Controversial Lime Down Solar Farm Plans Submitted for Review

Plans have been submitted for a significant solar farm development in Wiltshire that could reshape the region’s landscape. Lime Down Solar Park Limited seeks to construct a 500 megawatt solar facility north of the M4 motorway near Malmesbury. The project aims to generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 115,000 homes.

If approved, the solar farm would span an area four miles wide and two miles deep, featuring solar panels that stand at 4.5 metres, comparable to the height of a double-decker bus. This project also proposes the installation of several battery storage systems, with one unit reaching the height of a five-storey building. In addition, a 20-kilometre cable would connect the site to a substation in Melksham, requiring a corridor of 60 metres wide that will pass under the M4 and the Bristol-to-London railway line.

Local officials have expressed strong opposition to the project, branding it a “solar factory” and criticizing its “industrial” nature. Wiltshire councillors, who will not have a vote on the proposal, have voiced their concerns regarding the potential impact on the countryside. During a meeting in July, Martin Smith, the councillor for Sherston, described the development as likely to create “an industrialised landscape” that would leave a “permanent scar” on the region.

Smith specifically targeted the developer, Macquarie Group, alleging past financial misconduct related to Thames Water, and expressed discontent with the nine landowners, some of whom are aristocrats, who stand to benefit from the project.

The Planning Inspectorate has confirmed that it received the application from Lime Down Solar Park Limited and will determine if it can proceed to examination. A decision regarding the acceptance of the application is expected by October 17, 2023. The application will undergo several stages, which could take over a year before any construction commences.

The process involves a pre-examination phase where inspectors will be appointed to review the proposal. This stage typically lasts about three months. Following that, an examination stage allows the examining authority to scrutinize the project, during which comments from the applicant, registered individuals, and official bodies will be gathered. This examination phase can last up to six months.

Once the examination concludes, a written report will be prepared and submitted to Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, within three months. Miliband will then review the report and make the final decision, which must be completed within three months. It is important to note that the decision can be contested in the High Court, which will assess if there are grounds for a judicial review.

As the planning process unfolds, local communities and stakeholders will remain attentive to the potential implications of this development on the Wiltshire landscape and environment.