Decision on controversial plans for Devon’s largest solar farm delayed pending site visit

A special meeting of Mid Devon’s Planning Committee was held remotely on the 31st March to consider a proposal to construct a massive solar farm with battery storage near the village of Langford.

About fifty members of the public, who object to plans for the biggest solar farm in Devon, attended the meeting to hear a report by the council’s Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration into application 19/01679/MFUL.

The proposed solar farm would have a capacity of 49.9MW, contain over 110,000 solar panels on piles and cover 17 large fields over 152 acres, extending over a mile in length. It would be surrounded by over four miles of security fencing with CCTV cameras and have a life of 40 years. 

14 members of the public asked 23 questions about the proposal, covering all aspects of its impact on the environment and on residents.  Another proposal for a massive solar farm in East Devon, and less than a mile away, was brought to the attention of the Committee.  It was noticeable that no member of the public spoke in favour of the proposal.

Dr Phillip Bratby, speaking on behalf of Devon CPRE and the local community, said the proposal was unacceptable in terms of its adverse impact on the landscape, its location on a floodplain, its lack of benefits and its adverse impact on the amenity of local residents.  He asked the planning committee to protect Devon’s precious countryside from mass industrialisation and refuse the application.

Committee members asked various questions about the proposal, which has been in the planning system for 18 months. They were clearly not satisfied with the answers they received and the fact that the information they were being given was far from complete, with several outstanding issues.  One member was "horrified" at the size of the solar farm and another said they needed a site visit for such a major scheme.  

A proposal was finally put to the meeting that the planning officer should provide another report containing the necessary information required and the decision would be deferred until after a site visit. Due to Covid restrictions this cannot be held before the 17th of May.  This proposal was unanimously agreed by the Committee and after over two hours the meeting was closed.

The local community remains in a state of uncertainty for another 2 months or more.