Last year the small rural community behind Say No to Elton Solar made a strong case to the local planning committee to refuse planning permission for Wessex Solar  to erect 24,000 solar panels in the beautiful Severn Vale. Against the recommendation of the planning officer, we won! Unfortunately, and despite the overwhelming public opposition, this proposal has now been taken to appeal and the only option left to us is to seek legal support to fight this.  We hope to raise £3000 to fight this appeal and, with 4000 field solar sites now built, we hope you will stand with us in saying no to this continued destruction of the English Countryside.  

Our case in brief:

• Wessex Solar applied to build a 5MW solar site of 24,000 solar panels on a sloping agricultural field in an ancient and very beautiful valley here in The Severn Vale. 

• The community came together to fight this development. This is a deeply rural area with scattered houses in small hamlets and villages.  All 3 local parish councils objected; CPRE and local environmental groups objected; unprecedented numbers of people packed the planning committee meeting and, finally, the local planning committee refused planning permission on 15th October 2015. 

• Despite the strength of local feeling, Wessex Solar has appealed against this decision which will shortly be determined at an appeal hearing.

• Our local MP and Government Chief Whip, Mark Harper, has responded to local concern and written to both the CEO of the Planning Inspectorate, Sarah Richards, and the Secretary of State, Greg Clark, because he believes this proposal is against planning policy.

• We wholeheartedly support solar as a great renewable energy, but we equally believe that unspoiled countryside like this is not the right place for this industrial development.  Recent advances in solar technology will make large solar sites like this simply unnecessary within a few years.

What we are fighting for

We are fighting to persuade the planning inspectorate to support the local planning committee and to reject the developer's appeal.

We Need your help

This is more than just a campaign to save this bit of English countryside; it is a campaign to stop these schemes coming forward at all.  New technology means we could now turn the Shard into a giant solar farm, so why cover the countryside? The French have just passed a law making it mandatory for all new commercial buildings to carry solar panels, surely this makes more sense? 

We are a small community who have never campaigned in this way before. We were very successful in the first round but now we need professional help. We have engaged the services of a barrister to fight our case at the appeal hearing. This is expensive and we are asking you to help raise the cost of  the legal fees. 

The countryside belongs to all of us to walk in, to enjoy and as a legacy for our children and grandchildren. We need YOUR help now.  Please help us however you are able; whether with a donation, however big or small, or simply by spreading the word to those who might be interested. Together we can fight this. THANK YOU!

About the claimant

We are a group of over 100 local people determined to preserve this iconic landscape.

Fast facts

What's at stake?

• Stopping a large industrial solar development in this unspoiled rural valley

Next step

• We are fighting an appeal by the developer to be heard at Informal Hearing

Who's representing us?

• Our barrister is Richard Clark of Landmark Chambers and our solicitor is Carol Day of LeighDay, both well known for fighting environmental cases.  LeighDay are supporting us pro bono, for which we are really grateful.