A proposed solar farm in Somerset has drawn strong opposition from Somerset Council and local groups, who warn that the project is “wholly out of character” with the area and could deter tourists from visiting.
Greentech Invest UK Ltd. submitted plans in June 2024 to develop a 26-hectare solar farm across several fields at Mahe Farm, located on Chard Lane near the village of Wayford, between Chard and Crewkerne. The site lies just north of Wayford Cemetery, near the railway line served by South Western Railway and close to the Dorset national landscape, a protected area previously designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The solar farm is designed to operate for 40 years, with the potential for extensions through further planning applications. It aims to generate up to 18,500 MWh of renewable energy annually—enough to power approximately 4,700 homes.
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Due to Somerset Council’s delayed response to the planning application, Greentech has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, triggering a public inquiry. The inquiry opened on February 10 in Yeovil, where both sides, along with representatives from the Wayford Action Group, presented their cases.
Sinead Davies, Greentech’s legal counsel, emphasized the urgent need for renewable energy infrastructure amid the global climate crisis. She highlighted that the land’s steep slopes and operational difficulties limit productive farming, making it suitable for solar development. Davies argued that the solar farm’s public benefits, including significant contributions to green energy targets, outweigh the relatively minor and temporary visual impacts.
Conversely, Philip Robson KC, representing Somerset Council, argued that the project’s industrial nature would be highly prominent and out of character with the rural pastoral landscape. He warned that the solar farm’s visual impact would degrade the setting of the Dorset national landscape and harm both tourism and local residents’ quality of life.
Michael Feeney of the Wayford Action Group stressed that national planning policies protect rural landscapes and heritage sites and do not guarantee the approval of solar farm developments. He pointed out that the proposal would lead to the loss of high-quality agricultural land and undermine the significance of designated heritage assets.
Planning inspector John Longmuir is set to conduct two site visits before delivering his decision in early spring, which will be available on the Planning Inspectorate’s official website.