Mr Varley (Clinton Devon Estates) wrote to the Journal last week, giving reasons why the application (13/2202/MFUL) to build a solar park on agricultural land at Liverton Farm should be granted planning permission.
I have read the proposals with care.
Like other objectors to the scheme, I support the provision of solar farms, but not on agricultural land adjacent to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
I am one of over 350 objectors, and do not intend withdraw my comments submitted to East Devon District Council, a month ago.
I believe the solar farm, if built, would be a serious handicap for the tenant farmer.
Mr Varley has seemingly spent five years studying technical aspects of solar farms.
He claims the scheme at Liverton Park would generate power for 1,031 houses (I think it was 965 houses a month ago).
Both these figures are considerably higher than those calculated by experienced specialists at the East Devon branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.
The latter claim that Mr Varley’s figures are ‘completely unrealistic and demonstrate a lack of understanding of the output from solar PV arrays’ and that ‘the development is not sustainable, economically or environmentally, as required by the 2006 Act and the National Policy Planning Framework’.
Exmouth Town Council stated the scheme was ‘intrusive to neighbours; unsuitable site near AONB; industrial development of a rural area; non-sustainable. The application was considered to be in the wrong location’.
The councillors suggested an alternative site be found.
The estates are said to own over 7,000 acres of land.
Dr Anita Jennings
Via email
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