Plans for massive solar farm enter next stage

The next stage of the planning process for what could be one of the UK's biggest solar farms has begun.

More than 5,000 people have objected to Island Green Power plans to build a 500-megawatt solar farm across 3,000 acres in North Wiltshire and now the final set of public hearings have started as part of a six month examination period.

Anna-Kate Fuller, founder of the campaign group Stop Lime Down, said: "We have worked tirelessly to raise funds from across our community to protect and preserve this part of the countryside."

Will Threlfall, Senior Project Development Manager responded: "We will continue to listen carefully and respond to the points raised throughout the process".

There are several other larger scale sites in the planning process, including one at Botley in Oxfordshire.

Getting a decision on this is a long process, the original application was submitted in September 2025, then the public were invited to have their say.

The plans are now in an examination stage, where any interested or affected parties can share views and evidence about the plans and the examining authority asks questions about the proposals.

The evidence submitted is wide ranging - from the potential impact on individual land owners and businesses, to established wildlife habitats and farming practices on the land in question.

This stage finishes on October 21st, at which point the examining authority have up to three months to make a recommendation about whether or not the scheme should go ahead.

After that, it could be another three months until a decision is made in Spring 2027.

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