Dorset solar farm could power 14,000 homes
The project near Wareham has been approved by Dorset Council
Last updated 17th Dec 2021
Approval has been given for a large solar farm close to the former Winfrith nuclear site near Wareham – capable of providing power for 14,000 homes.
Dorset Council’s area planning committee unanimously approved the site, north of Fossil Farm and south of Tadnoll, just off the Owermoigne to Wool road.
They were told that with funding for projects to improve biodiversity, avoid any flood risk and enhance two burial chambers in the area it could be considered an exemplar scheme.
Although the site is close to the edge of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is will be partly shielded by existing hedges and trees with additional planting also proposed for the site. Access will be via an existing bridleway which will be improved.
The 40MW scheme, which it is claimed will save 9,000 tonnes of carbon each year, is expected to produce power for 40 years with the land returned to farming after that.
Proposing approval Cllr Belinda Rideout said the largely flat and well-screened site close to the power grid lent itself to the development.
She was one of ten councillors who carried out a rare site visit to see the location of the proposed solar farm earlier in the week, prior to making a decision on Wednesday during an online committee meeting.
Three letters of support for the scheme had been sent to the committee, among them former Winfrith parish council chairman Sandra Ellis who said the county should grasp the opportunity of accepting the project which would make a positive contribution to the ecology of the area and to ‘green’ energy supplies.
The local area already has several solar farms although the newly approved Fossil Farm development will be almost eight times larger than sites already in operation at Crossways Pit, Galton Manor, Holly Farm and East Farm, which each produce around 5MW of power.
Once constructed the site would only be visited infrequently for maintenance and security reasons.
Spring Che, the company behind the application, is based in Chippenham, Wiltshire and is currently involved in developing two solar sites elsewhere – near Aylesbury and in Wales, according to their website.