A LARGE extension to a solar site at Spetisbury has been approved – despite local concerns.

Dorset Council has agreed the expansion at North Farm, West End, over two additional fields to the western boundary of the 30-hectare site including new perimeter fencing, CCTV cameras and landscaping.

One of the fields has been used for pigs, the other for cereals. Their use will double the size of the existing solar installation.

The extended solar farm is expected to be able to provide renewable energy for 6,000 homes a year, displacing 8600 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year.

“This is the most significant public benefit that weighs heavily in favour of supporting the application,” said a Dorset Council report which acknowledges the impact of the combined solar site on the landscape.

Charlton Marshall parish council and Spetisbury parish councils initially objected to the additional land being used, but after further consultation moved to support it: “The proposed solar farm is very large and when combined with the existing solar farm will occupy a considerable area of the countryside around Charlton Marshall and Spetisbury. It does not appear that there is any benefit for local residents,” said an initial Charlton Marshall parish council comment lodged with Dorset Council.

It was also initially unhappy with the consultation process which it says seems to have consisted of notices on telegraph poles within the village at a time when most residents were restricted to their homes because of Covid.

Dorset Council was told that additional tree and hedgerow planting is being proposed to help mask the development from local views although the site will still clearly be seen from the adjoining Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Said a council report: “The presence of the arrays and the additional hedgerows to screen would undoubtedly change the character of the site and some may perceive this change to be visually harmful. However, there is a necessity for renewable energy development and with vast swathes of Dorset within designated or valued landscapes, there are few opportunities to site solar farm developments appropriately. The site, adjoining an existing solar farm, is considered to present one of these scarce opportunities.”