SOLAR FARMS AND CULTURE WARS

Is somebody rattled?

NIMBYs. Blockers. Not evidence-based. Climate change deniers. These are a few of the slurs being levelled at people who are unconvinced by proposals for developments like Botley West Solar Farm, a solar farm that would be the size of Heathrow Airport, 75% of it on the Oxford Green Belt.

The spokesman of Botley West Solar Farm’s developer, Mark Owen-Lloyd, takes any opportunity to allege that Stop Botley West’s campaign is “scare-mongering” with “no evidence to back it up”. Similarly a senior elected member of Oxfordshire County Council recently wrote “There seems to be a campaign putting out non-evidence-based assertions around solar farms increasing flood risk”. Stop Botley West’s assertion that solar farms increase flood risk was in fact based on the latest peer-reviewed research-based evidence. 

At the national level too the new Government has declared war on “the blockers, the delayers, the obstructionists” who dare to raise questions about specific energy and housing proposals. They are dismissed out of hand as “NIMBYs”. Ed Miliband apparently thought the same labels apply even to the government’s own Planning Inspectorate. When, after several years examining the evidence, the Planning Inspectorate recommended that the proposal for Sunnica Solar Farm in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire should be rejected, the Secretary of State approved the proposal regardless.

Name-calling is a lazy tactic, designed to shut down debate. It treats issues that are complex and nuanced as if they were simple and clear-cut. It portrays people who have genuine concerns as selfish and ignorant. It can be seen as hate speech aimed at denigrating and marginalising people. 

This is how culture wars are waged. 

It is to be expected that those with enormous sums of money riding on Botley West Solar Farm – the developer Photovolt Development Partners GmbH and the landowner Blenheim Estate – will say whatever it takes to try to get it over the line. It is more alarming when elected representatives are unwilling to respect the concerns of local residents and give them proper consideration, regardless of how genuine and well-evidenced their concerns are. 

The overwhelming majority of people accept the need to cut carbon emissions rapidly and at scale. This does not justify giving the go-ahead to any renewable energy scheme that any developer proposes. As even Ed Miliband said to the House of Commons, “We know that not all planning applications are good.”[1] 

Utility-scale solar farms produce much-needed renewable energy but they are not a silver bullet. They have down-sides too.

Strong research-based evidence shows that solar farms can increase flood risk, that they do not necessarily have a positive impact for nature recovery and biodiversity, that they rely on slave labour and exported carbon emissions in China. They take agricultural land out of production and they spoil beautiful countryside and landscapes. The larger they are, the bigger the impact.

These are real concerns and they cannot be ignored. We need a grown-up and balanced debate based on the best evidence, not a culture war.

What can YOU do about this?

Please make a donation to our fighting fund HERE

If you in a position to make a significant donation to fund a heritage expert please contact us via our Chair: alex.rogers@stopbotleywest.com to arrange a personal meeting.

Please write to your new MP, Calum Miller (Calum.Miller@oxonlibdems.uk) and to the Leader of WODC, Andy Graham (andy.graham@oxfordshire.gov.uk) with all your concerns about Botley West.

1. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-07-18/debates/1B2ABCB9-1455-4C86-8E2F-5E763B38E888/CleanEnergySuperpowerMission     

Veteran & Notable Oaks and Horse Chestnut Trees Photographed & Recorded

Walkers using footpaths in our local areas have begun to realise how many veteran and notable trees are potentially at risk of terrible damage or complete loss if the construction of Botley West Solar Power Station progresses as planned.

“No panels will go within 25 metres of ancient woodland” says the developer. Whilst this may be the case for c2.3 million solar panels, they don’t talk about cable routes or maintenance roads or fencing or, indeed, any of the massive amount of equipment that will be installed on and under the site. What is ‘not said’ is critically important.

It’s come to our attention recently just how much harm could be inflicted on these trees by the construction of Botley West - with all it’s ‘proposed infrastructure elements’ installed across the whole site. The developers confirm this will include miles of underground 220kV power transmission cables, c2.3 million solar panels and their supports/bases, numerous large substations, power conversion systems, maintenance roads, access points, fences etc. - many tons of industrial equipment, cabling and roadways.

Local people understand the importance and beauty of these trees in this landscape; land in open agricultural and enclosed forestry use. In this setting, Oxfordshire is blessed with many Ancient, Veteran and Notable Oaks and other species. 

Stop Botley West volunteers are working hard to increase the profile of this issue and to raise support from like minded people and organisations who wish to protect these unique and irreplaceable trees - some of which date from the mid-17th century, almost a hundred years BEFORE Blenheim was built. 

What can YOU do about this?

Please make a donation to our fighting fund here.

If you in a position to make a significant donation to fund a heritage expert please contact us via our Chair: alex.rogers@stopbotleywest.com to arrange a personal meeting.

Write a letter expressing all your concerns about Botley West to your new MP, Calum Miller (Calum.Miller@oxonlibdems.uk) and to West Oxfordshire District Council, Planning Officer (andrew.Thomson@westoxon.gov.uk) and Landscape/Forestry Officer (nick.Dalby@westoxon.gov.uk).