Plans for third Shropshire solar farm unveiled

It would be built at Twemlows Stud Farm, near Whitchurch and follows similar plans for solar farms in Wheat Leasowes, Hadley, in Telford and Green Farm, about a mile north of Condover, near Shrewsbury.

The latest proposal, which has been put forward by Vogt Solar, includes developing a temporary 16.3 megawatt solar farm, which could save more than 8,730 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

The firm said about 97 per cent of the 23.2 hectare (57.3 acre) farm site would remain used for agriculture.

It added after 25 years the fields will be returned to grazing or other agricultural use and the solar panels removed and recycled.

Part of the scheme would involve planting a mixed species grass and wildflower meadow around the panels to attract birds and insects.

Developers say this would help provide an extension to the conservation work being done at the nearby Special Scientific Interest at Prees Heath.

Residents will be able to view the proposals at a public exhibition on April 9 at Ash Magna Village Hall, from 3pm to 7pm.

At the event people will also be able to meet the team behind the proposals and ask questions before the scheme is finalised and a planning application is submitted to Shropshire Council.

Councillors and residents in the area said they wanted to wait until the public exhibition before giving their views on the scheme.

But concerns about the impact solar farms have on the countryside have been raised by the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Spokeswoman Claire Norman said: "We think solar energy has a role to play in helping the UK to meet its renewable energy targets, but we will oppose schemes which are likely to cause material harm to the countryside as some large-scale solar farms are doing.

"We cannot afford to take valuable agricultural land out of use by sacrificing it for solar farms."

Developers said the site was a disused former airfield, with poor soil producing very little grass and contributing very little to the farm.

James Stone, spokesman for Vogt Solar, said: "This is a good site for a solar farm as it is flat and benefits from good sunlight intensity levels.

"It also has good access to the National Grid. It's great that the increase in biodiversity that the solar farm will bring will also be felt at the Prees Heath SSSI and we'll be engaging closely with them to make sure the benefits to wildlife are maximised."

The firm said the the solar farm would enable Twemlows Stud to become more sustainable and help the business to diversify its income.