A PLAN to build a 29-acre solar farm in Whiddon Down has been given the go ahead by borough council planners.

The application by Murex Martin Solar Limited will see a 19,230 solar photovoltaic (PV) array constructed on land at Martin Farm, Whiddon Down, with an estimated output of 5MW.

In its application the agent, Aardvark, on behalf of the applicant, said: ‘The scheme has been specifically designed to maximise the amount of electrical hours of production per hectare. The design takes into account topography, orientation, appropriate hedgerow buffer zones and any proposed mitigation planting.

‘Detailed assessments have been undertaken in relation to the impact on landscape and visual impact, ecology, heritage, flood risk assessment and an assessment of possible impacts during the construction and operational phases.

‘No significant issues of concern have been identified through these considerations.

‘The proposal is acceptable when assessed against development plan policy and all other relevant material considerations, including national guidance and advice.

‘It does not contravene any policies and does not cause unacceptable harm. The proposal represents an opportunity for West Devon Borough Council to increase renewable energy generation and thus meet its own objectives, as well as contributing to the UK’s climate change commitments.’

The applicant also offered a number of options for community benefit and after consultation with the community, the preferred option was to provide an annual payment of £1,000 per MW for the operational lifetime of the scheme to the parish council. The community benefit however, could not be used as a material consideration.

The application received 15 letters of representation — 14 in objection and one in support. Objections raised included the visual impact on the A30 and area in general, reflection visible from the A30, loss of residential amenity, unacc-eptable industrialisation of the countryside, the adverse impact on wildlife, adverse impact on tourism and residential properties overlooking the installation as well as other objections.

Expressions of support included that it was a good place to put the panels ‘well out of the way’, the panels were quiet and would not affect anyone in the local area and there was preference to panels rather than large wind turbines.

In his report to West Devon Borough Council, case officer Thomas Jones, said: ‘Permission is sought for 30 years, after which the installation would be removed and the land reverted back to its current state.

‘Whilst the installation would introduce an industrial-looking development in the countryside, it is considered that the limited visibility, retention of the hedgerows and sensitive design is acceptable given the substantial benefit of providing renewable energy and a diverse income to the farm.

‘It would produce up to 5MW of renewable energy, which is considered to be a significant benefit in environmental, social and economic terms.

‘The application is, therefore, considered to be a sustainable development and there are no material considerations that indicate planning permission should not be approved.’

The borough council’s planning committee agreed to grant conditional consent to the application at a meeting last week.

Responding to the decision Penny Mills, from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) Devon, told the Times: ‘The subsidies bandwagon has now seemingly swapped from wind to solar farms.

‘The current gold rush is now to grab bill payer funded subsidies for solar farms, while trashing our countryside and turning our precious green fields into grey fields.

‘Just last week, local residents’ objections to the development at Martin Farm were ignored, as West Devon Borough Council’s plans committee approved a large solar farm scheme. So much for localism!

‘Why did they approve it? Devon has over 4,000 acres in solar farms either already permitted or in the planning process — we neither need nor want them. We need our farmland for food production, not industrial power stations.’