Controversial Drax solar farm approved by East Dorset council

The application for Mapperton Farm has faced hundreds of objections but East Dorset District Council's planning committee has now given renewable electricity supplier and generator Good Energy the green light for a 24MW farm.

There were more than 650 objections to the plans with campaigners saying that it will affect a protected landscape.

Hugo House, from Good Energy has welcomed the news.

He said: “It’s great news that the planning committee has given consent for the solar farm, which will make a significant contribution towards Dorset’s renewable energy targets.

“We listened to the feedback from our previous application and scaled down the size of the solar farm by more than a third and will be offering a range of benefits to the community.

“We’re looking forward to working with local residents and supporting much-needed community causes once the site is generating and for the next 30 years.”

The site will occupy 42.8 hectares and there will be 90,000 solar panels generating enough electricity to supply more than 6,300 homes.

They will be arranged in rows at least six metres apart to enable sheep to graze and deer fencing of over 2 metres in height will surround the solar panels, with gaps at the bottom to allow small mammals to pass.

The development will release an annual £35,000 to be spent in the community by local people for the 30-year lifetime of the project.

A local electricity tariff will also be made available to residents living within 2km of the solar farm.

East Dorset council’s report recommending approval of the application said the proposal would “contribute significantly to the UK’s target of 15 per cent of its energy generation from renewables by 2020”.

It continued: “This is of great importance in today's times of predicted future energy shortages, and will help Dorset and the UK to be more self-sufficient in terms of energy generation."

Construction of the solar farm is due to get under way later this year.