CPRE Devon set to object to plans for a ‘monstrous’ solar farm - Devon’s biggest to date - straddling a major tourist route

The Devon branch of the countryside charity CPRE says the proposal to build a massive solar farm between Barnstaple and Bideford in North Devon, on agricultural land adjoining the touristic route to Newquay, is nothing short of ‘monstrous’.

Bristol-based Aura Power has submitted an application to build a solar installation to the west and north-east of Litchardon Cross, sited between Fremington and Lovacott on both sides of the A39 ‘Atlantic Highway’ - one of the AA’s five Best British Road Trips.

The planned solar farm would cover 64 hectares (ca.160 acres) - bigger even than the one proposed at Langford in Mid Devon - making it the largest solar installation in the whole of the county. It would extend about a mile from north to south and about a mile from east to west.

With maximum electricity production of 49.9MW from an array of ground-mounted solar PV panels and other industrial infrastructure, the solar farm would on average produce far less electricity, producing none at night and in winter when we use the most electricity. The farm would be split into several segments, each surrounded by security fencing.  It would adjoin a large existing solar array of 24 acres at Collacott and would encompass two existing wind turbines.

CPRE Devon trustee Dr Phil Bratby, who lives in North Devon, says: “This enormous solar farm would be highly visible in the landscape and would look horrendous, resulting in the industrialisation of a swathe of farmland for at least 35 years. Is this how we want our countrysideto look; shouldn't we be using farmland to produce food?

"Although the proposed solar farm could accommodate more solar panels, Aura Power has cynically kept the capacity below 50MW to avoid the proposal being classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).  As an NSIP, it would be subject to public scrutiny and examination and Aura Power would have to produce evidence to support the misleading and incorrect formation it has provided.”

An assessment of landscape character, carried out by a respected consultant when North Devon and Torridge district councils prepared their joint Local Plan (adopted in 2018), concluded that the predominantly medium-scale field patterns make this landscape particularly sensitive to any solar PV developments over 5 hectares. This proposal is 64 hectares, coupled with the adjacent hectarage at Collacott. 

Representatives of CPRE Devon attended a public exhibition held by the applicant at Lovacott Village Hall in January. Whilst the application states the development is for 35 years, a representative at the public exhibition said that there would probably be a further application at the end of this one.

CPRE Devon will be examining the proposal in great detail and intends to submit a strong objection. The charity knows from the pre-application consultation that local people feel very strongly about this solar farm and intends to support them in vehemently opposing it.

With just weeks to go until the consultation ends on 27th August, CPRE Devon is urging people to submit their comments online to North Devon District Council at    https://planning.northdevon.gov.uk/Planning/Display/71708