Wiltshire Council Backs Residents in Fight Against Massive M4 Solar Park
The resident-led opposition to a proposed huge solar park north of the M4 in Wiltshire has gained significant backing from Wiltshire Council. The council has vowed to use its considerable influence to oppose the development, despite not being the deciding authority for the project.
Details of the Lime Down Solar Park Proposal
The proposed Lime Down Solar Park spans approximately 1,237 hectares of land between Malmesbury and the M4. The project includes solar arrays, battery storage facilities, and a 22-kilometre cable route corridor extending through the county to Melksham.
If approved, the development would operate for 60 years, according to the applicant, Lime Down Solar Park Limited. It boasts an export capacity of up to 500 megawatts, generating sufficient electricity to supply around 115,000 homes annually.
National Decision-Making Process
As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, the planning application will not be decided by Wiltshire Council. Instead, a team of inspectors from the Planning Inspectorate will hear cases for and against the development before submitting a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Energy, Ed Miliband, who will have the final say.
Council's Stance and Concerns
Councillor Adrian Foster, Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for strategic planning, stated: "Whilst we are not the planning authority for this project, our officers have been working hard to provide evidence for all aspects of the examination, ranging from highways and transport to ecology, economic impact and heritage – to name just a few areas."
"We fully support the transition to renewable energy, but we do not think that Lime Down Solar Park strikes the right balance, and we strongly believe that development consent should not be granted for this scheme by the Secretary of State."
He added: "The scale and location of these proposals will have a disproportionate impact on communities here in Wiltshire, to the local landscape, ecology, heritage, and economy. Our officers are committed to engaging throughout the examination process to ensure that the interests of our communities – and the county as a whole – are safeguarded."
Public Opposition and Key Objections
Nearly 5,000 individuals have submitted letters to the Planning Inspectorate regarding the application, with the majority expressing opposition. Key objections raised by residents and the council include:
- Loss of productive agricultural land and threats to food security.
- Scale of industrialisation and proximity to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- Damage to grassland, hedgerows, ecology, and declining insect populations.
- Flood risk, groundwater contamination, and impacts on watercourses.
- Industrialisation of a sensitive rural landscape and harm to heritage sites.
- Construction traffic on unsuitable, narrow rural roads.
- Loss of public rights of way and the mental health benefits of countryside access.
- Noise, light pollution, and long-term community disruption.
- Property value impacts and harm to local businesses and tourism.
Upcoming Examination Process
The Planning Inspectorate is set to hold a preliminary meeting at the Neeld Community & Arts Centre in Chippenham on Tuesday, April 21, followed by the first open floor hearing. During this hearing, interested parties will have the opportunity to make oral representations to the inspectors.
The first of several issue-specific hearings – focusing on the scope of the project – will take place at the same venue the next day. The preliminary meeting will formally introduce the public to the inspectors who will hear evidence from applicants, supporters, and objectors, and establish the timetable for the examination process.
The examination team will be led by National Strategic Infrastructure planning inspector Janine Laver, with David Love and Ben Northover. The Planning Inspectorate has provisionally scheduled October 21 for the conclusion of the examination stage.
