On 15 January 2015, West Dorset Council’s Planning Committee voted to approve the application by British Solar Renewables to build a solar farm on Rampisham Down, a nationally important SSSI grassland. The case has striking similarities with the current case at Lodge Hill in Kent. Emily Newton, Dorset Wildlife Trust Conservation Officer, argues the case for protecting Rampisham ...
Rampisham Down is the largest area of Lowland Acid Grassland in Dorset; it is a remnant of grassland that in Thomas Hardy’s time would have blanketed the hills of West Dorset supporting a plethora of flowers and fungi. Modern farming practices mean that there are very few remnants of this grassland type remaining. Rampisham Down grassland has been preserved in a semi natural state as it has been protected from the plough by its use as a BBC transmission station from 1939 until recent years.
In autumn 2012 the old transmitting station and surrounding grassland changed hands and Dorset Wildlife Trust began discussions with the new owners who indicated their intention to develop a solar farm on the site. In these very early stages of discussion we were seriously concerned that this sort of development would be extremely damaging to the grassland, and suggested that alternative sites should be sought. DWT is not against solar energy, indeed we support renewables, but not in locations that harm our most precious wildlife sites.
Meanwhile, the national importance of the grassland was recognised by Natural England, who started the process of designating it a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), confirmed in March 2014.
Unfortunately, the owner persisted with a planning application on the SSSI, but, after lengthy discussions, DWT were heartened when an application for an alternative site was submitted in November 2014. This new application confirmed a clear and viable alternative to the SSSI. National planning policy requires consideration of alternatives as a first port of call if a development poses significant harm to wildlife.
Despite this, on 15th January 2015, the members of West Dorset District Council’s planning committee voted unanimously to grant planning permission, against the advice of their own planning officer and Natural England. I attended the committee meeting, and was shocked at their lack of interest in either the wildlife value or the possibility that the alternative site provided an excellent way of delivering their renewable energy targets without contravening the National Planning Policy Framework.
How can placing solar panels on 40.5 hectares (56%) of a nationally important site constitute a net gain for biodiversity? There is no adequate compensation or mitigation suggested for this loss and there is a clear alternative site for this development.
We are deeply concerned for Rampisham Down’s grassland, but also worried that this decision will undermine the protection afforded for all nationally designated wildlife sites.
For these reasons DWT is asking Eric Pickles to “call in” the application and make the decision himself. You can read more and support the campaign at http://wtru.st/SaveRDown