Wiltshire Council asks Government for solar farm clarity
It's over concerns of a high concentration of them in the county
Wiltshire Council's calling on the Government to give local authorities more clarity on delivering solar farms.
A motion, passed by the Full Council this week (Tuesday 21st May), has raised concerns about a high concentration of solar farms within Wiltshire.
The Council's also asking the Government to define what's meant by the ‘cumulative impact’ of solar farms and to ensure that solar farms and battery storage compounds are not focussed on specific areas, effectively industrialising the countryside.
The motion was passed with 75 councillors for, two against and six abstentions.
Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said:
“The motion that was passed at the Full Council meeting calls on the Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to define more closely what is meant by ‘cumulative impact’ regarding solar farms. It also requests that the Government takes clear steps to ensure that solar developments are more evenly spread across the UK and not concentrated in specific areas.
“The need to protect farming and the rural way of life is extremely important and Wiltshire Council is determined to do everything we can through planning policy and every other means at our disposal to support our farmers and our rural communities.
“We support the need for solar power, on the roofs of our houses and industrial buildings and on land of low agricultural value, but we do not want to see villages entirely surrounded by solar farms, industrialising the countryside.
“As the pressures of climate change hit the world, food production will be placed under strain and it is vital that England and Wiltshire are looking to protect and increase food production and not reduce it to build solar farms.”