Arundel and South Downs MP, Andrew Griffith, has slammed today’s decision taken by Chichester District Council councillors to allow a 25-hectare solar farm to be built on farmland between Wisborough Green and Loxwood, saying “this is a deeply damaging decision that will destroy open countryside for decades. It is unforgivable.”
The planning application for a 20MW solar farm was decided at Chichester District Council’s planning committee meeting on Wednesday morning (3rd December) after the MP had presented a petition in the House of Commons the day before against the development.
Powerful oral submissions were made by objectors including Wisborough Green Parish Council, Richard Pell-Iderton for the residents’ action group, Dr Jill Sutcliffe representing the Campaign for Rural England and Caroline Ingham representing residents.
The council had received 174 objections, including from the MP, residents, and the parish councils of Loxwood, Kirdford, Plaistow and Ifold, and Wisborough Green.
The planning committee at Chichester is made up of 7 LibDem councillors, 2 Conservative and 2 Green and Local Alliance members, two were absent. Loxwood councillor Gareth Evans did not attend the meeting.
The approval by 6 votes to 3 was the result of Liberal Democrat councillors voting in favour.
Andrew Griffith said:
“The Liberal Democrat councillors have failed to protect rural West Sussex and failed its residents. This decision is completely unforgiveable. They have given speculators the ‘come on’ with their climate policies and have invited Renewable Connections to build all over the district’s farmland. They could have made a stand and rejected it outright, but they chose not to.
“I have petitioned the government for support to stop this. This type of solar farm is not needed and serves no energy strategy that benefits residents. Solar belongs on brownfield sites, on supermarket roofs, and on public buildings. I will continue to do all that I can to stop this, but the LibDems have sounded the death knell for the countryside because the door has now been thrown wide open.”
