By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: Controversial plans to build a small solar farm near the Bath skyline trail are set to come before councillors next week.
Dr Alyson Warhurst says her application for 320 panels in the grounds of Rainbow Wood House, which will generate a healthy 120% of the electricity used by grade II listed home, has been the target of a “determined and effective disinformation campaign.” Bath and North East Somerset Council’s planning committee will vote at their meeting on Wednesday March 18 on whether to grant planning permission for the solar panels.
185 people have objected to the plan and objectors have even set up a professional looking website to organise opposition to the plans. The website, www.savebathskyline.com, states: “This is not opposition to solar energy. Solar can be the right kind of development but this is the wrong size in the wrong place.”
In a letter published on the council’s planning portal, Dr Warhurst said: “The unfortunate reality is that some neighbours ran a determined and effective disinformation campaign, skewing online posts into negative territory and clouding ‘more considered views’ as one councillor bemoaned.
“I found this deeply distressing. I am a committed environmentalist, a retired professor in the areas of sustainability and strategy, and the founder of a local business that employed 120 people in Bath. I became despondent at the tactics used by detractors to undermine a very carefully planned, well thought-through project.”
Her 42-page letter addressed each objection that had been received. She wrote: “It became clear that many were misled in their understanding of the project by a small group of determined detractors, apparently prepared to go to any length to stop the project, who mounted a determined social media and poster disinformation campaign.”
She said: “Disinformation ranged from incorrectly using photographs of Bathwick Meadows on the home page of the anonymous campaign website to suggest that the location of the solar array was not in a private, well-screened field which was never a public viewpoint, to suggesting that my son and I were running several businesses and only undertaking the project to make a profit. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Among the 185 objections submitted to the planning application, Sue Wales said she had lived and walked in the area for years and was “very distributed” by the plan. She said: “This is just not appropriate, and could set a dangerous president of ruining the environment and beauty of our famous city. We need our green surroundings to remain green in this day and age.”
Jack Coles added: “A solar array of this type will be detrimental to the views from the Bath Skyline Trail – an important public asset and tourist attraction in our World Heritage City. If the city’s reputation and appeal is to be maintained then a more thoughtful, considered approach to solar infrastructure must be taken.”
There have also been 55 comments lodged in support. Clare Ford wrote: “As a frequent user of the Bath skyline walk, I was initially concerned about the possible impact this application may have had. However, having reviewed all the information, it seems to me that it would in fact, not affect the views, given its potential location in a dip and would have little negative impact from an ecology point of view.
“Indeed, given the fact that there will be extra tree planting, I consider this to be a benefit to the long term sustainability of the area.”
The council’s planning officers are recommending that the plans be approved. While technically “inappropriate development in the green belt,” it is predicted to save 30 tonnes of CO2 during a climate emergency.
The officers report said: “In this instance, the wider public benefits of the renewable energy generation and reduction in carbon emissions are found to outweigh the identified harms.”
It will be up to councillors on the planning committee to make the financial decision. The committee meets at 11am on March 18 in the council chamber in Bath Guildhall.
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