Residents from villages around Basingstoke have come together in protest against plans for a 216-acre solar farm near Monk Sherborne.
The proposal, submitted by Solar 2, would see five fields of agricultural land off Stokes Lane transformed into an 87.5-hectare solar farm on a 40-year lease. The development would include a substation and a nine-foot-high security wall around the site’s perimeter.
On December 30, residents gathered outside the site for a protest march, voicing concerns about the impact the scheme could have on the landscape, wildlife and local heritage.
Cllr Simon Minas-Bound said: “We have this enormous solar farm planning application for 216 acres, that equates to over 100 football pitches. That’s massive for Monk Sherborne as a village. What a travesty it would be if this planning application gets approved.
“This is the wrong thing in the wrong place. This will be quite a long fight, we have to do everything to make sure that the right decision is made.”
The application has attracted significant opposition, with 249 objections submitted online.
The land is owned by Queen’s University Oxford and is classified as Grade 2 agricultural land. It is currently used for contract farming to grow potatoes, described as being produced “for one of the nation’s favourite snacks”.
A public footpath running through the site forms part of St James’ Way, the English section of the Camino route to Santiago de Compostela. Residents say plans to divert the path are problematic, claiming the proposed route shown on planning documents does not exist and would impact a nearby copse.
Hampshire county councillor Rhydian Vaughan MBE said: “I am absolutely appalled at the very thought of this. We should not have visions of building glass cathedrals across the beautiful countryside.
“It’s an obscenity. You’ve got to see the ground to realise the enormity of the crime that is about to be committed.”
Wildlife has been another major concern for residents, with fears about the impact on species including owls, badgers and skylarks, which are protected and known to inhabit the area.
The site also forms part of the view from neighbouring Weybrook Park Golf Club, which has won awards for its work protecting skylarks and other wildlife.
Keen golfer Colin Willoughby, from Pamber Heath, said: “We will be completely surrounded by development instead of farmland.
“It is not a welcome development. The golf course has spent a lot of money trying to build up its environmental capability, and wildlife use it as a refuge.”
As the proposal heads towards a planning committee decision, residents have begun fundraising for professional support through a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised more than £3,800 so far.
Concerns have also been raised about how the solar farm would be connected to the electricity grid, as the site does not currently have a guaranteed connection. Residents say laying cables could worsen flooding in the area, which already affects nearby roads.
Jane James, who lives in a neighbouring village, said: “It’s understandable that we need renewable energy, I feel sure that there are better places rather than using the beautiful countryside.
“We all drive from Basingstoke through A339 and we all admire this village and think how lucky as are to live here and now it will be covered in solar panels.”
Residents also fear the development would damage the area’s heritage, including views from All Saints Church, a Grade I listed building dating back to 1140 and the burial place of Jane Austen’s brother, George Austen.
The site sits next to the Monk Sherborne Conservation Area and close to the Sherborne St John Conservation Area, where there is “substantial evidence” of prehistoric activity, along with Roman remains and a Roman settlement.
Paul Cave, who has lived in the village since 2003, said: “That view, forget it, it’s gone, it will never come back in our lifetime.
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“Historic England don’t believe that there has been significant work in archaeological terms, there is a lot more to be found here.”
To view the planning application, search with the reference number 25/01612/FUL on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s planning portal.
You can donate to the fundraiser here: www.gofundme.com/f/say-no-to-monk-sherborne-solar-farm
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