A NEW submission for a solar farm on land at Bulkworthy has been submitted to Torridge District Council — but a campaign group is opposing the proposal, describing solar farms as ‘industrial power stations’.

The five-megawatt solar park and ancillary development being proposed by Ecotricity would cover an area of 14.6 hectares of land at Bulkworthy. The company says in its planning statement that it would not be detrimental to local wildlife: “In addition to the generation of renewable energy the development has a number of benefits: enhanced biodiversity potential of the site and its immediate surroundings; ongoing agricultural land use through continued cutting for the provision of silage or hay; temporary and operational for a period of 25 years, before the site is restored and returned to its current state; and additional income for the landowner through farm diversification.”

But Penny Mills, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Devon, which has been campaigning against large solar farms throughout the county, said she was disappointed that the area is facing another proposal on farmland.

She said: “There are now over 4,000 acres of farmland, now solar farms, either already permitted or in planning pending a decision, throughout Devon.

“Solar farms comprise thousands and thousands of panels, glass, metal, generator buildings, high security fencing, cctv cameras etc. They are industrial power stations. It’s industrialisation of the countryside and a loss of valuable farmland.

“We don’t want or need these solar farms on our green fields — we need farmland for food production. ”

The new solar farm will potentially be situated close to the Galsworthy wind farm near Stibb Cross, also owned by Ecotricity.

A planning statement, written by Pegasus Group Ltd on behalf of Ecotricity, reads: “It should be noted that the proposed development will have a relatively low impact on existing ground conditions and will not have significant foundation or infrastructure requirements and, following the expiration of the planning permission, will be returned to full agricultural use. The management aspirations for the solar park include encouraging wildflower meadows and grassland within the fenced site area to a total of 8.9 hectares.”

Ecotricity submitted the plan for the solar park in November 2015 and it is currently still being considered.

To view details of the plan visit the Torridge District Council’s planning website, quoting reference 1/1177/2015/FULM.