Wiltshire solar farms: Mixed views from residents

They were responding after a councillor said: "Wiltshire is a dumping ground for solar farms. We've already done our bit." 

Below you can see people's views: 

John Sinha said: "Solar farms are good for the environment in more ways than one. No chemicals are spread on the land where the panels are sited."

Susan Gray said: "Why use land when there are so many buildings that could generate not being used. All industries should be putting solar panels on roofs."

Matthew Short said: "I'm getting fed up with the disinformation being widely distributed. So, just 6% of our total energy demand in Wiltshire is generated from renewables (source Wiltshire Council's Anthesis report).

"Our energy prices are high because much of the time the price of electricity is set by the marginal cost of gas.

"Climate change is real, it is happening, it is a time bound problem, and we need a rapid reduction in green house gases. Renewables are the lowest cost form of energy there has ever been.

"Fortunately whilst 70% of UK land is agricultural it would only take 0.5% to meet our solar needs.

"It's not a zero sum game as climate change is the biggest threat to UK food production, and solar gives farmers an important second income stream allowing the living ecosystem of the soil to improve."

Kev Potts said: "So where I live in Northants we have a consultation going on for a 3000 acre solar farm to go with the 3 they have already built locally, if they fitted them to the warehouse we have round he we could cover 30000 acres of solar panels.

"When I asked the developers why they were using agricultural land rather than putting on the warehouse roofs. I was told because its cheaper.

"Some of the villages round here will be surrounded by solar farms as there is more than one developer with plans gone in."

John Philp said: "Far better then building houses, far to many laughable affordable housing is being built, with no extra infrastructure."

Martin Ihenry said: "Way more land is used for golf courses and horse fields.

"Also, if designed properly, sheep and other animals can cheerfully graze amongst the panels. Our local solar farm has recently been used for sheep grazing. Yes, put them on all new builds as well."

Helga Paice said: "This is unacceptable. People should be putting solar power on their roofs not using it for farmland just to make money we need food grown on farmland not solar power.

"Why do people think that everyone should pay for massive Soler farms when all the individuals could benefit from their own solar power? This should be what is happening going forward."

Replying, Mr Short said: "Regarding food security, there is a lot of scaremongering regarding solar farms.

"The 60% figure often quoted (75% for what can be grown in the UK) is in terms of economic value.

"The UK food security report (...) shows that domestic production of grain, meat, dairy and eggs broadly match UK consumption.

"(It) notes that soil degradation and climate change are key threats to food security, with (...it also) highlighting the cost of soil degradation.

"(... A) Defra (report) demonstrates that the reversion of arable land to pasture is highly effective at enabling recovery of soil organic matter and has a range of additional environmental benefits that stem from this.

"By securing a long fallow, solar farms secure soil health on currently arable land.

"The agricultural land classification (ALC) grading used in planning assumes a good standard of management, so an assessment of arable land ignores that the soil organic matter has become depleted."