On October 15, Clinton Devon Estates (CDE) submitted an application (13/2202/MFUL) to erect a solar farm on 10.6 acres of agricultural land close to Liverton Farm and adjacent to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Exmouth Town Council has not supported the application.

More than 340 local residents have signed a petition against it.

There have also been 18 letters of objection, and only one letter of support.

For centuries, CDE has shown paternal benevolence towards local people in general, and to their tenant farmers in particular.

I would argue that very little, if anything, of such benevolence has survived.

The 350 houses in the future “Plumb Park” will deprive Farmer Skinner of his livelihood.

The land at Liverton Farm has been looked after by the Ellett family for more than a century.

A letter of objection from a firm of accountants says, “Farming to produce food is financially difficult enough as it is without unnecessarily adding to the expenses”.

The application expires on December 6.

I had hoped that CDE might have withdrawn this application by now and chosen somewhere else within their substantial land-holding for their solar farm.

If CDE do not withdraw it, it will presumably be determined by East Devon District Council’s development management committee (DMC) some time soon.

I look forward to another letter from John Harding (Exmouth Journal, November 28) if the DMC approves the application.

(Dr) Anita Jennings

Via email