Europe’s biggest solar farm has a deadline date for Ed Miliband to give his verdict.
Botley West scheme would cover 2,471 acres in Oxfordshire, including land on the Blenheim Palace estate.
It would generate 840 megawatts, or 840 million watts, and would have the capacity to power approximately 330,000 homes.
The £800m scheme has caused controversy, with the Stop Botley West campaign group arguing against its scale, the loss of productive agricultural land and destruction of rural scenery.
On February 10, the Examining Authority’s recommendation for the scheme’s fate was sent to the secretary of state for energy security and net zero Ed Miliband.
He now has two more months to make a decision on whether Botley West can be built or not, a verdict which has to be delivered by Sunday, May 10.
The government said: “Once the secretary of state has made a decision, challenges can be made to the High Court.
“All procedures must be followed when making a challenge. The High Court will decide if there are grounds for a judicial review.”
READ MORE: Thames Water refuse to comment on latest ‘raw sewage spilled’
A challenge to the High Court must be made within six weeks of Mr Miliband granting permission.
Stop Botley West did not indicate whether a challenge would come from them when asked, but a spokeswoman said: “Like all interested stakeholders, we are waiting for clarity about the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation and the secretary of state’s conclusion, and the reasons behind their decisions.”
The developer Photovault Development Partners nor key campaigners will know the verdict, or indeed the recommendation, before the verdict is published.
Photo Vault Development Partners has said the project is vital to meet the UK’s climate targets and energy needs.
Solar panels would remain in place for around 40 years before the land is returned to agricultural use.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire NHS porters ‘worried about £3k pay cut’ by ‘penny pinchers’
But concerns raised include its impact on West Oxfordshire’s landscape and rural character, effects on local heritage and historic villages and whether the proposed measures go far enough to protect wildlife and nature.
West Oxfordshire District Council also highlighted the loss of high-quality agricultural land and pressed for more meaningful and proportionate community benefits to reflect the size of the scheme and its long-term presence in the area.
The district council ordinarily makes planning decisions, not the government, but in this case Botley West is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, meaning the final decision rests with the secretary of state.
The late Ian Hudspeth, former leader of Oxfordshire County Council, previously said the farm would be an “ocean of glass and steel” across the countryside.
And Bicester and Woodstock MP Calum Miller claimed Botley West would have a “profound and long-lasting” impact on rural Oxfordshire.
However, project manager Mark Owen-Lloyd has said the solar farm would be screened from view and most people “would not notice it is there.”
The secretary of state now has up to three months to review the document before making a final decision.
A spokeswoman for Photvoult said: ““We can confirm that Examining Authority submitted their recommendation to the Secretary of State on 10th February.
“We now await the decision from the Secretary of State, who will carefully consider the Examining Authority’s recommendation and all the evidence submitted.
“We remain confident in the strength of the case for Botley West and the benefits it will bring.
“We would like to thank local communities across West Oxfordshire for their constructive and consistent engagement throughout this process, which has helped us shape a project that works in step with the communities around it.
“Since we first brought forward proposals, we have listened closely to feedback from residents, organisations, businesses and the Planning Inspectorate. As a result, we have made meaningful changes to ensure the scheme helps achieve the UK’s clean energy needs while respecting for Oxfordshire’s landscape, heritage and the needs of local people.
“The benefits of Botley West go well beyond clean energy generation. If consented to, the project will deliver a £441,000 per year community benefit fund, support lower energy costs, create jobs, and contribute to improvements in local infrastructure, alongside providing a 70% uplift in biodiversity levels on the site. We are committed to ensuring that Botley West Solar Farm delivers lasting value to the people, economy and ecology of Oxfordshire.”
This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s Editors’ Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here
© 2001-2026. The Herald Series is owned and operated by Newsquest Media Group Ltd, an audited local newspaper network.
Visit newsquest.co.uk to view our policies, terms and legal agreements.
The Echo Building, 18 Albert Road, Bournemouth, England BH1 1BZ. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637
Data returned from the Piano ‘meterActive/meterExpired’ callback event.
As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles.
Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services.
These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community.
It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times.
