Shropshire solar farm protesters in plea to reject 'rural vandalism'

Save South Shropshire Countryside are gearing up for a crunch decision to be made at Shropshire Council's south planning committee next week.

Up for discussion at Shrewsbury's Shirehall next Tuesday will be a 43-acre "solar park" at Whitton, near Ludlow, and a 54-acre solar farm at Acton Scott, near Church Stretton.

Applications for the two sites were what sparked the protest group, as objectors from both areas banded together.

Shropshire celebrity John Challis also voiced his opposition to the Whitton plans, with the Only Fools and Horses actor calling them "bloody madness".

Speaking for the campaigners, Whitton resident Peter van Duijvenvoorde said: "We will be hoping the applications are rejected.

"We're not in favour of the industrialisation of the countryside and not in favour of rural vandalism. We hope that the planning committee has the same view."

However, he said he did not know what the committee would decide as in both cases the recommendation is to grant permission with conditions.

He said campaigners were particularly concerned that trees had already been felled at the Whitton site, which may have been used for bats to roost.

"The Shropshire Council planner seems to have accepted at face value the statement from the applicant that a bat survey is not required," Mr van Duijvenvoorde said.

"But in the absence of a bat survey undertaken by the applicant, Save South Shropshire Countryside commissioned a rudimentary bat survey of its own which showed that bats frequented the site.

"We feel not enough account has been taken of Shropshire Council's own guidelines for the protection of the greenbelt and the Shropshire countryside.

"And we feel not enough attention has been paid to the views of the public.

"We know that this would have a very significant impact on the character of the countryside we love, which people come to Shropshire for," he said.

The Whitton plans, for a site near Hope Bagot Lane, now have 180 objections and the Acton Scott site, at Henley Bank, has 52. In both cases parish councils are objecting to the plans.

The 8,600kW solar farm at Whitton is being proposed by EBS Energy LLP, who say the scheme would generate the equivalent of electricity for 2,800 homes, and it would offset 3.9 million kilograms of carbon dioxide every year.

The proposed 6,500kW site at Acton Scott is within the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but near the A49 main road between Church Stretton and Craven Arms.

Landowner for the fields, Rupert Acton, the man behind the application, said he had done everything possible to inform people about the plans.

He earlier refused a face-to-face meeting with the campaigners, insisting: "There was a public consultation in the village hall, so I'm not sure why we need another one.

"Anybody was welcome to come along to that, comment on the application and make any suggestions they wanted to.

"Subsequent to that quite a lot of extra screening was put into the proposal."

He said there had also been a face-to-face debate at the Acton Scott Parish meeting, which was open to the public.

He said the campaign group were "perfectly at liberty" to object.

"They should write to the planning authority and make their representations to the planning department," he said.

Save South Shropshire Countryside is also protesting against plans for sites at Tasley, near Bridgnorth, and Neen Sollars, near Cleobury Mortimer.