Campaigners voice fresh opposition to solar farm plan in West Chevington

Developer, William Jackson, Genesis One Ltd., has applied for planning permission to install 16 rows of a total of 384 solar panels at West Chevington.

Carbon capture pods would be inserted under the panels but a proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to store energy from the panels has been removed from the plan.

A spokesperson for the West Chevington Action Group, said: “The proposal for an industrial solar site is completely unsuitable for a rural hamlet.

“The land proposed for development is designated as paddock land for grazing so let’s see sheep here rather than hundreds of ugly solar panels.

“The alleged benefits of the solar farm are questionable – there’s no connection to the National Grid and very poor peak time supply in the evenings and winter due to our climate and no battery storage.”