A green energy developer is appealing the refusal of a 92-acre solar farm between Motcombe and Gillingham in the hope of having the decision overturned.

In January, a planning application by Fern Brook Solar Farm Ltd for the scheme – on land at Park Farm – was refused by Dorset Council’s planning committee.

The solar farm would generate around 30MW of electricity, enough to power just under 10,000 homes, according to the developer. But the committee decided the development would affect the open nature of the landscape and close the ‘green gap’ between Gillingham and Motcombe – outweighing the benefits of the scheme.

There were also fears the development would impact views from Shaftesbury and for walkers using the White Hart Link path. The scheme was opposed by both Motcombe Parish Council and officers at Dorset Council, who recommended refusal of the plan due to the impact on ‘the character and specific attributes of the site’.

Councillors agreed and rejected the plan. However, after the refusal, Fern Park Solar Farm Ltd decided to appeal the decision. It has asked a planning inspector to reassess the reasons for refusal. When an appeal is lodged, a planning inspector is appointed to look over the application, consider evidence from all parties and decide whether to support the refusal or reverse it. The appeal over the Motcombe solar farm got underway this week in Sturminster Newton and is expected to last until Tuesday, 4 October.

In an opening statement to the inquiry, the developer said the previous refusal did not consider the true requirement for clean electricity, particularly since the Government’s 2019 pledge to reach net zero by 2050. They said the current local plan, which does not include any sites for solar development, was ‘out of date’. The remarks added: “The appeal site is not in a designated landscape; the proposed development does not adversely affect the residential amenity of existing housing; it does not adversely affect the setting of a listed building or conservation area; it does not cause direct physical harm to any scheduled ancient monument; indeed there is very limited (if any) intervisibility between the Site and the three scheduled ancient monuments identified in the reason for refusal; there will be no solar panels within flood zone areas 2 or 3; and the appeal site is not ‘best and most versatile’ agricultural land (it is Grade 4).

Photo credit: Dorset Council/Low Carbon

“Compared with most of the county, this is a site with few landscape, ecological, heritage or other constraints.
“It is also a location that allows easy access to the local electricity distribution network.”

In its opening remarks, Dorset Council said the scheme would have “significant adverse effects on the character of the appeal site, the Deer Park, the surrounding part of the Clay Vale and on experiential qualities such as openness, wildness and tranquillity.
“As landscaping matures, most of these effects would decrease, but would remain adverse.

“The effects relating to the site and the deer park would still be significant.”

It is not yet known when the inspector’s decision will be issued.