CAMPAIGNERS have hit out at West Berkshire council after ‘serious concerns’ were made about the massive solar farm proposed for the surrounding countryside.

The council has put forward its plan to construct a solar energy development on 30.5 hectares of agricultural land at Bloomfield Hatch Farm.

This has caused an uproar with the Berkshire branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England which believes that these panels are an “unnecessary industrialisation of the countryside”.

The charity is calling on the council to ‘rethink its approach to renewable energy’ by putting photovoltaic panels on the rooftops of schools and council buildings.

CPRE Berkshire Chairman Greg Wilkinson said: “There are ways to meet ‘net zero’ without erecting massive wind turbines on our hills or smothering farmland with solar panels.

“By far the most sensible, practical, and environmentally-friendly way to regenerate renewable energy is by putting photovoltaic panels on roofs, and especially by making use of large areas of roofing such as on factories, warehouses, office blocks, schools, and hospitals.

“There is also a vast and currently untapped resource in the form of car parks which can easily and inexpensively be ‘roofed’ with solar panels.

According to the campaign group, evidence has suggested that these temporary solar farms similar to the one being proposed may do lasting damage to the soil quality.

This may prevent the land from being used in the future for agricultural use and grazing.

Greg adds: “We are all for renewable energy but not the sort of schemes that industrialize our rural landscapes and do more harm than good. The solar farm at Grazeley falls into that category. It is no surprise that the plan is strongly opposed by residents as it is such a badly thought-out scheme.

“Rooftop solar panels are the best way to generate renewable energy as they can be implemented on a large scale without affecting the appearance or tranquillity of the countryside. We call on West Berkshire Council to drop plans for the Grazeley solar farm and instead focus on rooftop renewables.”

The Chronicle has contacted West Berkshire Council for a comment.