Government receives proposals for contentious solar farm

Proposals for the construction of what would be one of Europe’s most extensive solar farms have been lodged with the government. This planned facility, named Botley West Solar Farm, is designed to span 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) across locations close to Botley, Kidlington, and Woodstock within Oxfordshire. Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP), the project’s developer, confirmed that its proposals were dispatched to the government’s Planning Inspectorate on Friday. Opponents of the project informed BBC Radio Oxford that the undertaking, which they characterize as “far too big,” poses a threat of elevated flood risk in adjacent regions. Since the initial announcement of these plans in 2022, two public consultation periods have been conducted. Mark Owen-Lloyd, who oversees the PVDP project, described the journey to this stage as a “long and very arduous road.” He stated, “I’ve spent the last two years talking to opponents and supporters of the scheme and everyone’s opinion has got weight and validity.” The application must first secure approval from the Planning Inspectorate, after which it will undergo a thorough examination for a period of six months. Mr. Owen-Lloyd commented, “The next stage is entirely evidence-based, so ourselves and those who disagree with us will be able to sit in front of a planning inspector and present hard evidence….” Should the proposal gain approval, the facility is projected to supply renewable energy to residences in Oxfordshire starting from the close of 2026. The advocacy organization Stop Botley West had previously asserted that the project possessed “of a scale that’s entirely inappropriate for this region.” Alex Rogers, who serves as the group’s chair, indicated their intention to submit “extremely strong” evidence to the inspectorate. He voiced criticism of PVDP, alleging that “almost no changes” were implemented subsequent to the consultations. Furthermore, he contended that the solar farm would “exacerbate” flooding within the locality. He stated, “This particular scheme is far too big – it’s sited in an area of very complex topography with river catchments of several rivers.” In reply, Mr. Owen-Lloyd remarked, “We had six months’ rain in the month of October, so it’s slightly counterintuitive to accuse a solar farm of being the risk here rather than the very real danger of climate change.” He further noted that specialists had been assessing the flood risk at the location for the preceding three years, concluding that the development could potentially “alleviate floods.”