PLANNING permission has been granted to build a new 15 hectare solar farm in Tytherington despite strong criticism of the project.

South Gloucestershire Councillors voted to allow AEE Renewables to construct the solar farm which is expected to be able to produce enough electricity to power about 1,800 homes.

The proposal first surfaced earlier this year when AEE Renewables announced that it was their intention to construct a 9MW on Tower Hill Farm in the village.

However, taking heed of comments made on the planning application AEE scaled back their plans to a farm that would produce slightly more than 6MW.

Despite strong objection from members of the public, councillors agreed to grant permission for the site, citing the council’s core strategy which says that the council will support ‘proposals for the generation of energy from renewable or low carbon sources’ under certain circumstances.

Ian McCollam, voiced his objections to the site at the meeting, speaking afterwards he said:

“The decision to allow the development to go ahead has left the local community angry and extremely disappointed that part of the beautiful, rural area, used regularly by walkers, cyclists and horse-riders will change into an industrialised landscape.

“This land has been farmed for generations and would have continued to produce food for an ever-increasing population.

“The purely subjective recommendation from the Council’s planning officer hinged on weighing the balance between differing central and local government policies, one requiring more sustainable energy, the other trying to protect our green and pleasant land.

“The planners ignored the considerable swathe of public opinion who objected to the proposal. Sixty-five letters were submitted against the proposal but not one in favour.

“At the planning meeting, members heard heart-felt objections from representatives of local residents. The expected debate on the contentious issues was embarrassingly non-existent.”

A spokesman for AEE Renewables said: “This is great news – we are delighted with the Planning Committee’s decision, which shows a far-sighted commitment to supporting the UK’s future energy security.

“We have worked hard to mitigate local community anxieties, reducing visual impact by providing as much screening as possible with hedgerow planting, maximising the benefits for wildlife and biodiversity as well as supporting the local economy.

“Further, we have made a commitment to community benefits. This will see us contributing £143,313 to Tytherington Parish Council and Thornbury Town Council, enabling about £5,700 per year to be spent in perpetuity on projects selected by and benefitting residents of Tytherington and Thornbury.

“We will keep the local communities informed of developments and look forward to maintaining an open dialogue to mitigate any ongoing concerns around the next phase of the project.”