THE go ahead for the installation of a solar farm on land north of Cakers Lane in East Worldham has drawn strong criticism from protestors that East Hampshire District Council’s (EHDC) planning committee has “driven a coach and horses through its own landscape and countryside protection policies”.

In a statement following a planning meeting last Thursday, Worldham Parish Council has said that it will be “looking urgently at whether to launch an appeal for the decision to be called in for review by the Secretary of State”.

The application, by Lightsource (SPV8) Renewable Energy Ltd, called for the installation of a solar farm, including photovoltaic panels, mounting frames, inverters, transformers, substations, communications building, fence and pole-mounted security cameras, on 54 acres of land belonging to Simon Butler, just north of Alton.

While many supported the need for renewable energy, the application attracted more than 70 letters of objection, pointing out that it was “the wrong project in the wrong place” and that it should not be at the expense of good agricultural land.

There was concern that the solar farm would be highly visible, intruding into the view from the South Downs National Park, and would close the gap between Alton and East Worldham.

There were 25 letters of support for the application, on grounds that it is expected to provide 3,306 households with clean, locally-produced energy, reducing the carbon footprint of the district and, that as the applicant had agreed to remove panels from the more visible parts of the site, the impact on the landscape would be greatly reduced.

It was also felt that the planting of new native hedgerow, to improve natural screening and provide new wildlife habitats, and the grazing of sheep on the grassland within the solar farm to give the land dual usage, would provide ecological enhancement.

The National Farmers’ Union supported the application on grounds of diversification of “relatively low-grade agricultural land”, pointing out that a 35-year break in arable production was likely to benefit the long-term productivity of the soil.

Putting the case for the objectors during the meeting was Rachel Palmer, who told the Alton Herald: “The farm really will be incredibly visible (especially in the autumn and winter) to all driving out of town along Wilsom Road and up the hill. Everyone will be amazed to see it, and wonder how the planners allowed it to happen.”

Despite a reduction to the size of the proposed farm, Mrs Palmer felt the planners had failed to address policy CP19, which restricts development in the countryside, and policy CP20, which seeks to conserve and enhance the natural environment.

She said: “This solar farm in this location is not an exceptional case. There is neither genuine or proven need for it to be here. It would be detrimental to the intrinsic character and beauty of the land.”

Alton Town Council objected on grounds that the solar farm would form “an inappropriate intrusion of development resulting in the development of a greenfield site” and would be contrary to policies CP19 and CP20 and EHDC’s joint core strategy (local plan).

On behalf of Worldham Parish Council, Mr Blake said: “The contribution which this solar farm will make to our overall green energy supply will be minimal, but the impact on this scenic area of open landscape will be significant. The important green gap between Alton and East Worldham, which sits at the entrance to the South Downs National Park, will be blighted as a result of this development.

“Government guidance has repeatedly emphasised that, in approving applications for solar farms, preference should be given to brownfield rather than greenfield sites, avoiding the loss of good agricultural land. That appears to have been ignored in this case.”

He continued: “If government and council policies for countryside protection are considered not to apply to this site, to what areas of countryside do they apply? I think the message this decision sends is clear: we can’t rely on EHDC to protect our valued countryside, despite the good intentions embodied in its core strategy.”