DEVELOPERS of a solar farm planned for land south of Southwick have scaled down the size of the proposals following feedback from local residents about the visual impact.

The proposal is for the development of a 6.8MW solar farm on land to the south of Poles Hole Farm in Southwick, which could produce enough power for around 2,000 homes over its 30-year lifetime.

A public exhibition was held in Southwick in January for local residents and stakeholders to comment on the plans. Around 65 people attended the event from the 1,000 invited and 21 out of the 27 who provided feedback supported the solar farm.

In response to comments about the potential visual impact of the solar farm, developers Solafields and vogt solar have removed the most eastern field from the plans, reducing the site area by around a third, from 14.7 hectares to 9.8 hectares.

Mark Candlish, of Solafields, said: “The exhibition was really useful in terms of discussing the plans with local residents and we’re really pleased that there is a good level of support for the scheme.

“We’ve been able to listen to people’s views and concerns and adjust the plans accordingly. As well as scaling back the solar farm considerably, we’ve also revisited our landscaping plan, adding more planting to provide better screening around the site from the local area.”

In addition to scaling down the solar farm, the developers have also relocated the inverters and substation to reduce potential visual impact.

The land around and beneath the solar panels will be sown with a mixed species grass seed to create a meadow for sheep to graze seasonally, keeping the land in agricultural use.

The developers have visited neighbouring properties to discuss the plans for more planting, which will reinforce the screening already provided by the existing mature trees and hedgerows.

A community benefit fund will also be set up offering individual grants of up to £10,000 to support local renewable energy, energy efficiency or other similar projects.

Mr Candlish added: “We think it’s important that the local community sees tangible benefits from the solar farm. We are keen to hear from any groups or projects needing support.

“We have also designed the solar farm so that part of it could potentially be offered for community ownership if it’s viable, so we are keen to work with a local energy cooperative to explore this.”

The solar farm proposal also includes measures to dramatically increase the number and variety of species using the site. Wild flowers will produce seeds that attract insects, creating more food for birds, and bird boxes and log piles will be installed.

If approved, the solar farm would take around 12 weeks to build, with access to the site being via an existing track serving Pole’s Hole Farm. Construction vehicles will use main roads to minimize any impact locally.

After 30 years the solar panels will be removed and recycled, and the fields will be returned to their existing use. A decision on the plans is expected from Wiltshire Council later this year.

The planning application can be viewed and comments submitted via the council’s website (http://planning.wiltshire.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/Home.aspx) using reference 15/04583/FUL.