Solar farm of 44 hectares proposed for Braunton

A new solar farm is being proposed on 44 hectares of land at Braunton together with a sub station, cabling, CCTV and fencing.

Exagen Development is applying for planning permission from North Devon Council for the installation on farm land south of Buttercombe Lane after holding two public consultation events last year.

Following a survey, 40% opposed the development, with 13% in support and 47% undecided.

There were concerns raised around the scale of the project, visual impact, ecology and biodiversity impacts.

Exagen’s planning documents say it has taken into account all comments and made changes to the design and layout, including a larger buffer zone between the development and ancient woodland and other locally important sites, relocation of the cable route reducing the need for hedgerow removal and landscaping and biodiversity enhancements.

The cumulative effect of solar farms - there are four others in the area – was also highlighted as a concern.

The land is within two kilometres of four sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) including the Taw and Torridge Estuary SSSI and the Caen Valley Bats SSSI, which is an important habitat for greater horseshoe bats.

The company’s environmental statement concludes that the effects on protected areas would be ‘negligible and not significant’ because of limited habitat changes and enhancement measures in the development.

Historic England said the application had ‘successfully avoided causing harm’ to the nearby Grade II* listed Ash Barton farmhouse and its estate as far as possible, through ‘buffer planting, undeveloped zones, bolstering of existing hedges etc’ and therefore it doesn’t object.

Pole-mounted CCTV will be placed around the perimeter but no permanent lighting will be required.

The construction is expected to take approximately six months with up to 12 two-way HGV trips a day, but none on Sundays or bank holidays.

The 15MW (megawatt) solar array would offset annual electricity usage of approximately 8,600 homes and save approximately 4,275 tonnes of CO2 per year, say the applicants.

North Devon Council will decide on the planning application at a future date. People have until Sunday, July 6 to make representations.