Agenda item

Members are asked to further consider the proposal by Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) to create a solar farm in West of Oxfordshire called Botley West Solar Farm and submit an additional response, if appropriate.

A second public consultation is being held until 8 February 2024. PDVP’s consultation leaflet is attached as an appendix. Further documents can be found by accessing the following link

https://botleywest.co.uk/Home-Botley-West.html

Note: This is a continuation of the discussion started at Agenda point 7 of the meeting of the Climate, Biodiversity & Planning Advisory Committee of 19^th December. As per minute P681.

Members recommenced their discussions which had started at the meeting of the Climate, Biodiversity & Planning Advisory Committee of 19 December 2023, having agreed at that meeting to defer the submission of a response to the Phase Two Community Consultation.

A Member expressed strong views against the scheme, while the remainder of those present were all in favour of supporting  and encouraged the Member to make their own personal submission to the consultation.

Members agreed that the key benefit of the scheme, harnessing a renewable source of energy, would not only be seen by residents of Witney, but also residents outside of the proposed areas of installation as it will feed into the national grid. They also felt that the move towards renewable energy would help mitigate the extreme weather events that were seen from the effect of global warming.

The Committee did however feel that more information was needed in respect of some of the technical information provided, such as the effect of corrosion of mixing metal components, what action was being taken with the grass cut from the sites and also that there was a need to quantify the community contributions being made by the developers.

A Member acknowledged that the Council’s support of the scheme would be disappointing to some, but this was a critical time and renewable energy was needed now and this resonated with the Council’s declared climate emergency.

Resolved:

1. That, the Committee agreed there was a need to install solar infrastructure at the Botley West site and,
2. That, an updated response be submitted to the consultation (appended to minutes)