Latest news with #StopLimeDown
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lime Down developer not attending meeting branded 'appalling'
A councillor from an authority "fundamentally opposed" to a 2,000-acre solar park has said its developer not attending a meeting was "appalling".Councillor Nick Botterill said it was "deeply disrespectful" for Island Green Power not to attend a Wiltshire Council cabinet meeting where the Lime Down Solar Park was being the final decision on planning permission will be made by the government, the council has expressed its developer said the invitation was issued too late for them to be able to go. The Lime Down Solar Park proposals have proved very controversial, with residents near to where it would be - in farmland around Malmesbury - running an extensive campaign against it. Locals 'in tears' At the council meeting on 4 March, Sir Mike Pitt represented the Stop Lime Down group. He said emotions were "running very high" for residents near the proposed site, having witnessed many "horrified" and "in tears".He said: "Many are in a state of complete disbelief that this could even be conceived of as a project." The director of planning at Wiltshire Council, Nic Thomas, said the authority had "significant" concerns about the "industrialisation" of the countryside, the cumulative impact of solar farms in the area and the scale of the Lime Down he added: "From an environmental and net zero perspective, there are clear advantages and benefits to what is being proposed, and it does accord, broadly, with government policy around carbon reduction."If approved, the park would provide enough electricity to power approximately 115,000 homes annually, according to the council cabinet voted to express opposition to the plans and suggested that another public consultation be carried out by Island Green Power. Council leader Cllr Richard Clewer described the developers' absence at the meeting as "frustrating" and "deeply regretful".In response Will Threlfall, senior project development manager at Island Green Power, said: "We regret that, as the invitation was issued only late last week, we were unable to attend today's meeting."He said the company will continue to speak with the council and the application to the Planning Inspectorate will include a report on how they have taken views into developer has held eight in-person information events at venues located in the local community, and two online webinars. Island Green Power anticipates submitting the application for Lime Down Solar Park this Threlfall said: "It's really important to us that as many people as possible share their thoughts on our proposals for Lime Down Solar Park."The current consultation is running until 19 March.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Solar park will 'completely swamp' nine villages
People living in some of Britain's most picturesque villages have been divided by plans for a one of the biggest solar parks in the country. Developers want to build solar panels on 2,000 acres of farmland near Malmesbury in the Cotswolds, producing enough energy for 115,000 homes. Rosie Clark is one of hundreds of local campaigners who believes it will "decimate the local area". But supporters of the scheme, including the former mayor of Malmesbury Lesley Bennett, accused opponents of being "well-connected people" whose leaflets are "full of mistakes". The government wants to quadruple the amount of solar power generated in the UK. But wherever developers propose new solar farms, opposition springs up. Rosie Clark lives in a stone cottage surrounded by Cotswold fields and hedgerows in Wiltshire. She is worried there could be more than "a million panels which will be as high as a double-decker bus". The developers have not confirmed exact numbers, but have said it would be 'no more than 700,000 panels'. "It will completely swamp nine local villages," Ms Clark said. "We are in an area of outstanding national beauty. It will decimate the local area, which relies a lot on tourism." Meanwhile, Lesley Bennett is one of a few people who will speak up for the solar scheme. "It's nimbyism, it's perfect nimbyism," she said. "We need clean energy. We need to be energy independent." The campaign to Stop Lime Down is well organised. Hundreds of people have been signed up, leaflets printed, there are signs everywhere in these north Wiltshire villages. But Mrs Bennett thinks there are many silent solar supporters, who dare not speak up. "It's a few well-connected rich people who've created a brilliant campaign," she says. "But it's an illusion. This leaflet is full of mistakes." Campaigners are well aware the odds are against them. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has already approved several big solar schemes, just as big as Lime Down. Mr Miliband wants to quadruple the UK's solar power generation capacity, which he says will "make the UK a clean energy superpower". Ms Clark said she is "all for wind and solar energy", just not on farmland. "We should not be using agricultural land and destroying our future food security for solar panels," she said. Mrs Bennett highlighted that only half of the 2,000 acres (878 hectares) proposed for development would have solar panels or related buildings on. The developers, Island Green Power, have allocated 47% of the land for environmental purposes. Mrs Bennett said that solar fields have always worked alongside nature. She said: "You can have sheep on there, you can have wildlife on there, they put in beehives and ponds and all sorts." The company's first public consultation ran into serious opposition. Their own report found that 88% of local people were opposed to their plans. Now the developers, Island Green Power, said they have listened and learned. Will Threllfall, senior project development manager, said he was 'really grateful' to everyone who responded. The new proposals they are now consulting on include changes, he said, which will make the solar panels less visible and less intrusive. But they remain committed to the basic plan, with 878 hectares ( 2170 acres) in the scheme, of which 53% is either solar panels or related infrastructure. Mr Threlfall said: "Projects like Lime Down Solar are vital to enabling the transition from fossil fuel to low carbon energy, and we're committed to delivering a scheme that makes a meaningful contribution to both local and national energy needs." The formal public consultation will run until 19 March 2025. After that, the company will submit a planning application which will in the end be decided by the Secretary of State. The scheme is considered too big to be judged by a local council alone. Major solar project given go-ahead by government Food or solar? Farmers divided over land use Report suggests 88% against solar park plans Major solar project given go-ahead by government
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Solar park will 'completely swamp' nine villages
