A new map from the Devon CPRE shows the extent of which solar panel farms are being built in East Devon.

The map shows the number, scale and spread of the permitted and pending solar farms in Veiges Farm, Exmouth, Wadbrrok Farm, Hawkchurch, Beechgrove Farm, Hawkchurch, Bystock Farm, Exmouth, Wadbrrok Farm Hawkchurch, Liverton Farm, Exmouth, Newlands Farm, Axminster. Plans are also pending for a solar farm in Beavor Farm, Axminster.

The map shows 19 solar farms have been either permitted, pending, approved or refused in 19 areas in the East Devon District Council constituency.

As applications for massive new solar farms on prime agricultural land continue to come thick and fast, the Devon branch of the countryside charity 'Campaign to Protect Rural England' (CPRE) has released a map showing the alarming spread of industrial-sized solar developments across the county.

Devon CPRE Director Penny Mills said: “Solar power has a part to play in providing so-called renewable energy but, in a wet climate like Devon’s, covering thousands of acres of productive pasture with glass is not the ‘green’ solution it’s claimed to be - especially when there are plenty of redundant brownfield sites and rooftops where the panels could be put.”

Devon CPRE trustee and energy spokesman Dr Phillip Bratby said: “At a time of rapidly rising food prices, we believe that Devon's farmland should not be covered in solar panels to produce small quantities of expensive electricity at times of the day when it is least needed, but should instead be used to produce high-quality food for local consumers.”

The publication of Devon CPRE’s solar farm map comes as the national charity CPRE launches its own campaign for solar to be located on rooftops, something the Devon branch has long campaigned for. 

For more information, visit the Devon CPRE website here - www.devoncpre.org.uk