Wiltshire Council has voiced strong opposition to the proposed Lime Down Solar Park, describing it as one of the most damaging developments the county has seen in recent memory. The heated debate unfolded during a full council meeting on July 22, where councillors from across the political spectrum expressed varied but united concerns.
The solar park, planned to stretch between Malmesbury and Chippenham over an area four miles wide and two miles deep, would feature solar panels towering 4.5 meters high—the equivalent of a double-decker bus, reportedly a UK first. Additionally, multiple battery storage units, including one as tall as a five-storey building, and a 20-kilometer cable corridor up to 60 meters wide, are part of the project. The cabling would traverse critical infrastructure such as the M4 motorway and the Bristol to London railway line.
This immense scale prompted many councillors to describe the development as “industrial” and incongruous with the rural landscape. Liberal Democrat councillors Martin Smith and Jon Atkey, leading the opposition motion, warned that the project would permanently scar Wiltshire’s countryside. They criticized the project’s developer, Island Green Power, and its owner, Macquarie Group, highlighting past controversies and the financial gains of select landowners.
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Council leader Ian Thorn emphasized the democratic deficit faced by local residents, as the project’s designation as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project means planning decisions rest with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband—not the councillors or communities directly affected.
While Liberal Democrats opposed the project to protect the countryside against industrialization, Conservative councillors focused on preserving rural aesthetics, with some calling for a moratorium on further solar and wind developments in Wiltshire. Reform UK councillors challenged the net zero agenda itself, arguing that solar farms are driven by subsidies and that climate science is unsettled.
Despite differing motivations, the council unanimously backed a motion (85 votes in favor, six abstentions) opposing the Lime Down Solar Park, highlighting a rare moment of cross-party consensus in defense of Wiltshire’s rural character and local voice.