Published in the Portsmouth News on Tuesday 25th September 2012
Plans have not even been submitted yet, but proposals to build the UK’s biggest solar farm in Fareham are already proving controversial.
If it goes ahead, the 123 acre scheme will dwarf the UK’s current largest solar farm – a 30 acre site, also in Hampshire, at the Cadland estate in Fawley near Southampton.
German renewable energy company ib vogt wants to build the huge facility at Newlands Farm, east of Meoncross School in Stubbington, as reported.
Now they have announced an exhibition which will allow the public to see rough plans for the first time.
Mark Best, part of the team at planning agents Parker Dann, which is handling the proposal, says: ‘It is important to stress that the proposal is not in a polished form at the moment – but that’s the whole idea of the public consultation, so we can make adjustments if we need to.
‘Hopefully people will agree with us and find it an exciting proposal for the area.
‘Its green credentials are impeccable.
‘We are conscious that we want as many people to attend the consultation as possible.
‘We would like to have the planning application submitted in a month, but the district council have not responded to our request for a screening and scoping opinion yet.
‘That will tell us whether we need to do an environmental impact assessment, so hopefully they will respond soon as that will require extra work if it is needed.’
If everything goes smoothly, the farm could be up and running by next Spring.
Continue reading It’s big, green and may be heading to a field near you
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