We are completely dismayed that North Devon District Council has permitted a 108-acre solar farm in Braunton without even a planning committee debate.
Exagen Development was granted planning permission by North Devon District Council yesterday for a solar array along with a substation, cabling, CCTV and fencing on farmland south of Buttercombe Lane, Braunton (Planning Application 80182).
The decision not only to grant permission but not to debate the matter at committee has been criticised by us – we opposed the application and said it was littered with errors, including figures for which the applicant had no evidence or calculations.
Devon CPRE Director Penny Mills says, “Not only are we utterly disappointed with the decision. We are also dismayed that it didn’t even go before the planning committee for discussion. The council must be aware of how controversial these applications are. Yet they decided that losing another 100 acres of farmland didn’t warrant going before the committee, and they didn’t give the public the chance to put their views in person. Many of the objections weren’t apparently considered relevant or sufficient to justify a refusal.”
She adds, “We are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country. What’s difficult to understand is why our councils aren’t standing up for the countryside here. Why don’t they want to protect it from creeping industrialisation? Where do they think our food will come from if so much farmland is sacrificed in this way? And what about visitors, who are so important for our economy? They come to Devon for its beautiful, undeveloped landscapes. Will they still come if they see glass and metal instead of green grass? Councils receive business rates for commercial schemes like this one. Is that one of the reasons why they are so keen to permit them?”
This latest solar farm approval comes as we ramp up our newest campaign to rally people power. Drawing inspiration from President Trump’s imperial ambitions, the campaign slogan is: “This Is Our Green Land – Mega Solar and Mega Batteries, KEEP OFF!“
Boards have gone up in the past fortnight in the area around the Alverdiscott grid node. We are supporting residents who are concerned about the next phase in the formation of a North Devon and Torridge Solar and Battery Cluster which Devon CPRE is calling the Alverdiscott Solar Cluster for campaign purposes.
Over the past few years, six projects have been given planning permission there, totalling 433 acres, including the hitherto largest solar farm in the county, at Litchardon Cross. Two new proposals at Bulworthy Farm (279 acres of solar) and West Webbery Farm (12 acres for battery containers) would increase the land grab to a total of 725 acres in an area of only 11 square miles.
Devon CPRE Chairman Steve Crowther and Torridge and Tavistock MP Sir Geoffrey Cox recently attended a meeting with residents in Alverdiscott’s community hall. The aim of the This Is Our Green Land campaign is to demonstrate to politicians locally and nationally that Devon’s lush, productive farmland and iconic landscape are not to be colonised by offshore developers chasing government subsidies.The dedicated petition site is DevonCPRE.org.uk