Residents oppose plans for 80-acre solar farm

Villagers and a council have vowed to oppose plans to create a 80-acre solar farm on scenic land near the River Wye.

The proposed 30MW farm could be built either side of the B4399 through Dinedor, southeast of Hereford, in Herefordshire.

Applicant's ILOS New Energy UK were told by the county council in April it did not need a full environmental impact assessment (EIA) to proceed with the scheme, which is not guaranteed for development, ILOS said.

Dinedor Parish Council said a full EIA should be required, given the proposal "involves a major land-take of productive farmland" and had "understated the heritage and archaeological sensitivity of the area" and its closeness to the river.

The authority added the scheme would also "intensify traffic hazards" on the "already constrained" B4399.

Local residents have formed the Dinedor Village Action Group to oppose the scheme progressing further.

"Everyone's quite upset about it," group spokesperson Matthew Parkin said.

"As a settlement, Dinedor has always been dotted around, and the solar farm would effectively be in the middle of the village."

His own objection pointed out the scheme's elevated position in the landscape would also "be very visible from across the Wye valley, from Woolhope, Hampton Bishop and beyond".

The group plans to hold a meeting at the village hall, on 27 May at 19:00 BST, to determine how to progress its campaign.

An ILOS New Energy UK spokesperson added: "It's early days and it's not guaranteed that we will take that site forward."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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