People living in some of Britain's most picturesque villages have been divided by plans for a one of the biggest solar parks in the country. Developers want to build solar panels on 2,000 acres of farmland near Malmesbury in the Cotswolds, producing enough energy for 115,000 homes. Rosie Clark is one of hundreds of local campaigners who believes it will "decimate the local area". But supporters of the scheme, including the former mayor of Malmesbury Lesley Bennett, accused opponents of being "well-connected people" whose leaflets are "full of mistakes". The government wants to quadruple the amount of solar power generated in the UK. But wherever developers propose new solar farms, opposition springs up. Rosie Clark lives in a stone cottage surrounded by Cotswold fields and hedgerows in Wiltshire. She is worried there could be more than "a million panels which will be as high as a double-decker bus". The developers have not confirmed exact numbers, but have said it would be 'at least around 700,000 panels'. "It will completely swamp nine local villages," Ms Clark said. "We are in an area of outstanding national beauty. It will decimate the local area, which relies a lot on tourism." Meanwhile, Lesley Bennett is one of a few people who will speak up for the solar scheme. "It's nimbyism, it's perfect nimbyism," she said. "We need clean energy. We need to be energy independent." The campaign to Stop Lime Down is well organised. Hundreds of people have been signed up, leaflets printed, there are signs everywhere in these north Wiltshire villages. But Mrs Bennett thinks there are many silent solar supporters, who dare not speak up. "It's a few well-connected rich people who've created a brilliant campaign," she says. "But it's an illusion. This leaflet is full of mistakes." Campaigners are well aware the odds are against them. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has already approved several big solar schemes, just as big as Lime Down. Mr Miliband wants to quadruple the UK's solar power generation capacity, which he says will "make the UK a clean energy superpower". Ms Clark said she is "all for wind and solar energy", just not on farmland. "We should not be using agricultural land and destroying our future food security for solar panels," she said. Mrs Bennett highlighted that only half of the 2,000 acres (878 hectares) proposed for development would have solar panels or related buildings on. The developers, Island Green Power, have allocated 47% of the land for environmental purposes. Mrs Bennett said that solar fields have always worked alongside nature. She said: "You can have sheep on there, you can have wildlife on there, they put in beehives and ponds and all sorts." The company's first public consultation ran into serious opposition. Their own report found that 88% of local people were opposed to their plans. Now the developers, Island Green Power, said they have listened and learned. Will Threllfall, senior project development manager, said he was 'really grateful' to everyone who responded. The new proposals they are now consulting on include changes, he said, which will make the solar panels less visible and less intrusive. But they remain committed to the basic plan, with 878 hectares ( 2170 acres) in the scheme, of which 53% is either solar panels or related infrastructure. Mr Threlfall said: "Projects like Lime Down Solar are vital to enabling the transition from fossil fuel to low carbon energy, and we're committed to delivering a scheme that makes a meaningful contribution to both local and national energy needs." The formal public consultation will run until 19 March 2025. After that, the company will submit a planning application which will in the end be decided by the Secretary of State. The scheme is considered too big to be judged by a local council alone. Major solar project given go-ahead by government Food or solar? Farmers divided over land use Report suggests 88% against solar park plans Major solar project given go-ahead by government
BBC News
29-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'Well-connected people trying to stop solar park being built'
People living in some of Britain's most picturesque villages have been divided by plans for a one of the biggest solar parks in the want to build solar panels on 2,000 acres of farmland near Malmesbury in the Cotswolds, producing enough energy for 115,000 Clark is one of hundreds of local campaigners who believes it will "decimate the local area". But supporters of the scheme, including the former mayor of Malmesbury Lesley Bennett, accused opponents of being "well-connected people" whose leaflets are "full of mistakes". The government wants to quadruple the amount of solar power generated in the UK. But wherever developers propose new solar farms, opposition springs up. Rosie Clark lives in a stone cottage surrounded by Cotswold fields and hedgerows in is worried there could be more than "a million panels which will be as high as a double-decker bus".The developers have not confirmed exact numbers, but have said it would be 'at least around 700,000 panels'. "It will completely swamp nine local villages," Ms Clark said."We are in an area of outstanding national beauty. It will decimate the local area, which relies a lot on tourism." Meanwhile, Lesley Bennett is one of a few people who will speak up for the solar scheme. "It's nimbyism, it's perfect nimbyism," she said."We need clean energy. We need to be energy independent."The campaign to Stop Lime Down is well organised. Hundreds of people have been signed up, leaflets printed, there are signs everywhere in these north Wiltshire Mrs Bennett thinks there are many silent solar supporters, who dare not speak up."It's a few well-connected rich people who've created a brilliant campaign," she says."But it's an illusion. This leaflet is full of mistakes." Campaigners are well aware the odds are against Secretary Ed Miliband has already approved several big solar schemes, just as big as Lime Miliband wants to quadruple the UK's solar power generation capacity, which he says will "make the UK a clean energy superpower".Ms Clark said she is "all for wind and solar energy", just not on farmland."We should not be using agricultural land and destroying our future food security for solar panels," she said. Mrs Bennett highlighted that only half of the 2,000 acres (878 hectares) proposed for development would have solar panels or related buildings developers, Island Green Power, have allocated 47% of the land for environmental Bennett said that solar fields have always worked alongside said: "You can have sheep on there, you can have wildlife on there, they put in beehives and ponds and all sorts."The company's first public consultation ran into serious opposition. Their own report found that 88% of local people were opposed to their the developers, Island Green Power, said they have listened and Threllfall, senior project development manager, said he was 'really grateful' to everyone who responded. The new proposals they are now consulting on include changes, he said, which will make the solar panels less visible and less they remain committed to the basic plan, with 878 hectares ( 2170 acres) in the scheme, of which 53% is either solar panels or related Threlfall said: "Projects like Lime Down Solar are vital to enabling the transition from fossil fuel to low carbon energy, and we're committed to delivering a scheme that makes a meaningful contribution to both local and national energy needs."The formal public consultation will run until 19 March 2025. After that, the company will submit a planning application which will in the end be decided by the Secretary of State. The scheme is considered too big to be judged by a local council alone.
