You are here: Latest news / Cearn solar farm proposal: increase in major developments decided by central government in the Vale causing concern
Published Friday 23 October 2026
A detailed Council discussion about the Cearn solar farm has highlighted ongoing and widespread concerns about the growing number of large-scale infrastructure plans that are decided centrally by the government rather than locally by councils who are more able to assess the effects of these on their communities.   
Vale of White Horse District Council Leader, Cllr Bethia Thomas, will write to the government and has expressed her concern about the lack of local accountability in the decision-making process for the proposed Cearn Solar Farm sited near villages in the west of the district. This comes amidst the growing number of nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) proposed in the district over the coming years and the overwhelming cumulative impact they will have.
At the recent full Vale council meeting, two questions were raised – one by Cllr Jill Rayner and another by Cllr Sally Whiteman, alongside a proposed motion by Cllr Lee Evans – all relating to concerns around the proposed Cearn Solar Farm and the growing number of NSIPs in the district. There were also questions around the reservoir.
The Cearn motion was passed with some amendments made after a detailed debate, and Cllr Thomas will write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport to raise questions and concerns about the impact of the proposed development.
The proposed solar farm would potentially cover 2,800 acres of land located across three development areas between Garford, Charney Bassett, West Hanney, Goosey and Baulking.
At approximately 2,800 acres, the scheme being developed by Cearn Solar Farm Ltd, would be one of the larger solar farm proposals in the UK. Because of its size, the development application (which has not yet been submitted) will be examined by the national Planning Inspectorate and the decision will be made by the Secretary of State, not by Vale of White Horse District Council (which is considered a statutory consultee).
The proposal comes at a time when the concentration of major infrastructure projects in the Vale is unusually high – aside from the proposed White Horse Reservoir (formerly known as SESRO), Botley West Solar Farm together with a major new substation near Farmoor, and the East West Rail project, alongside the Thames to Southern Transfer, which will also impact on the district over the next ten years.
Cllr Bethia Thomas, said: “We are advocates of renewable power and solar power generation – as shown by our own decarbonisation programme across our leisure centres – but at present there are many questions we still need the answers for on the Cearn Solar Farm.
“We need to know the full impacts on farmland and on our natural environment. How would the construction traffic management work – especially if the reservoir is being built at the same time? Like Botley Solar Farm, we want to know what community benefits would be on the table for such a significant development.
“The bigger picture is that our communities are now potentially impacted by several nationally significant infrastructure projects – with the reservoir, Botley solar farm and substation – and the East West Rail improvements, alongside this latest proposal. The bottom line is these are all Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) – which means the final decisions on whether these projects go ahead sits centrally with government – not the district council. If they’re wholly decided in London, the impact on local people can’t be properly taken into consideration.
“These represent major planning and socio-economic changes in the Vale. We know better than national government what is best for our communities – but we have little control in the approval process other than as a statutory consultee. This flies in the face of local democracy and the government’s mantra that it wants to devolve powers to a community level. We know that going forwards there is likely to be a substantial increase in the number of projects that will fall under the NSIP umbrella.
“Only this week we have seen concerning news of a significant increase to the reservoir construction access points to the site – with serious implications for the surrounding areas and the impact of construction traffic. This is a key reason local councils should be part of the decision making process… this also goes for projects like the solar farm. If Cearn goes ahead there is a strong possibility that the construction periods could overlap – with the cumulative impact a worry.
“A great deal of our officer and member time is already focussed on doing everything in our power to influence and scrutinise these projects to ensure the core issues are addressed up to and after the decisions are made. We want to ensure we secure the best possible outcome for all the communities that are impacted.
“We will continue to urge government to listen to local voices and to do everything we can within our power to ensure that the voice of our community is listened to.”
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