14 November - The Countryside Ball at grittleton House

At the start of July, the Planning Inspectorate in Swindon held four days of Hearings as part of the Examination process regarding the proposed Lime Down 500MW solar scheme. Stop Lime Down was consistently represented by our planning barrister and independent experts specializing in Landscape & Visual, Transport, and Ecology.

The week commenced with a Compulsory Acquisition Hearing, where landowners along the 22km cable route expressed their objections to the project. This was followed by a second round of Open Floor Hearings, which included Dr. Roz Savage MP, representatives from Stop Lime Down, and 23 local community members who raised concerns about the project’s impact—particularly its scale, the potential disruption to the Cotswold National Landscape, and the loss of productive farmland. The subsequent three days concentrated on expert evidence related to landscape, transport, and ecology, highlighting the broader implications of halting solar farms like Lime Down.

We genuinely appreciate all the support for Stop Lime Down during this process, especially from volunteers, experts, and legal advisers whose invaluable contributions made this evidence possible.

Looking ahead, the Examiner has now published a set of questions for the Applicant, Stop Lime Down, and other consultees to address. Written submissions are due to the Planning Inspectorate by 7 August, with further inquiries and responses anticipated throughout July and August.