Concerns over solar farm in West Oxfordshire
Decisions will go before the Planning Inspectorate
Last updated 26th Feb 2025
A protest has been held raising angry concerns over what would be the largest solar farm in Europe before the project moves to the next stage.
West Oxfordshire District Council has agreed to its draft submission on contentious plans for the Botley West Solar Farm to the Planning Inspectorate.
The £800 million project will cover 3,450 acres of land near Botley, Woodstock and Kidlington, which is mostly owned by Blenheim.
The scale of the project means it must go to the Planning Inspectorate rather than West Oxfordshire District Council for decision.
Concerns have been raised about the impact of the development on the character of the landscape, the impact on 15 nearby villages, as well as the knock-on effect it would have on RAF Brize Norton and London Oxford Airport in Kidlington.
Members of the Stop Botley West campaign stood outside a meeting being held on the solar farm this week with placards.
These read “too big, wrong place, protect our heritage” and “solar panels on rooftops, not farmland”.
Stop Botley West representative Beth Cresser also spoke at the meeting against the plans, calling the development “wholly inappropriate” and for the council to produce an “unambiguous statement” opposing the scheme.
The draft document states there is “potential for significant and widespread positive and negative impacts to arise over prolonged period” and discusses the impact of the scheme on the rural environment.
Councillors voted to agree to the draft document at a Development Control Committee meeting on Monday (February 24).
Several amendments will be made to the document based on comments made to the meeting, including adding concerns about the impact of the development on Brize Norton airfield.
There are also fears over the loss of the most versatile agricultural land, and making it clear the council would object to the plans as they stand.
Speaking after the meeting, Steve Jenkins from the Stop Botley West Group said: “There was a lot of debate and a lot of support for the Stop Botley West campaign, which was heartening.
“We appreciate that West Oxfordshire District Council is not the decision-making body, but obviously their view is very important because they are effectively the host authority.”
Speaking on behalf of Photovolt Development Partners, Mark Owen Lloyd said: “We have worked closely with West Oxfordshire District Council, as well as other relevant, Oxfordshire local authorities, throughout the development of this project.
“This process is being overseen and run by the Planning Inspectorate, who will submit all relevant representations to us for response.
“We will respond to the substance of these representations, including that made by West Oxfordshire District Council, when the inspectorate formally submits them to us.”
The developers say the solar farm will generate 840 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to approximately 330,000 homes in the county.
The deadline for submitting any representations to the Planning Inspectorate is Thursday, February 27.
The Planning Inspectorate will then consider the representations made by interested parties during the examination stage, which it aims to complete within six months.