HUGE chunks of land in South Oxfordshire could be turned into solar farms under new plans.

Residents have less than a month to have their say on plans for two new power plants that could generate enough energy to power 30,000 homes.

A community consultation was launched yesterday on proposals for the double developments that would be built less than a mile away from two South Oxfordshire villages.

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One of them, called 'Cornwell Solar Farm', would be roughly 1.4 km to the west of Tetsworth and roughly 1km to the north west of Stoke Talmage.

'Harlesford Solar Farm' would be to the west of the Tetsworth, next to the M40.

They are each expected to generate enough clean, renewable electricity to power 15,000 homes – roughly equivalent to a quarter of the homes in South Oxfordshire district.

Oxford Mail:

The plans are being brought forward by Low Carbon – a major privately owned UK company that is ‘committed to making a positive and significant impact on climate change’.

The business announced the solar farms would be connected to the local network and are being designed with a ‘strong emphasis on biodiversity’.

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The pre-application community consultation will run until Monday, July 6, in advance of a full planning application for each site being submitted in the summer.

A spokesperson for Low Carbon said the company will be one of the first solar developers to allow members of the public to provide their comments via a digital consultation tool.

Interested members of the public can comment online now, and James Hartley-Bond, head of planning at Low Carbon, urged residents to get in touch.

Oxford Mail:

He said: “We are committed to hearing the views of the community to help shape our proposals for the solar farms.

“We are encouraging members of the community to get involved and have their say across our easily-accessible communications channels.

“To keep the conversation going whilst social distancing remains in place, we have developed a range of options online and via our dedicated communications lines to invite community feedback.”

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Should the proposals be approved, Low Carbon claimed the solar farms are set to make a ‘significant contribution’ to South Oxfordshire District Council’s target of having net-zero carbon emissions.

The company said its solar farms would also ‘help in the fight against the climate emergency’ by providing clean electricity to UK homes.

South Oxfordshire District Council announced last year that it wanted to have net zero emissions by 2025, and wanted the rest of the district – including Wallingford and Didcot – to follow by 2030.

Vale of White Horse District Council – whose area including Abingdon, Wantage and Faringdon – followed that in January this year with a commitment to become carbon neutral in the next ten years.

Members of public are invited to have their say on the solar farm proposals online now at cornwellandharlesford.commonplace.is