Solar Farm campaign group take message to Wiltshire Council
The authority is expected outline its opposition to the Lime Down Solar Farm project today
Last updated 22nd Jul 2025
A group of campaigners calling for a solar farm project in North Wiltshire are taking their message to Wiltshire Council today.
Stop Lime Down Solar (SLD) are protesting the planned 2,200 acre development between Chippenham and Malmesbury outside County Hall this morning, ahead of the Full Council meeting.
In the meeting, the authority is expected to declare its opposition to the project being planned by Island Green Power.
"They agree with us totally that this proposal should not be allowed to go ahead," SLD's Sir Mike Pitt told Greatest Hits Radio.
He stressed the group is not against solar energy, but insisted that use agricultural land for industrial projects was something that "has to be prevented".
"This particular project is enormous. It's about 10 kilometres from West to east and approximately 5 kilometres from north to South," Sir Mike said. "We accept that solar in the right place, on rooftops or wherever is quite effective and a good policy."
He said that the area, which is part of the Cotswolds, could lose out economically if the project is given the go ahead.
"The developer is proposing to erect panels that would be 4.5 metres high. They will be black, shiny and they will be most unattractive, and so people who use this area sometimes for recreation, for walking, cycling and so on, I think, will be put right off.
"It is a place where people like to come and stay, the hotels and so on are very successful and there's lots of eateries and other facilities here, and I think people will look elsewhere rather than come to this part of the Cotswolds."
Sir Mike told us that Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, should be looking to our European neighbours for inspiration.
He said: "If you look at France, if you look at Italy or Germany, you would not be allowed to build a solar farm of this scale in on agricultural land. They have come up with all sorts of fascinating ways of collecting solar energy, but in much more environmentally acceptable ways."
He also warned that other areas of Wiltshire could be under threat from solar farms should this development be given the green light.
Sir Mike said: "I think Wiltshire as a county will come under threat for other solar farms. If this is now allowed to go ahead.
And if foreign companies are making vast profits out of out of our economy, then other parts of Wiltshire will become under threat. So we know need everybody to be aware of what's taking place and if it does come forward, for that to be very firmly resisted."
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “Solar is at the heart of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.
“As of September last year, solar farms covered around 0.1 per cent of the total land area of the UK, while bringing huge benefits for the British public and our energy security.
“Projects are subject to a rigorous planning process, in which the views and interests of the local community and impacts on the local environment, including any impact on amenities, landscapes and land use, are considered.”
An Island Green Power spokesperson said: "We’re grateful for all the feedback received from members of the public and interested parties during our statutory consultation and the recent targeted consultation.
"We are carefully considering this as we continue to refine our plans for the Project."