Dorset Council is in the top 15% of over 400 local authority areas in the UK for renewable electricity generation. The Local Planning Authority has a strong track record in securing well planned schemes in often sensitive locations. This has aided an increase of 250% in renewable energy generation between 2014 and 2020.
In 2020, Dorset generated enough electricity to supply over 110,000 average sized households for a year. A number which will increase with the installation of three recently approved solar farms. The solar farms, which have all been granted planning permission in the last 6 months, are expected to provide enough energy to power a further 29,000 homes each year.
Construction for the North Fossil Farm Solar project, located just south of Tadnoll, will begin this year and is expected to generate enough power for 14,000 homes. It is estimated that the Higher Stockbridge Solar Park, south of Sherborne, will generate clean, renewable energy for around 10,605 homes a year. The Blandford Hill Eco Hub project’s approved proposal includes a 15-megawatt ground-mounted solar farm and a 3-megawatt battery storage faciality, which would be installed to the south of Blandford Hill, generating energy supply for 4,000 homes.
Dorset Council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy sets out a commitment to support the county to be carbon neutral. In its role as the Local Planning Authority, the council recognises the vital importance of securing an increase in renewable energy installations. This has to be carefully managed, due to the important landscapes and features in the county. With two thirds of Dorset being designated as landscapes of national importance and many heritage assets, all planning decisions must consider the high sensitivity and value of Dorset’s natural and built environments, which are subject to the highest levels of protection.
Cllr David Walsh, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Planning, said:
“Our planning officers have been working positively to facilitate renewable energy generation in Dorset. Officers work to observe the protections on the environment and provide constructive feedback and recommendations to proposals where possible.
“Changes and improvements which are made to proposals as they move through the application process can help to ensure we strike a balance by reducing any negative environmental impacts, while still facilitating installations which will help reduce harmful carbon emissions long term.”
I’m surprised this PR release from Dorset Council isn’t balanced by any of the thousands of people who have objected to these developments. Just one of the latest offshore wind turbines produces as much energy as a 50MW solar farm. Most are invisible from land whereas a 50 MW solar farm takes up 200 acres of valuable farmland. In addition wind farms produce far more electricity in winter when demand is high. The UK is is in the bottom 10% of countries for solar power potential and in the top 5% for offshore wind power potential . In short Dorset Council are complicit in ruining their treasured landscapes for very questionable benefits.
What an extremely interesting comment – written by a person that sounds informed too. I think the merits of solar ”farms” are very questionable. Many take land out of agriculture (contrary to the blurb sent in with the planning applications & in P.R.). The best they can do is occasional grazing by sheep – and when did you last see that? Agricultural land is a finite resource & important for the U.K.’s food security – as a society and in planning terms we treat the land and food with scant regard.
Fantastic! More please, bring on a more sustainable life and future in our lovely county!
What is Dorset’s position compared to other local authorities in terms of CO2 generated per resident?
I’m also very worried about the land that’s being dedicated to these energy farms. It’s very unfortunate that no-one is considering resurrecting an offshore windfarm installation – tragic really.
One wonders why the council does not think about roofs that are empty and can directly supply rlectricity to homes without any infrastructural expenses. Roofs should be considered first. Why dont the council give some subsidy or grant to install solar panels on roofs, So that we dont lose valuable, irreplacable land for solar farms. Why not to install solar panels in car parks over cars as most of European countries do.
Land is irreplaceable, finite and all our activities take place on it, such as houses, work places, schools, transportation networks, recreation, sport, most importantly agriculture ie the main source of our food. All these and a number of others are in competition to occupy the land. Why not use the land effectively & efficiently.
40% of carbon emission is generated from the built environment not energy usage or production. Why not the council have net Zero Construction policy for all new buildings.
Of course the council do not listen to our voices, forgetting they are/should be accountable to us and they work for public benefit. We are the residents who elect them to hear our voices and properly consult local issues with us.
The main issue with off-shore wind farms is up-front cost (and the consequence of even higher electricity costs for consumers!). There is a huge difference between them and on-shore wind farms or solar. Of the latter two, solar is generally the lesser of the two aesthetic evils and there are far more suitable locations for solar from a purely technical point of view.
I wish we could find another solution, though, to avoid covering our beautiful countryside in swathes of panels.
As someone who may be living next to a another potential solar farm that is proposed for Dorset I have to agree with all the other comments with regard to this issue. Our landscape is there for the enjoyment of everyone who visits Dorset and those who are only able to visit virtually. The Chair of Dorset Council stated how important the Dorset countryside is to the well-being of everyone but the planners appear to ignore this and plough ahead with massive solar farm installations. This is not just in Dorset but across the whole of the country. These same planners along with the developers wish to see the planning laws changed in favour of these developments and ignoring the views of the general public. When are the planners going to insist on the installation of solar panels on all brown field sites, warehouses, school buildings and especially new build developments?
Someone must take hold of this issue and think to the future. We are all aware of the climate issues which have been discussed for the last 26 years – look at the lack of progress with regards to this!! But, it has been extremely evident over the last 4 years the importance of our reliance upon our farmers to deliver our food. This continual reduction of our agricultural spaces for large housing estates, solar farms, forests, etc. will, surely, see that in the future we do not have the capacity to supply our own food from our own land and will be relying heavily upon supplies from overseas. We have already seen the implications this has on the supply of goods into the country.
Someone needs to wake up to the fact that we need to have a sustainable food system. One that means that we do not have to rely heavily on other countries. Off shore wind farms can produce a great deal more energy than most solar farms and/or on shore wind farms. It should also be noted that off shore wind farms can supply electricity nearly 24/7 rather than during daylight hours. All new builds must have their own generated supply of electricity which can supply the household or business as well as supplying the grid.
Councillors and planners need to jump off the band wagon and look more to the overall picture rather than focussing on each individual issue.
On-shore wind farms and solar wind farms are amongst the cheapest ways of generating electricity and this should be a consideration as part of our energy mix, particularly as the cost rises.