A LARGE solar farm, that could generate enough renewable energy to power 6,384 homes, has been proposed for land near Motcombe.
Renewable energy company Enviromena is preparing to submit plans to Dorset Council to build on a farm site near Motcombe Road, SP7 9LD.
The company said the proposed solar farm would avoid 3,570 tonnes of CO2 annually compared to other non-renewable forms of energy generation, which is the equivalent of taking 4,746 cars off the road each year.
New hedgerows would be planted if the plans are approved and a “significant proportion” of the land will be set aside for habitats to support mammals, birds and invertebrates.
Further ecological enhancement measures such as bird boxes and bat boxes will be placed within the site to encourage those populations to prosper.
The location of the proposed site Picture: Enviromena
Environmena said: “Careful consideration has been given to the project to avoid effects on any scheduled ancient monuments, ancient hedgerows and woodlands within the Gillingham Royal Forest area.
“Existing trees and hedgerows will be retained and protected and supplemented by additional native species planting to support local habitats as part of a wider ecological network.
“The development of green projects like Motcombe Solar Farm also create business opportunities and economic activity which contribute to the country’s green recovery.
“We are committed to using local suppliers and contractors during construction and long-term operation of the project, which will benefit the local economy, and provide jobs to people in the local area.
“The proposal does not require the stopping or diversion of any public rights of way.
“This is a temporary development, allowing the land to rest for the period of operation up to 40 years. Decommissioning and full restoration of the site at the end of life of the development will be secured via planning condition.”
A public consultation took place yesterday, August 22, where the developer engaged with the local community to hear their thoughts on the proposal.
Motcombe Parish Council invited Environmeta to attend a meeting in September to discuss the results from the consultation.
More information can be found by visiting the dedicated website.
A other blot on the landscape. An eyesore in the middle of Dorset’s beautiful countryside. Who is going to benefit from the solar energy supplied by the solar farm? There is a huge solar panel farm just outside Blandford that is supplying energy to homes in London. Is the same going to apply to Motcombe?
We do need to improve our green energy usage so I generally support these developments, however the energy supplied should be offered to the locals who would then benefit. We were told a few years ago that cars would be running on LPG so we spent a few hundred quid on converting our V8 petrol vehicle to LPG and now we find that there are very few garages actually selling it! Living in a rural area in N Dorset, I’m afraid that petrol or diesel will win every time for us to run our vehicles so yes , if solar was available locally then that would certainly be a greener option for us to at least run the household. I used to work at Wytch Farm Oil Field in Corfe and this site is beautifully managed for wildlife so fuel and creatures can be combined… in the right hands.