Dorset solar park starts providing power to buildings 100 miles away

The facility is expected to provide more than half of the City Corporation’s electricity

A solar park has started providing power to buildings in the City of London's financial centre - more than 100 miles away.

Renewable firm Voltalia's solar farm near Spetisbury, Dorset, is being used to power various sites.

But the Campaign for Rural England (CPRE) said the land should be used to "provide food for Dorset rather than powering bankers' offices".

Voltalia said it was "proud" to be supplying "clean and cheap" energy.

The £40m contract between the City Corporation and the South Farm Solar Park will last for 15 years.

The 49.9MW generated - enough to power 15,000 homes - will be supplied to Guildhall, Tower Bridge, three markets and the Barbican Arts Centre.

'Desecrating landscape'

After approval by Dorset Council, the project was extended in 2021 to two additional fields.

A council report at the time read: "There is a necessity for renewable energy development and with vast swathes of Dorset within designated or valued landscapes, there are few opportunities to site solar farm developments appropriately."

But the scheme has faced a backlash from locals and the CPRE, which is also opposing two other nearby projects at North Dairy Farm and Hardy's Vale.

Rupert Hardy, chairman of North Dorset CPRE, said: "At a time of concern over food security, land should be used to provide food for Dorset rather than powering bankers' offices in the City of London."

He added the project was also "desecrating our beautiful landscape".

Voltalia said it had invested more than £800,000 within 25 miles of South Farm Solar Park and more than £3m in the wider region.

CEO Sébastien Clerc said: "In the current energy crisis, we are very proud to supply clean and cheap electricity to some of London's most iconic landmarks."

Chairman of the City Corporation's environment committee, Keith Bottomley, said: "The deal will increase our green energy supply, has no reliance on taxpayer funding, and helps us transition quickly away from fossil fuels."

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