Plans to construct one of the UK’s largest solar farms in Wiltshire have progressed, with government inspectors officially accepting the proposal for further examination. Lime Down Solar Park Limited aims to build a 500-megawatt solar farm just north of the M4 motorway near Malmesbury.
This development marks the initial “pre-examination” phase—the first of four steps toward securing planning permission. However, local residents have vowed to challenge the project at every stage.
Lime Down Solar Park, a subsidiary of Island Green Power owned by Australian investment group Macquarie, claims the project can generate enough renewable energy to power 115,000 homes. If approved, the farm would span an area approximately four miles wide and two miles deep. The solar panels will stand 4.5 meters tall—roughly the height of a double-decker bus—making it a UK first.
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The project also includes several battery storage units, with at least one towering as high as a five-story building. A 20-kilometer underground cable corridor, 60 meters wide, will connect the site to a substation in Melksham, crossing beneath the M4 and the Bristol-to-London railway line.
Opponents argue the sprawling solar farm would irreparably alter the countryside across a vast area, blighting the landscape from east to west and north to south. Wiltshire councillors have criticized the proposal as an “industrial” “solar factory,” expressing concern over its scale and impact.
The Planning Inspectorate’s confirmation to examine the scheme launches a three-month pre-examination period. Following that, the process involves a detailed examination phase where stakeholders, including landowners and public bodies, can submit comments. Subsequent stages include a recommendation report and a final decision by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, currently Ed Miliband. The decision may, however, be subject to judicial review in the High Court.
Since the project is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, local councillors will not have a direct say in the final approval, heightening concerns among opponents.
Sir Mike Pitt, representing the Stop Lime Down campaign, expressed strong objections: “We are dismayed by the Planning Inspectorate’s decision. The proposals are flawed, and the consultation process was inadequate.”
He highlighted the project’s massive scale, noting it covers an area over one-third larger than Gatwick Airport, excluding the extensive power cable route. This corridor will tunnel beneath key infrastructure, including the M4 and a major rail link.
Pitt emphasized the environmental and economic costs: “Vast tracts of countryside, prime farmland, leisure areas, and significant wildlife habitats will be destroyed, harming local economies. The project benefits major investors and landowners but offers minimal gains for the UK.”
He also questioned the scheme’s contribution to national solar targets, stating it delivers less than one percent of the Government’s 70GW solar capacity goal by 2035. Pitt argued that while solar power is presented as a cheap and quick renewable source, large-scale projects like this are inefficient in energy generation. Furthermore, overseas ownership and supply chains diminish the project’s benefits for UK energy security and economy.
“Stop Lime Down supports solar power efforts, but this plan is the wrong size, in the wrong location, and pursued for the wrong reasons,” Pitt concluded. He urged the public to actively participate in the consultation to halt what he describes as “disastrous proposals.”
Members of the public have 30 days to submit comments on the plans via the Planning Inspectorate’s website.