr. Threelfall said: “Projects like Lime Down Solar are important to enable infections in carbon energy than fossil fuels, and we are committed to offer a plan that makes a meaningful contribution to local and national energy needs Gives. “

Formal public counseling will run till 19 March 2025. After that, the company will submit a planning application that will eventually be decided by the State Secretary. This scheme is considered very large by the local council alone.