Solar developer no show at meeting 'appalling'

The Lime Down Solar Park plan is controversial, with a big campaign group against it.

A councillor from an authority "fundamentally opposed" to a 2,000-acre solar park has said its developer not attending a meeting was "appalling".

Councillor Nick Botterill said it was "deeply disrespectful" for Island Green Power not to attend a Wiltshire Council cabinet meeting where the Lime Down Solar Park was being discussed.

While the final decision on planning permission will be made by the government, the council has expressed its opposition.

The developer said the invitation was issued too late for them to be able to go.

The Lime Down Solar Park proposals have proved very controversial, with residents near to where it would be - in farmland around Malmesbury - running an extensive campaign against it.

Locals 'in tears'

At the council meeting on 4 March, Sir Mike Pitt represented the Stop Lime Down group. He said emotions were "running very high" for residents near the proposed site, having witnessed many "horrified" and "in tears".

He said: "Many are in a state of complete disbelief that this could even be conceived of as a project."

The solar park would cover thousands of acres of farmland.

The director of planning at Wiltshire Council, Nic Thomas, said the authority had "significant" concerns about the "industrialisation" of the countryside, the cumulative impact of solar farms in the area and the scale of the Lime Down scheme.

But he added: "From an environmental and net zero perspective, there are clear advantages and benefits to what is being proposed, and it does accord, broadly, with government policy around carbon reduction."

If approved, the park would provide enough electricity to power approximately 115,000 homes annually, according to the developer.

The council cabinet voted to express opposition to the plans and suggested that another public consultation be carried out by Island Green Power.

Council leader Richard Clewer said the developers being absent was "frustrating".

Council leader Cllr Richard Clewer described the developers' absence at the meeting as "frustrating" and "deeply regretful".

In response Will Threlfall, senior project development manager at Island Green Power, said: "We regret that, as the invitation was issued only late last week, we were unable to attend today's meeting."

He said the company will continue to speak with the council and the application to the Planning Inspectorate will include a report on how they have taken views into account.

The developer has held eight in-person information events at venues located in the local community, and two online webinars.

Island Green Power anticipates submitting the application for Lime Down Solar Park this autumn.

Mr Threlfall said: "It's really important to us that as many people as possible share their thoughts on our proposals for Lime Down Solar Park."

The current consultation is running until 19 March.