A contentious application for a renewable energy park near Wootton has been resubmitted to the Isle of Wight Council.
Sunny Oaks Renewable Energy Park Limited’s revised proposal comprises a collection of ground mounted solar panels and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). on land to the North West of Whiterails Road/West of Park Road, and land to the South East of Whiterails Road/West of Briddlesford Road.
The installed capacity of the solar panels would amount to around 20 megawatts while the BESS would be exporting at 28.5 megawatts.
A different version of the application was granted permission by the council in April 2024 but was later subject to a judicial review claim. The claim, which raised a fire risk from the BESS, resulted in the permission being withdrawn.
A Planning Statement prepared by property specialists BCM said:
“The proposed development is located on land which is not within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, nor designated for any purpose.
“The extensive range of mitigation and enhancement measures identified have been developed to enhance the landscape character of the site and to remedy the potential adverse landscape and visual effects.
“These initiatives include planting new mixed native hedgerows, planting a temporary evergreen hedge that will in time be replaced by a native scrub/hedgerow edge, planting new native trees within or next to existing hedges, and establishing extensive natural grassland areas.”
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Sunny Oaks’ revised proposal also highlighted the application’s compliance with the council’s local plan policies.
Its benefits for economic development were given particular prominence:
“It will support rural economic development opportunities and farm diversification schemes that contribute to the sustainability of the wider countryside”.
The public consultation on the revised proposal finishes on 29th November and a statutory decision is expected on 3rd January.
I’m sure WARE (Wootton Against Renewable Energy) will soon rear their heads.
Although I agree in the principle of ‘green energy’, and also understand the need to reduce carbon emissions, if we are to prevent the excessive future issues caused by climate change:
1. There are so many places that (large areas of) solar panels could be installed, that would be better for so many reasons (on top of carparks for example)
2. With the success of Donald Trump in winning a second term, and his massively pro-oil stance,.. therefore making it unlikely that the USA will do much, if anything, with respect to reducing carbon emissions,… why bother ??
Any reduction in carbon emissions we make through schemes like this ‘solar farm’, will be insignificant in global terms,..
& therefore the expense or, and environmental damage caused by, the solar farm, will be pointless.
What makes me laugh is that the Island wants a
Solar Farm as if they care about the climate!,
if they did they would rid the Island of
Diesel and Petrol vehicles and do more to
bring EVs to the island.
There are hardly any charging points on the island.
Net Zero will never exist on the Island, unless things
change.
Progress? Innovation? We can’t have any of that – this is the Isle of Wight where many live firmly in the past, not the future.