A FARMLAND site is being considered for a large solar ‘farm’ by renewable energy company, Environmena.

The 26-hectare site, off Motcombe Road, Motcombe is an irregular-shaped area made up of nine fields, to the south of Bittles Green Farm and to the east of Port Regis School.

A single public footpath runs through the site connecting Motcombe with Shaftesbury.

The company behind the project say the site could produce up to 12MW of power, connected to the National Grid via an overhead power line which runs across the area.

The proposals include a 2metre tall fence around the site with closed circuit cameras installed for additional security, with tree and shrub planting proposed across the site and the creation of wildlife areas around the edges.

Said a statement about the development proposals:  “It is acknowledged that whilst there may be a change in character and there may be some views into the site from the surrounding areas, these impacts are unlikely to be significant.

“The proposed development will incorporate appropriate design and landscape measures, with all reinforcement or new planting utilising native species that are in keeping with local landscape character and consider the nature of views available. The solar panels will be limited to specific parcels of land and positioned so that they reflect existing contours and are naturally less visually intrusive. In addition, mitigation planting, including the use of grazing and wildflower meadow, will be used to physically divide the solar panel areas and reduce the overall mass of the proposed development.”

Other energy schemes have been approved within a short distance of the proposal site – including a solar facility at Park Farm, Gillingham, 2.5km to the north west and a battery energy storage facility, just 0.2km away, on land north of Hawkers Hill Farm, Shaftesbury Road, Shaftesbury which was granted planning consent in March 2023.

At the moment there is no planning application for the site with the developers asking Dorset Council to consider whether or not a full Environmental Impact Assessment of the site is required, prior to a detailed planning application being submitted.

Environmena say that, because of the nature of the site, and the lack of nearby areas of nature protection, a full Environmental Assessment is not needed.

Illustration – The proposed solar site at Motcombe.