Maiden Newton: Solar farm in designated beauty spot rejected

Dorset Council was concerned about the impact on the AONB

A controversial scheme for a solar farm in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has been rejected by planners.

The 12 mega-watt site near Maiden Newton in Dorset would have been about the size of 20 football pitches spread over two fields.

Developers said it would have powered nearly 5,000 homes every year, but Dorset Council refused the application.

Enviromena, the company behind the scheme, said it would appeal.

Spokesman Mark Harding said: "It's the only way to drive down energy prices and for the UK to become self-sufficient in terms of energy production and decarbonise the grid network."

Plans for the 43-acre (17.6 hectares) site had split local opinion.

Proposals for the solar farm would have covered 17.66 hectares (43 acres) and powered 4,781 homes

One resident said: "We're custodians of the countryside, if we don't look after it and planning allows too many blots on the landscape then you're not going to have that same beauty."

Another added: "It's the sort of progress we've got to accept, that's the way of the future.

"It's the same syndrome of people not wanting it in their backyard, but someone's got to have it and there's worse things to be living with, like a nuclear power station."

However, Dorset Council said the development would "by reason of its appearance, scale and positioning have a detrimental impact on the character, landscape and visual quality" on the AONB.

It also cited concerns about access to the Macmillan Way, a public path which crossed the proposed site.

The Macmillan Way, a right of way from Lincolnshire to Abbotsbury runs through the proposed site

Councillor Belinda Ridout told Friday's planning committee meeting the proposed scheme "would be seen for miles and miles around."

But councillor Kelvin Clayton voted in favour and said the impact of the solar farm would be negligible.

Natural England, the Dorset Wildlife Trust and the Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England had also voiced opposition to the scheme.