The planning application for the Potterne Park Solar development has officially been called to the Wiltshire Council Strategic Planning Committee. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 1st July 2025.
Whilst we are extremely disappointed that this poorly constructed application has not been rejected outright by the planning officer on a number of grounds, this means that the decision about whether or not this large-scale industrial solar farm goes ahead will now be debated and decided in public by elected councillors from across the county.
Who Will Be There?
Why This Matters
This is a crucial opportunity to speak up for our village, our landscape, and the future of our valuable farmland. While we strongly support renewable energy, we believe in Rooftop, not Farmland — solar panels belong on buildings and brownfield sites, not on productive farmland, valuable green spaces or in areas of natural beauty.
The Potterne Park proposal threatens to industrialise open countryside, damage local biodiversity, and change the character of this important landscape forever. The decision on 1 July will have long-term consequences — not just for Potterne, but for similar solar developments across Wiltshire.
What Happens Next?
We’ll be:
This is a pivotal moment for our campaign. Please stay engaged, spread the word, and support us as we continue to fight to save our beautiful countryside and valuable farmland for generations to come..
One Tree Hill: STATUS - REJECTED
Now, we are pleased to share a significant milestone in our campaign: on 30 May 2025, Wiltshire Council rejected the application for the solar farm at One Tree Hill. This is a huge step forward and a testament to the strength of community opposition and reasoned argument. The developers may well appeal this decision, we will keep you informed if that is the case, along with necessary calls to action.
Potterne Park Farm: STATUS – IN CONSULTATION (ROUND 5)
Frustratingly, we are in consultation round 5 for this application, with Wiltshire Council planners allowing the applicants multiple bites at the cherry on what has been a poor quality application with misleading and incorrect information from the start.
On 29 May 2025, Potterne Solar Action Group submitted a detailed response to the Hydrock Technical Note on Access recently uploaded to the Wiltshire planning portal (dated 8 May 2025). Our response highlights significant concerns about the accuracy, transparency, and safety implications of the applicant's traffic and access proposals for the Potterne Park Farm (PPF) solar site.
Key points raised on access:
We urge Wiltshire Council to base decisions on credible, verified data, not speculative or inaccurate claims. Hydrock’s figures cannot be trusted, and this access route remains wholly unsuitable for the scale of construction proposed.
There is no date yet on the planning portal for a decision on this latest round of consultation, but we will continue to update you with any news of a decision or further consultations.
A quick note to update you on a couple of developments:
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