THOSE behind plans to build a new solar panel farm in west Dorset have defended their proposals, claiming they received a 'high level of support' for the green scheme.

Dorset Community Energy (DCE) and Local Energy Bridport (LEB) were given approval to install 388 panels across 12 rows on farmland to the west of Atrim Road in Dottery, near Bridport.

While there has been concern from villagers about the proposals' impact on the land, teams in charge of the project have jumped to its defence.

Fencing, cameras and access points also form part of the plans, which were given the green light by councillors at a Dorset Council planning committee on February 28 by a 7-2 majority. 

The area of the farm will be 140 metres long and between 25-45 metres wide, with an operational area of 1,200 square metres.

But Tim Crabtree, from Wessex Community Assets, which helped set up ELB and DCE, felt a lot of criticism for the solar panel farm has been unjust.

He said that the scheme was developed with public funds by Dorset Community Energy, a not-for-profit group. 

"We have raised £1.5 million, mostly from local people, to put PV onto the roofs of schools, hospitals and community buildings," he said.

"Around Bridport we have been able to support Bridport Hospital, Bridport Primary, Bridport Arts Centre and Salway Ash Village Hall.

"The real story is that Bridport is an exemplary pioneer of community energy, and DCE is the organisation that volunteers such as myself set up to make this happen.

"The ground mounted array at Dottery is tiny compared to the large scale arrays going up around the county.

"The small area of agricultural land used for the array is currently mainly growing maize for animal feed, and will continue to be used for agricultural purposes as sheep can graze around and under the panels.

"We will also increase biodiversity across the small area that we are leasing."

Mr Crabtree said that ELB has helped provide 50 households in the area with low-cost energy from a wind turbine at Salway Ash. 

"The planning application went through very rigorous scrutiny by Dorset Council officers, and received a high level of support from councillors at the planning meeting.

"DCE has liaised very closely with officers to ensure that the site is screened with hedges and it was therefore agreed by the committee that it would not be a blot on the landscape.

"Renewable energy schemes always get some level of objection, for many different reasons.

"This project has been thoroughly appraised, objections taken into account, improvements insisted on, and given approval through a democratic process."

Mr Crabtree confirmed that the application was approved subject to a number of conditions, including the planting of an eight metre woodland copse along the western edge of the site which will help to make it 'almost invisible' from a distance in a few years. 

A Dorset Council spokesperson added: "This planning application was decided by the planning committee.

"All planning applications are considered against the requirements of relevant neighbourhood and local plans, and national planning policy, and taking account of comments made by statutory consultees and residents.

"This application was granted with conditions that will mitigate the visual impact and will ensure appropriate restoration of the land when the arrays are no longer required."