Proposals for areas first solar farm wins support
Thatcham Town Council has pledged its support for the pre-application consultation to build 7,000 modules on the site of a former gravel pit at Limberlost Farm, off Crookham Common Road.
The plans are to be submitted by Reading-based Anesco and, if approved, the solar panels will be mounted on concrete blocks.
Photovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power by converting sunlight into direct current electricity.
The council’s planning consultant, Chris Watts, said that from his point of view the land would not useful for agriculture, but added that the council needed to make sure that the scheme did not have a visual impact and that residents did not see glare from the solar farm.
He said: “I would not want that, particularly in residential properties.”
However, he said that the area could be landscaped to try to mitigate this.
Council leader Lee Dillon (Lib Dem, Thatcham North), said: “As a council, think we should be encouraging renewable energy.
“We should support it, subject to certain conditions.”
Town and district councillor Richard Crumly (Con, Thatcham Central), said: “We should be very, very supportive of it.
“It’s an excellent idea. We should have more of these open on appropriate sites. They are green and quiet.”
Town councillor Paul Jenkins (Lib Dem, Thatcham Central) said that he was satisfied that the location of the proposal would make it highly unlikely that the farm would be visible from the neighbouring mobile home park.
He added that it was not just the 7,000 modules but also the associated buildings and pylons that would need to be taken into consideration.
Town councillor Gary Johnson (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), said that this was not just an opportunity to harvest sunlight but a chance to make a name for the town.
He said: “I think this could put Thatcham on the map by going ahead with something green.”
