THE application for 15 solar farms across West Devon has worried locals and the Campaign for Protection of Rural England (CPRE).

In total West Devon Borough Council have 15 scoping applications lodged with them for solar farms in the area. Proposed sites for the farms include near Hatherleigh, Northlew, Thorndon, Highampton, and Folly Gate.

The two farms proposed for construction near Highampton would both be 30 acres each.

A proposal to build a solar farm at the rear of Taw Valley Creamery in North Tawton was rejected at a West Devon Borough Council planning and licensing committee meeting last week.

Highampton locals and the CPRE are worried that the developments could have a detrimental effect on the visual landscape and impact farming in the area.

Penny Mills from the CPRE said: 'I have been contacted by a number of local residents who are very concerned about the effect these thousands of solar panels will have on the landscape and character of this rural area.

'The sheer size and scale of these applications is of concern to us at the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.

'At the end of the day it is all about getting a balance, but covering hundreds and hundreds of acres of productive agricultural land with solar panels will clearly alter the face of the countryside around here.

'It is great for individual householders to install solar panels on their roofs, for schools, village halls, offices, et cetera, and of course farmers could install them on the roofs of their agricultural buildings, which is what the feed-in tariffs were introduced for.

'But to start covering the countryside is a huge concern. The Government are hopefully bringing in a review of the tariffs for schemes over 50 kilowatts to stop big developers, which hopefully will come in on the first of August. This will encourage individual householders and deter these large schemes.'

Highampton resident Maurice Thomas said: 'I'm completely against the idea of solar farms taking up acres and acres of our beautiful countryside.

'Solar panels have always been designed to go on buildings, not for black panels to take over acres of our landscape.

'I don't want our green and pleasant land being ruined by these panels. I don't think they will ever be able to produce enough electricity to pay for themselves. If plans like this go ahead, the whole countryside will be ruined.'

The solar farms would feed the power generated from sunlight back into the national grid, reducing carbon emissions from traditional power stations. The project proposed at Pittsworthy Farm at Thorndon Cross is being managed by Solar South West Ltd.

Jill Brookbanks from Solar South West said: 'The energy produced by this proposed scheme would be approximately a million kilo watt hours per year, which is enough to provide electricity to around 250 homes.

'The carbon saving would be approximately 380,000 kilograms per year, and the site is virtually invisible from the adjacent road and land. The site is screened by trees and hedges, which will be enhanced and maintained.

'The system is silent, and the panels will follow the gradient of the field, and will not disturb anyone as there are no nearby neighbours or property.'

The various plans will go before a West Devon Borough Council Planning and Licensing Committee meeting in the near future, where their fate will be decided.