Izzy Lepone 04 August 2025

Residents reject solar farm scheme

Residents reject solar farm scheme image
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council offices. © BasPhoto / Shutterstock.com.

More than 50 residents have complained to a local authority about proposals for a solar farm development in Hampshire.

The 216-acre project on Stokes Lane is said to contribute to climate targets, with developers claiming it could generate power for nearly 10,000 homes, according to The Telegraph.

However, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has been met with objections to the scheme due to concerns that it will disrupt a historic site.

Critics have reportedly protested the project due to the farm’s proximity to a pilgrimage route: St James' Way, as well as expressing concerns about its interference with the nearby Roman sites and listed church building where Jane Austen’s brother is buried.

A council spokesperson said: "The council has received a planning application for a solar farm at Monk Sherborne with associated infrastructure including an underground cable route, internal access tracks and landscaping.

‘Comments on the application can be read by searching for 25/01612/FUL on the council’s planning portal at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/view-planning-applications. Comments can be made on the application until the consultation period ends tomorrow (Tuesday 5 August).

‘All the comments submitted during the consultation period will be considered as part of the decision-making process for the application. The application is due to be determined on or before Thursday 30 October.’

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