Controversial supersize solar farm receives criticism from an Oxfordshire MP
The supersize solar farm will be as large as Heathrow Airport
Last updated 19th Sep 2024
An Oxfordshire MP says local residents haven’t been ‘adequately’ consulted on the concerns of a supersize solar farm which will be as large as Heathrow Airport.
A date has been set for the application for consent to be submitted in relation to Botley West Solar Farm, one of the largest solar farms in Europe.
Botley West would cover a total of 3,450 acres and stretch 11 miles from end to end at three sites in Woodstock, Kidlington and Botley.
Oxfordshire MP:
Bicester and Woodstock MP, Calum Miller said: “We have to see a transition to renewable energy, it’s essential to our generation and that of future generations.
“However, the way in which the Botley West proposal has been taken forward has not adequately consulted local residents or taken into account their very real concerns.
“That’s why I am pressing the developers to stop and pause the process so that they can take on board the extensive comments that they received from local residents in the first round of consultation.
“Their most results update to the proposals did very little to acknowledge the concerns and I want to see them go further”.
More than 70 per cent of the site would cover Oxfordshire greenbelt land mostly owned by Blenheim.
Oxfordshire County Council:
Director of Economy and Place, Robin Rogers, submitted a formal letter last month on behalf of the authority which thanked developer Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) for reaching out but said “significant work” was required.
In a letter, Oxfordshire County Council listed it's concerns: “significant impact on local landscape character and views”, “potentially inappropriate development in the Green Belt” and “insufficient benefit to the local communities”.
Despite this, the council – which is currently run by a Liberal Democrat and Green administration – said in principle it supports proposals for green energy “providing there are no significant adverse environmental impacts”.
Stop Botley West:
Opponents to the solar farm, such as Professor Alex Rogers of the Stop Botley West Community group said: “We echo all the many points of concern that Oxfordshire Country Council has raised.
“These include the impact of the proposed mega solar power station on productive arable land, Green Belt land, its negative impact on local landscape character, and impacts on Public Rights of Way, hedgerows, trees, and irreplaceable ancient woodland habitat.
“We are also glad that OCC has pointed out that ‘no information on the consideration of alternative sites’ to Blenheim Estate has been provided – that has long been one of our major criticisms of the Botley West proposal…it’s too big, and in the wrong place.”
Photovolt Development Partners response
A spokesperson from Photovolt gave us this response:
"As part of the DCO process, we have engaged extensively with local communities. As a result of these consultations, a number of changes have been made to the proposed development. Consultee feedback and our response to it will be set out in our Consultation report, to be published in October. We ensured our consultation was completely in line with all relevant planning regulations and principles as set out in the Planning Act 2008."
We carried out a Statutory Consultation on our proposals from 30th November 2023 to 8th January 2024, in excess of the minimum 28 day period required by the 2008 Planning Act. We consulted in accordance with our Statement of Community Consultation, a document agreed with all local planning authorities. Should our application be accepted by PINS, there will be a six month public examination of our proposals, in which all can participate as Interested Parties."