CPRE welcomes Botley West solar farm refusal

CPRE chief executive Roger Mortlock said:

'The Energy Secretary's decision to reject the Botley West mega solar farm is hopeful news for the countryside in Oxfordshire and beyond. 

'Botley West would have sprawled across an area the size of 2,000 football pitches, much of it Green Belt or high-quality farmland. It would have destroyed beautiful landscapes, damaged the setting of Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and displaced local farmers. 

'The government has recognised that climate action need not mean sacrificing irreplaceable green fields. It should now prioritise solar panels on homes, warehouses and car park canopies.  

'With other mega solar farms already proposed across the country, the danger has not gone away. Rolling out mega solar schemes without proper regard for their landscape impact risks alienating many people who support climate action.  

'Next year's Strategic Spatial Energy Plan must unlock renewable energy in the right places, including small-scale, community-led solar. Until then, we need a moratorium. No further solar farms over 30 megawatts should be given the go-ahead.'