Residents of Radford Semele and Ufton have met to press on with their campaign against plans to build a large solar farm on land on the outskirts of Leamington.

About 60 villagers, including members of both villages’ parish councils, attended a meeting chaired by Graeme Wright of Cedar Tree Farm on Sunday (June 2).

There is much opposition to Novergy and Recurrent Energy’s proposal to cover 242 acres of open and undeveloped agricultural land with what would amount to nearly a million 1.6 metre high solar panels on elevated land.

The site lies immediately to the west of the Fosse Way and less than 1km to the southeast of Radford and about 2km east of Leamington.

Campaigners against the solar farm from Ufton and Radford Semele met on Sunday (June 2). Picture supplied.

If the plans go ahead, the solar farm will be the largest in England – only two in Wales are bigger – and the campaigners say it will be visible for miles around.

Appeal for younger people to help raise funds for repair and maintenance of "ico...

Campaigner Kate Pittel said: “With solar developments already at Island Farm and Middle Lane, not to mention the development at Ufton which was passed by the planning Committee with a majority of one, this will substantially increase what the Goverment calls a ‘cumulative effect’.

“Government strategy is to use already developed and industrial land first and foremost.

"So why is our agricultural land being targeted?

"This land has been productive since 1945 and probably well before that.

"Enough wheat could be grown there to make two million loaves of bread each year.

“With food production a priority, alternative locations, ones that don’t have such an impact on residents, could easily be found.

"According to the CPRE, if just a quarter of the UK’s total 250,000 hectares of south-facing commercial roof space was used for solar panels, it could generate 25 GW of electricity each year.

"And with good planning and design, 20,000 hectares of car parking space could potentially yield another 8GW.

"Yet an increasing number of these significant industrial developments are being proposed for otherwise unspoilt countryside.

“Our local planning authority must give these matters their very serious consideration when the planning application gets submitted.”

The campaigners have a petition online at www.change.org/ProtectRadfordSemele

More information about the plans is available online at https://www.fossewaysolarfarm.co.uk/

Villagers continue campaign against large solar farm on the outskirts of Leamington