Letter: Government Decision On Solar Farm Plans ‘Very Disappointing’

Published on: 16 Mar, 2025
Updated on: 17 Mar, 2025

From John Goodridge

Chairman, CPRE Surrey

See: Solar Farm Decision Will Not be Called-In

The Surrey Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE Surrey) is very disappointed by the Secretary of State’s decision not to call in the Solar Farm application for Blackwell Farm.

We, like other groups, fully supported Compton Parish Council’s call-in and we believe that if this installation goes forward it will set a very bad precedent for Guildford – and for the country as a whole.

There is no excuse for putting solar panels on high-grade farmland in the setting of the National Landscape, when the landowner has suitable brownfield land available.

It is particularly disappointing that the SoS’s decision has come just ahead of the final report of the Surrey Hills National Landscape boundary review. Natural England proposed to include the solar farm site within the revised boundary, and there is now uncertainty as to whether or not it will be eligible. We hope that it will be, especially as the developer has stressed that the solar installation is temporary.