Close vote permits 164-acre solar farm in Devon

The company behind the project said it will bring the council more than £160,000 in business rates every year

A close vote has seen permission granted for a 164-acre solar farm.

The vote passed by five votes to four by Torridge District Council's Planning Committee in north Devon.

John Nettles, the star of television's Bergerac and Midsomer Murders, spearheaded a campaign against the solar farm near his property in Pyworthy, near Holsworthy.

The boss of the firm behind the development said she hoped people could "see the benefit" of the project.

More than 200 people living in the area and two parish councils objected to the development, Derrill Water solar farm, over 28 fields.

The Devon Branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said the result was "disappointing".

In a video made by Devon CPRE and released in May, Mr Nettles said: "It'll come right up very near to the border of my little farm and there it'll be an unsightly, unwelcome and unwanted neighbour so naturally I want permission refused and so do most people in this little village.

"The residents of Pyworthy believe they are under siege and that their voices are being drowned out by those of the big developers."

'Economic benefits'

Following the planning meeting, Devon CPRE trustee Steve Crowther said: "It's disappointing that a margin of just one vote means yet another swathe of Devon's agricultural land will become glass instead of grass.

"Councillors may think they're doing the best thing for the planet by granting permission for these massive solar farms on green fields, but they are misguided."

Mark Mariott recently bought property in the area to set up holiday lets and will have a direct view of the solar farm.

He said: "We've ploughed our entire life savings into this site, unaware that this was going to happen, and we simply wouldn't have bought in the area in the first place."

Rachel Anderson from Renewable Energy Systems (RES), the company behind the application, is currently at COP26 discussing how to increase the use of solar energy around the world.

She said that when RES started the project, they consulted the local community and have worked with the council to assess the landscape.

She said: "We hope people can see the benefit, but, we can't get away from the fact that when we put a solar a project in the area, that is a change to that landscape, but we believe that that's actually a good change that we can bring forward.

"With the solar project, we will be bringing other economic benefits as well, Derrill Water will bring the council over £160,000 in business rates every single year."