West Dorset’s MP Chris Loder has received the backing of the Environment Secretary in opposing a 43-acre solar farm at Maiden Newton. Mr Loder and the Environment Secretary were united in their opposition on grounds of unjustifiable damage to the Dorset National Landscape (formerly AONB). Mr Loder also expressed his concern that the solar farm would take agricultural land out of production.
Speaking about the decision, Mr Loder said: “I’m grateful that Minister Buchan, acting on behalf of the Environment Secretary, has backed my opposition to these plans. It’s the latest attempt by large firms to build damaging solar farms on West Dorset’s agricultural land; only last year did I successfully oppose a 1,400 acre mass solar farm near Chickerell, more than one-third of which would have been in the Dorset National Landscape.”
He added: “If we look at other proposals, such as the 180-acre Stockbridge Solar Farm in Longburton, this was green-lighted by Liberal Democrat councillors. The same would have applied for the proposal in Maiden Newton, had the Minister not intervened. Although the Liberal Democrats portray themselves as the party of the countryside, they couldn’t be further from the truth.”
