Plans to construct a large solar farm near the Somerset-Dorset border have been officially withdrawn following a public inquiry, to the relief and delight of nearby residents.
Greentech Invest UK Ltd initially proposed the project in June 2024, targeting Mahe Farm on Chard Lane in the village of Wayford, situated between Chard and Crewkerne. After Somerset Council delayed their decision, the Milton Keynes-based company appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in November 2025, citing non-determination.
The matter was examined at a public inquiry in Yeovil earlier this year, where both Greentech Invest and local opposition—represented by the Wayford Action Group—presented their cases to planning inspector John Longmuir. Following his site visit on February 19, Mr. Longmuir ruled against the solar farm, emphasizing its “intrusive” effects on the protected rural landscape.
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The proposed 26-hectare (over 64-acre) solar farm would have spanned several fields surrounding Chard Lane and Dunsham Lane, impacting an area close to Wayford Cemetery and adjacent to the Dorset national landscape—a designation that replaced the former Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). With access planned from the northern end of Chard Lane, the facility was expected to operate for 40 years and generate enough electricity to power approximately 4,700 homes.
Mr. Longmuir highlighted the significance of the Dorset national landscape’s unique qualities, including its undeveloped rural character, tranquility, dark night skies, and sweeping panoramic views. He described the land’s convex bowl shape as visually striking and integral to the pastoral beauty of the ridge facing Dorset’s higher terrain. The proposed solar panels, he said, would introduce artificial and intrusive elements into an otherwise lush and natural environment.
Moreover, the inspector expressed concern over the potential adverse impacts on local heritage sites such as the Pilsdon Pen and Lewesdon hill forts, both National Trust-owned. These historical landmarks rely on their panoramic landscapes as part of their cultural significance, which the solar farm would diminish by disrupting the undeveloped ridge line.
Currently, the site serves as grazing land for deer and has not been used for crop farming for over 40 years. Mr. Longmuir noted that although the land is not crucial for food production, the cumulative harm to the landscape and heritage outweighed the benefits of the solar project.
The Wayford Action Group welcomed the decision, with a spokesperson stating: “Local residents are delighted that the inspector chose to protect our landscape within the setting of the Dorset national landscape and preserve our local heritage.”