Gillingham Town Council has come out in opposition to a large solar farm proposed on the eastern edge of town.

The 90-acre Fern Brook Solar Farm, next to Orchard Park, would generate 45kw of power, enough to power 15,000 homes. But none would be specifically for local homes as the developers plan to run a cable to join the National Grid at a sub-station in Shaftesbury.

In its plans submitted to Dorset Council, it has emerged that the developers propose to bury the 4.5km cable under the newly- surfaced B3081.
The application also says that up to 35 lorry and car/van movements would be expected every working day during construction.

The developers are Low Carbon, an investment company that built its first solar farm a decade ago and now has a portfolio of 2GW of UK solar, enough to power 660,000 homes. The company says it has listened to feedback and reduced the size of the site, added wider margins from woodland and paths, and guaranteed to keep public footpaths open during construction and operation.

The farm would border a bridleway, ancient King’s Court Wood and The White Hart Link, a 50-mile walk linking North Dorset towns and villages. The town council has objected on the grounds that the proposal would affect the woodland and harm views from Shaftesbury.
The council’s planning committee and Motcombe Parish Council say they both acknowledge the need for green energy.

But parish council vice-chairman Peter Mouncey says that visibility is the main issue. “We all welcome alternative energy – but in the right places,” he says. “My personal opinion is that green is good but we as a council have to decide which way to go.”

Motcombe will submit its opinion to Dorset Council before the August 11 deadline for comments. Under the solar farm arrangement, 90 acres will be leased from landowners Park Farm for 40 years, after which the panels and infrastructure would be removed. The market rate for solar farms is currently £1,000 a year, inflation-linked rent for each acre.

It will be a £20m investment for Low Carbon, which claims it can build the site within 18 weeks. The size of the site is significant, as it will not require higher approval.

Finlay Colville, head of research at industry analysts Solar Media, says: “It remains the case that almost all project developers of new solar farms in the UK are staying well away from National Grid or central government approval, by staying below 50MW for individual sites.”

Support Us

Thank you all so, so much for the love and appreciation you’ve shown us since we launched the New Blackmore Vale.

Please show your support and add a review on our Facebook page or on Google.