Plans to build the UK’s largest solar farm covering some 2,400-acres of land in Oxfordshire have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for review.
The Botley West Solar Farm, once built, would become the UK’s largest solar farm, generating enough energy to power 330,000 homes.
Photovolt Development Partners’, a company based in Germany, said it was 'pleased' that the project would now enter a new phase.
However, campaign group Stop Botley West warned that the scheme was 'of a scale that's entirely inappropriate for this region'.
The first step of the new phase will be a 28 day ‘acceptance phase’, where the Planning Inspectorate will ask local authorities if the consultation process was adequate and done in accordance with legal requirements.
The inspectorate’s recommendations will then be presented to the Energy and Net Zero Secretary, Ed Miliband, for final approval.
Solar projects above 50MW are considered ‘nationally significant’ and therefore require ministerial approval, as opposed to local authority consent.
Since coming to office, Mr Miliband has approved four solar farms through the same process.
The new Labour government pledged to treble UK solar power capacity to 40GW by 2030, and to 75 GW by 2035, representing a quadrupling of current generating capacity.
According to Photovolt, Botley West would deliver 840MW to the national grid, the equivalent of enough generating capacity to power 330,000 homes.
It said the development would add 'significant' green energy capacity, creating jobs, boosting biodiversity and 'opening up grazing space on land that has been intensively farmed'.
Photovolt director, Mark Owen-Lloyd said “We are pleased formally to complete the submission of our plans for Botley West, which will make a huge contribution towards achieving net zero in the UK.
"This project will help equip Britain to mitigate the impact of devastating climate change."
Turning to the economic impact, he said: “Botley West represents a major investment of £800 million, creating skilled jobs and helping power local businesses.
"Our submission includes community benefits aimed at ensuring those nearest to the project benefit financially”.
But Alex Rogers, who is chair of Stop Botley West, told BBC Radio Oxford that the group would present 'extremely strong' evidence to the inspectorate.
He criticised Photovolt for making 'almost no changes' following the consultations, and he also claimed the farm would 'exacerbate' flooding in the area.
"This particular scheme is far too big - it's sited in an area of very complex topography with river catchments of several rivers," he told the broadcaster.
It comes after the Countryside Alliance recently called for a 'rooftop-first' approach to solar power rather than on farmland.
It argued that solar panels should be placed on the rooftops of new homes, commercial buildings, and car parks before using productive farmland or greenfield sites.
