Oxfordshire campaigners call for a countywide strategy on solar farms

Developer Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) proposes to build a 1,000-hectare solar farm over three sites in the districts of West Oxfordshire, Cherwell and Vale of White Horse.

The Botley West Solar Farm would be built on land north of Woodstock, near Eynsham and in Cumnor, much of which is owned by the Blenheim Estate.

It would be the UK’s most powerful solar farm with the capacity to generate electricity for all of Oxfordshire's homes, said PVDP.

The size of the project is so enormous – covering 100 international rugby pitches in total – that it would be considered a national infrastructure project.

It would need special government classification, which PVDP could apply for in 2023.

Countryside charity CPRE said it would oppose the Cumnor site outright as it is in the protected Oxford Green Belt.

Helen Marshall, director of CPRE Oxfordshire, said: “Climate change, energy security and fuel prices all mean that increasing renewable energy is vital. But we also need our countryside!

"Preserving our countryside is an essential counterbalance to climate change and nature recovery.

"Oxfordshire Pathways to Net Zero team have suggested that at the most 1% of Oxfordshire needs to be used for solar.

"This development would be almost half of Oxfordshire’s total solar requirement but at the cost of agricultural land and public green space, rather than making use of roofs or brownfield land.”

CPRE Oxfordshire is calling for a countywide strategy.

Ms Marshall said: "With the rate of applications still increasing, farmland, open countryside and Green Belt are at risk.

"Due to the potential impact of the Blenheim Estate's proposed solar farm we would urge our District Councils to put other solar farm developments on hold until the outcome of this development is decided."

It comes after Debbie Dance, director of Oxford Preservation Trust, said "the number of sites coming forward on sensitive and highly visible sites is truly alarming".

She said: “We have asked the local authorities to come together and make a plan rather than just reacting to whatever comes forward but this has so far fallen on deaf ears.

“We can only hope that as we all hear of more plans coming forward, close to the Thames and the historic toll bridge at Swinford, and another in the western hills of the city at Cumnor Hurst... that the councils will begin to hear our cries for some leadership here.

“Let's save Oxford's landscape, heritage and views and have green solar energy - not ruin one for the other.”

West Oxfordshire District Council has issued a statement on the plans, welcoming the Government looking to solar and other forms of sustainable power generation to help tackle the climate emergency.

But it said: “We will be looking to see that consideration has been given to a wide range of aspects to make sure this works for our local area including our environment, our economy and ensuring the community benefits directly from any development.

“We are very concerned that given the intrusive nature of what is being proposed that the applicant appears to be circumventing the planning authorities normal practice.

"By using three distinct separate sites as a single application and leaving it to the Secretary of State to decide, it does not give each area affected the chance to give their own view through the normal planning process on behalf of local communities.

"We will respond to the Government's consultation and encourage local people to do the same with any views they have on the solar farm."

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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris

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