SURVEY work is to begin at the site of a proposed solar farm owned by MP Richard Drax months after developers were told they faced a judicial review.

Planning permission was granted for the 175-acre site at the Charborough Estate near Mapperton in November last year, despite 500 objections from locals.

However, campaigners then discovered that developers had not completed an environmental impact assessment.

Although this is not always necessary, East Dorset District Council officials agreed it was in this case.

Developers Good Energy disagreed, leading to the review, and the council have recently issued a ‘screening response’, which requires an Environmental Impact Assessment to consider the landscape and visual impact of the proposal to be included in any resubmitted planning application.

Hugh House, senior project developer for the company, said the company has “welcomed” the council’s request for more information regarding the visual impact of the site.

“We are pleased to have received this update and will begin to gather the information requested,” he said.

“Once we have the findings we will decide whether or not to proceed and resubmit a planning application for a solar farm at Mapperton. “We will keep residents updated regularly and if we decide to resubmit a planning application, will hold a public exhibition to show residents the plans and details that would be submitted. We expect to make our decision before the end of the year.”

If the project goes ahead, Good Energy would provide an annual community fund of around £25,000, £5,000 of which would be earmarked for the village of Mapperton itself.

The company will also plant wildflower meadows and retain sites as grassland for grazing animals.

If given the green light, the solar farm will be the size of around 110 football pitches and feature 112,000 panels, generating enough power for 6,000 homes.

A spokesperson from the district council said Mapperton is “an excellent site” for the solar farm.