The Wiltshire Council Cabinet met on Tuesday 6 January 2026 to discuss the statutory consultation for the Lime Down Solar Park. The Cabinet agreed to submit a formal response to the Planning Inspectorate, incorporating several amendments to strengthen the council's objections and concerns regarding the scale, environmental impact, and heritage implications of the proposed development.

Lime Down Solar Park Statutory Consultation

The Cabinet considered the council's response to the statutory consultation for the Lime Down Solar Park, a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) being promoted by Island Green Power. The proposed development covers approximately 1,237 hectares and includes solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generation, battery storage, and associated infrastructure. The period for submitting relevant representations to the Planning Inspectorate was set to close on 9 January 2026.

Councillor Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management, and Housing, introduced the report, highlighting that the NSIP process involves detailed engagement with the public and stakeholders before a decision is made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Councillor Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, proposed several amendments to the council's response, aiming to ensure closer collaboration with the Stop Limedown campaign group and to incorporate their consultants' evidence. Key amendments included:

• Carbon Break-even: Clarifying that carbon break-even is not achieved until at least 2076, and may never be achieved in relation to whole life carbon emissions.
• Flooding: Adding a statement that The area has experienced frequent and significant flooding events and that the council considers it important for these issues to be fully discussed in the examination.
• Heritage Assessment: Deleting the phrase the Council considers that the assessment methodology is robust and generally compliant. It is agreed that the residual harm is 'less than substantial' but from the assessment of harm to Bradfield Manor, a Grade 1 listed building.
• Public Rights of Way (PROW): Adding that the scheme will adversely alter user's recreational experience.
• Noise Levels: Specifying that further analysis of noise levels is required for operational noise from moving panels and battery energy storage systems (BESS), while noting that air quality and dust migration measures appear to be broadly acceptable.
• Tourism Spending: Adding that the scheme could result in total spending of at least £1.76m per year being lost.
• Infrastructure: Deleting the phrase without additional protective infrastructure.
• Wellbeing and Mental Health: Incorporating paragraph 50 of the Cabinet report, which deals with wellbeing and mental health, into the executive summary.
• Carbon Savings: Deleting net positive carbon savings and and also short- and medium-term impacts, suggesting impacts could be longer term.

Councillor Gavin Grant, Cabinet Member for Finance, emphasised the council's limited experience with NSIPs and the importance of avoiding omissions that could be exploited by the developers. He highlighted concerns about flooding, drawing on local experience that contradicted Environment Agency assessments, and the potential for the solar park's functioning to exacerbate existing flood risks. He also raised concerns about noise impacts and the effect on the setting of Bradfield Manor.

Councillor Paul Sample, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate and Waste, spoke about his upbringing in the area and the importance of sustainable energy generation, but questioned whether this project aligned with the council's approach, advocating for community-owned energy projects instead.

Councillor Helen Belcher OBE, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Regeneration and Assets, stressed the need for the Planning Inspectorate to consider the widest possible range of impacts, using language that reflects the strength of local feeling.

During the public participation session, Mr Neil Hamilton, a resident of Bradfield Manor, spoke passionately about the threat to the Grade 1 listed building and its historic setting. He highlighted the scale of the development, its distance from the national grid connection, and the visual impact of the solar panels and associated infrastructure. Sir Mike Pitt, representing the Stop Limedown organisation, expressed full support for the proposed amendments and detailed the organisation's expertise and concerns about the potential for irreparable environmental damage.

Councillor Richard Clewer, Leader of the Conservative Group, while acknowledging the amendments, argued for a more assertive challenge to the application, particularly concerning cumulative impact, flooding evidence, the use of best and most versatile land, and the sustainability of the 22km cable connection. He suggested that the council's response should frame more direct questions to the inspectorate rather than simply listing issues that the applicant could potentially overcome.

Councillor Chris Brautigam raised concerns about the lack of scrutiny time for such a significant project and the potential costs associated with the examination phase. He questioned the applicant's reliance on the Rochdale envelope approach and whether their worst-case scenario was truly representative, also raising doubts about the accuracy of the applicant's carbon emission calculations.

Following extensive discussion, the Cabinet resolved to:

1. Note the contents of the report.
2. Agree the proposed response, including the amendments, as the council's Relevant Representation.
3. Delegate authority to the Director for Planning, Economy and Regeneration to finalise the response and make any necessary changes prior to submission.
4. Acknowledge that additional responses would be submitted during the examination process.
5. Approve the specific amendments to the Executive Summary as detailed in the minutes.
6. Ensure the main body of the report is amended for consistency with the revised Executive Summary.
7. Have the final amended Relevant Representation reviewed and approved by the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Development Management and Housing before submission.

The Cabinet acknowledged that while the council supports renewable energy in principle, this specific proposal was considered to not strike the right balance between energy generation and the protection of Wiltshire's landscape, ecology, heritage, economy, and communities. The council will submit its representations by 9 January 2026 and participate fully in the examination process.