Overview
- The Secretary of State for Energy rejected the Botley West development consent following the Planning Inspectorate’s advice, with the decision published on 10 November.
- Ministers said the scheme would cause unacceptable harm to protected Green Belt land, damage the historic setting of Blenheim Palace and pose risks to aviation safety around London Oxford Airport.
- Photovolt’s proposal covered roughly 2,000–2,471 acres and aimed to deliver about 840 megawatts of capacity, enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes, using land mostly owned by Blenheim Estates.
- Local campaigners and several MPs welcomed the refusal as vindication of community and conservation concerns while Photovolt said it was “extremely disappointed” and will consider a judicial-review challenge that must be lodged within six weeks.
- Industry bodies warned the decision is regrettable for energy costs and security and the outcome is likely to influence where and how future large solar farms are sited and the role of legal challenges in planning disputes.