Residents opposing a vast ‘solar factory’ development in the countryside between Malmesbury and Chippenham are set to bring their protest to Wiltshire’s County Hall next week.
The group, Stop Lime Down, is against the proposed 2,220-acre solar farm spanning six locations around Hullavington, Stanton St Quintin, Sherston, and Luckington. While they do not oppose solar power itself, the protesters object to the “industrial scale” of the planned solar farms.
Their campaign has gained support from their MP, Roz Savage (Lib Dem, South Cotswolds), who has raised concerns about the disruption caused by abnormal loads — oversized lorries transporting equipment along narrow country lanes to construction sites. Additionally, she has questioned the ownership of the developer Island Green Power with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. Island Green Power is owned by Macquarie Asset Management, the former owner of Thames Water.
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Island Green Power states the project would generate 500 megawatts of electricity, enough to power approximately 115,000 homes. The six solar sites would link to the National Grid via underground cables, which would require tunneling beneath the M4 motorway.
The company emphasizes that the development would help meet national and regional goals to decarbonize electricity generation and strengthen energy security.
The proposal is scheduled for discussion at Wiltshire Council’s full meeting on Tuesday, July 22. However, the council will not decide on the project because, as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project with a capacity over 50 megawatts, planning permission falls under the authority of Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband.
Wiltshire Council has voiced opposition to the scheme, stating in March: “To see that much farmland converted and the essential industrialisation of the countryside provides good grounds for refusal.”
Island Green Power aims to submit a development application by the end of the year and, if approved, hopes to begin construction in 2027.
Recent data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero shows that Wiltshire is already among the UK’s top solar energy producing counties, ranking eighth with 1,474 megawatts generated.