Today (Monday 5th February) the West Oxfordshire District Council development control committee met to discuss the draft response to the developer’s consultation on the Botley West Solar Farm proposals.
There was a lot of passion and emotion on display, and the overwhelming message from the local community was that the proposals are far too large and totally inappropriate for a beautiful area of Oxfordshire greenbelt agricultural land surrounded by villages.
Rupert Harrison, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Bicester & Woodstock, attended the meeting and said, "There were very moving and persuasive speeches on behalf of the local Parish Councils and the Stop Botley West campaign. Many of the Conservative Councillors on WODC also spoke out against the proposals and we can only hope that enough of their Liberal Democrat and Labour colleagues - who run WODC - will eventually be persuaded that the Council should come out solidly against. There are much better ways to decarbonise our energy system, including smaller-scale solar, solar on rooftops, and continuing to invest in the UK's successful rollout of wind power."
Rupert added, "Of course, the proposals are deliberately so large that if the developers don't re-think then in the end the planning decision will go straight to Whitehall for a Ministerial decision. Nevertheless, it's vital that the views of local people are heard loud and clear, and I'll continue campaigning to make sure that they are."
