Report suggests 88% against solar park plans

The 2,000 acre solar park would cover land across a number of villages, such as Norton.

More than 750 people responded to the first stage of consultation for a controversial 2,000 acre solar farm, with 88% saying they were against the current plans.

The Lime Down Solar Park proposals for several villages in the Malmesbury area of north Wiltshire have been met with resistance, with a campaign group being set up against them.

Island Green Power (IGP), which is behind the plans, has thanked people for the responses and said a second consultation would start next year.

The company has said the site would generate enough power for 115,000 homes and that local people's responses would be used to "refine" the proposals.

"Disfigure this countryside"

IGP said that responses were mostly concerned with the visual impact, soil and farming, biodiversity, drainage and flooding, heritage, transport and battery safety.

The company's report on the consultation said 53% were against on the ground solar there, with 88% against the plans as they are now.

There are concerns about how its size would impact the landscape and how much farmland it would take up.

Stop Lime Down signs can be seen in many places along the roads of north Wiltshire.

Phil Moore from the campaign group said: "It's not because they're anti-solar - it will disfigure this countryside for miles and miles around.

"I don't think anyone has the faintest idea about how large it is going to be - it is absolutely enormous."

The solar park would be on farmland in the area

'For our grandchildren'

The solar park would be expected to generate 500MW - enough power for 115,000 homes.

That is something local resident Lesley Bennett, who is also a former mayor of Malmesbury, supports: "That I think is brilliant."

"The main thing to think about is we have to do something about climate change.

"It's for the sake of our children, our grandchildren," she added.

The second consultation starting on the plan will take place in early 2025

Will Threlfall, Senior Project Development Manager for Lime Down Solar Park, commented: “We now have a better understanding of what is important from a landscape, nature, and community perspective that will be addressed as we refine our plans."

The company has said the responses would be used to "refine" the proposals and that consultation was "critical" to it.

The solar park plans were big enough that planning permission has to be sought from the government rather than the council, though the latter is consulted.

The second consultation starting early 2025 would be to gather feedback on updated plans, which would include a look at the underground cable going to the battery site near Melksham.

If the company gets permission, the earliest construction could start would be 2027.