PLANS which could lead to the creation of a corridor of one million solar panels between Gloucester and Newent have prompted calls for a council strategy on renewable energy sites.

The Forest of Dean District Council has been approving plans for solar farms on a case by case basis in recent years.

But there has been an accumulation of planning applications to develop such sites on fields either side of the B4215 road between Newent and Highnam.

And now residents want the district council to develop a specific strategy for solar farms.

Rudford and Highleadon Parish Council chairman Bob Wolfson asked district council leader Tim Gwilliam (Progressive Independents, Berry Hill) for such a commitment at the full clouncil meeting (on October 20) in Coleford.

As he addressed the meeting he showed a map outlining in red approved and pending applications in the area.

He explained that he was fully supportive of renewable energy but felt the public and council should think carefully before allowing significant areas of the district to be covered in solar farms.

“In the top corner is Newent, seven miles away is Highnam. There are currently three applications before you as a council,” he said.

“There is one existing farm and there are other solar farms there. If all of these are approved there will be one million solar panels in a seven mile area.

“If you think that’s fine, OK. I just think the public and you should debate it.”

He asked if he could have assurance that the current three applications are considered simultaneously by the planning committee and not on a one by one basis.

Cllr Gwilliam he agreed and shared Mr Wolfson’s concerns but said the planning committee was outside of his remit and it was an issue for them.

In his written answer to Mr Wolfson he agreed that it is imperative that the new local plan contains policies to protect the landscape and also to express a stance on renewable energy such as solar farms.

“Rural areas such as ours in particular need to have such policies but they will have to be policies which balance their general encouragement with the need to take account of any impacts on landscape, heritage, agricultural land quality etc. taking into account government policy and the council’s own corporate policies in respect of carbon reduction.

“We understand from recent reports that the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs appears to be considering the redefinition of Best and Most Versatile agricultural land and any new guidance from those considerations will also be fed into the new plan.”