Beneath the wide wide Heaven…
The many-steepled tract magnificent
Of hilly fields and meadows, and the sea
So Coleridge described the view from high on the Quantock Hills.
Friends of Quantock often comment on planning applications in the parishes around the hills but not normally further afield. However one of the special features of the Quantock landscape has always been the far reaching views from the treeless hilltops. Recently we sent our letter of objection to a large proposed installation of solar panels on agricultural land at Washford out to the West of the Quantocks.
We believe that the view itself from the Quantocks forms a part of the special character of the Quantock Hills and that in this case the extent of the solar panels will make a real and negative impact on the public enjoyment of the hills.
The National Planning Policy Framework agrees with us and while we all understand the need for green energy this cannot be the right location for industrial scale electricity generation.