The Oxford Times, article by Miranda Norris, 18th April 2024
The Telegraph, article by Emma Gatten
The Times, article by Stephen Petty
The Week, article by Rebecca Messina, 18th April 2024
The Guardian, article b Flavia Lopes, 18 April 2024
The Times, article by Adam Vaughan, Environmental Editor and Will Humphries, Community Correspondent, 20 April 2024
If the BWSF proposal is such a great way to provide the UK with renewable energy – how come there is so much information that we are not being told?
Along with SBW campaign, we are heartened to see that Private Eye are also looking behind the greenwashing to find out what is going on – see their latest investigation here, highlighting Merton pulling out of the proposal. Previous articles available here and here and here.
Helpfully, Private Eye has also covered the story in their podcast, explaining the importance of this issue. You can listen to it here (coverage starts at 20m 10s).
On 26 October 2023, Robert Courts was interviewed by Radio Oxford:
Asked his views, he said: “This is something that incredibly badly impacts on bio-diversity, takes away valuable farmland, it’s not the right project for this area. Blenheim have catastrophically mis-thought this, they need to go back to the drawing board and pull the plan”
In late June 2023 Robert Courts launched the following Parliamentary Petition:
The petition of residents of Witney and West Oxfordshire declares that the large scale solar farm application known as “Botley West Solar Farm” is detrimental to the local community, notes that its scale and design are incompatible with the current infrastructure of the area; further declares that preservation of farmland for food
security, local amenity, rural character and green belt preservation must take precedence when considering solar farm applications.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to reject the application when it is presented and immediately update the National Planning Policy Framework to give clearer, stricter guidance on the appropriate location, scale and design of solar farms including the definition to be used when sites are declared to be “temporary", furthermore that this updated guidance give weight to factors such as the preservation of farmland for food security, local amenity, overall scale and impact upon the local community, rural character and green belt preservation.
In late October he sent a final reminder to “please sign my petition through the link below and to share it far and wide so that we can send a clear message from West Oxfordshire’s residents.”
On 27 June 2023, Layla Moran spoke in Parliament highlighting the issues raised by Private Eye about the developers of BWSF. She requested a meeting with the minister to get to the bottom of where the money is coming from, asking, “how can we know that Russian money is not still being greenwashed through our economy here in the UK?”
Full speech available here.
"Having looked at the plans for Botley West in detail, I have grave concerns about the size and scale of these proposals, which appear to represent a disproportionate threat to agricultural land in West Oxfordshire."
"The proposal for the Botley West Solar Farm in my view has no benefit to the local community that it will be impacting other than the promise of better walking routes and the possibility of green infrastructure."
"The magnitude of the BWSF project and its geographical footprint in a highly populated area, within the Oxford Green Belt is totally unacceptable. I am concerned about the loss of productive farmland, industrialization of our countryside and the impact this project would have on our environment and communities."
"Considering size and scale, I am against Botley West. Our government should be investing in wind power, insulation, carbon zero new housing and reducing consumption all more affective to fight climate change. Aligned with a plan for land management, rewilding, reduced meat consumption and solar on roofs."
"We want to see communities owning their own green energy projects and benefiting directly, not having projects imposed. Community and shared ownership projects across the UK are already bringing down bills. In contrast, the current Botley West proposal offers little in return for the costs that it imposes on our area. Labour will ensure that communities benefit from the clean energy infrastructure they host."
If you are in office or seeking office, as well as anybody in the community in an ‘official’ capacity who would like their comment considered for uploading onto the official Stop Botley West website, please send no more than 50 words to contact@stopbotleywest.com for consideration. In addition, you are welcome to attach a link to your personal website or Facebook page where more information about your views can be found.
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