Hundreds of residents have spoken out against plans for a solar farm near a significant Roman settlement. A protest has been scheduled this weekend ahead of a meeting to determine whether the plans will be approved.
Plans to build a 200 acre solar farm between Bramley and Silchester will be decided next week by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. The project, if approved, will supply enough energy for 17,000 households and offset 25,000t of carbon dioxide emissions.
However, local campaigners fear the environmental project will change the character of the area 'forever'. The landscape is incredibly rural, with Silchester being home to one of the greatest ruins of an abandoned Roman town.
READ MORE: 'Loving' Petersfield grandad and former Navy man died in 'tragic' crash after reversing into carriageway
Proposals for the solar farm were first submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in December 2020, over a year after the council declared a climate emergency. Since then, the plans have received 677 objections with just 22 people supporting the solar farm project.
According to the Bramley Solar Farm Residents Group, the farm will have a 'significant impact' on the nearby towns of Bramley and Silchester. If approved, the solar farm will be built on agricultural land and will affect footpaths around Bramley Frith, including Brenda Parker Way and the Silchester Trail.
Simon Mahaffey, a Bramley councillor for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said the plan threatens to change the nearby areas 'forever'. He continued: "We must, of course, support the government’s drive to decarbonise the grid. But just as when we are considering housing developments, there are good proposals and there are bad one and, unfortunately, this one is the latter.
"We must not fall into the trap of thinking this is solar so it must be good. The situation is far more complex than that. At 200 acres this proposal is comparable in size to the whole of Bramley and is over twice the size of Silchester. As an industrial installation this proposal will change the nature and character of two rural communities forever as well as seriously impacting Roman archaeological remains that could have national significance."
Silchester Parish Council and Bramley Parish Council have both submitted objections to to the borough council. Writing on behalf of the Silchester Council, clerk Chris Gunnell writes: "The proposal is to sacrifice high quality arable farmland for, at best, marginal contributions to the UK’s energy needs. Given the current geopolitical situation we believe the UK needs to do more to be self sufficient in food."
Steve Spillane, secretary of the Solar Farm Residents Group campaign said: "We are not against renewables and solar energy but right now there seems to be a policy conflict between maintaining the UK's food production levels and food security and the need to produce renewable energy. We also think that there is currently an incentivised developer gold-rush on highly productive arable land and the government has a clear policy conflict that it needs to balance."
North East Hampshire MP, Ranil Jayawardena, said: "It's our duty to protect our environment for the next generation, so we must seize the huge potential of offshore wind to power our nation and not be blown off course."
Writing in support of the project resident Mr Tanuj Dua said: "When building the array considerations should be taken to preserve existing trails, public walkways and footpaths as well as attempts made to encourage further tree and wildlife in the area. The insertion of a solar array this large ultimately is a massive benefit to the wider community, and shows that Bramley is at the forefront of renewables.
"I ask for the planning authorities to consider the objections, but ultimately think about the bigger picture. A changed view for such a great reason is simply not enough reason to disallow something that is ultimately a positive for our community and our planet."
In a letter penned by developers Bramley Solar Limited, they say biodiversity of the area will be "significantly improved". The developers add: "The Proposed Development, through careful design and sensitive layout and planting proposals that deliver significant biodiversity benefits ensures that impacts have been reduced where ever possible whilst also delivering urgently needed low carbon and renewable energy at a time of declared national and local Climate Emergency."
Residents have released plans of a demonstration on Saturday (April 16) against the proposals. Protesters will meet at Clift Meadow Car Park in Bramley before walking up Minchens Lane, towards Clift surgery, and then taking a left onto Brenda Parker Way.
The plans will be discussed by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Councillors on Wednesday (April 20) at the Development Control Committee meeting. The full plans can be viewed online here or by searching 20/03403/FUL on the council's website.
Find out how you can get more court news from HampshireLive straight to your inbox for freeHERE.
