Around 100 protesters gathered outside council offices to demonstrate their opposition to a huge solar farm.

West Oxfordshire District Council's development control committee met on Monday (February 5) to agree their response to the consultation on Botley West Solar Farm which ends tomorrow.

The council raised concerns the proposed 1,300 hectare solar farm could damage landscape, the Blenheim Palace World Heritage Site and Oxford’s Green Belt.

Helen Marshall, director of The Countryside Charity (CPRE) Oxfordshire said: “We, at CPRE campaign for rooftops first as rooftop solar can provide over half our solar energy targets. 

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"With vast warehouses, and commercial buildings crying out for rooftop solar, there would be no need to build on our precious green belt.

"The land used for solar farms could be better used for nature recovery, public amenity or low impact food production.”

Rob Gun, a resident of North Leigh, told the meeting the facility "would industrialise an area of Green Belt greater than the size of Heathrow airport for decades - and generations - to come".

"It is a fallacy that these panels would be hidden from sight – they would be plain to see and would be a commentary on the agencies that allowed this to happen," he said.

Anthony Thompson, resident of Church Hanborough and representative of Stop Botley West campaign group, described the proposed solar farm as "monolithic".

He said it was "the wrong proposal in the wrong place for the wrong reasons".

He said it "will prejudice other zero carbon pathways by occupying too much Green Belt and best and most versatile  land".

"If it were not for the opportunity presented by one private estate owning the majority of the 3,400 acres ‘any experienced developer would look for more suitable alternatives," Mr Thompson added.

His speech was greeted by applause.

Councillor Nick Leverton asked Mr Thompson to confirm the land is all owned by one estate.

He replied: "Predominantly, the majority – around 95 per cent of the land - belongs to the Blenheim Estate.

"And just for absolute clarity that is the private family wealth fund of the Marlborough family.

"That is not in the ownership of Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation, which is the charity."

Dr Hilary Brown of Sustainable Woodstock called for a major increase in the funding to local communities if the project goes ahead. 

The developers are offering  £50,000 a year.

She said: "For comparison some larger projects in Scotland are offering communities up to £5,000 per installed megawatt of power.

"Given that Botley West would be 840 megawatts that could be £4.2 million a year for 40 years."

Oxfordshire groups and individuals have written to the developers calling for £3 million a year.

"This is 60 times what is currently on offer but it is less than £10 per household per year for the 330,000 homes that the developers state that they will be able to power."

Chris Church, of Oxford Friends of the Earth, who signed the letter, said: “Projects of this size are a new challenge for us all and a decision will need to be made with great care.

"But if it happens, then the community benefit must be fair and realistic.

READ MORE: Council responds to solar farm consultation with Green Belt concern

She said the current figure "is totally inadequate".

"This could be a transformative sum of money that could deliver real lasting benefits. if agreed Botley West should be a great example of what can be done.”

Mark Owen-Lloyd of Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) said they welcomed the council's "thoughtful and measured response to our consultation" and PVDP are "fully committed to reflecting these recommendations in our revised plans where possible".

"We will provide a full response to the council’s submission in our consultation report."