New Forest solar farm plan approved

Objectors to the solar farm said it constituted "over-development" (stock photo)

Plans to build a solar farm in the New Forest have been approved.

The £8.5m proposal for land near Walkford Farm overcame resident and parish council objections to receive unanimous support from the district council’s planning committee.

The solar panels will be in place for 40 years before the land, which is on the border of Bransgore and New Milton, is returned to agricultural use.

In a report, council planning officers said the 29-hectare (72-acre) site would provide enough electricity for up to 5,000 homes a year

The proposal faced opposition from Bransgore Parish Council, as well as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council member Andy Martin, who represents the Highcliffe and Walkford ward.

Mr Martin said the solar farm constituted over-development and would be "visually intrusive for years".

“I believe the planning balance is wrong and this is not a suitable site for such a large and intrusive development," he said.

Bransgore Parish Council objected to the application on the basis it would have a “negative long-term impact on the landscape's character and its ability to be returned to useable agricultural land in the future”.

Alongside the panels, which would have capacity for 15 megawatts of power a year, the scheme includes four power stations and a sub-station.

The planning case officer said an area in the middle of the panels had been left vacant due to previous archaeological finds.

'Uplift in biodiversity'

In recommending approval, the officer said: “It would be sited so as to minimise its impact on the higher quality agricultural land whilst maintaining a low-intensity agricultural use.

“Together with the landscaping mitigation, the proposal would offer a significant uplift in biodiversity across the site.”

Nick Barber, development manager for the project, told the committee the clean energy from the solar farm would result in a reduction in carbon emissions equivalent to taking about 2,140 petrol cars off the road for 40 years.

He added that the project would create 70 temporary and five permanent jobs, and would generate £2.3m in business rates over its lifetime.

Dibden and Hythe Liberal Democrat councillor Malcolm Wade proposed the approval of the application.

“We have to accept the reality that to deal with climate change green energy is the future," he said.