Are any of you guilty of nimbyism - objecting to solar farms?

I can understand why people might not want to look out of their windows onto a bank of solar panels or wind turbines, so I think we should perhaps re-think where we want to place them a bit.

I do not care for solar bannks being placed on arable or grazing land - even in the countryside there are various ugly concrete or steel buildings that could well have the bank on their roofs. I feel roofs are the right place as far as possible.

In Denmark we have various restrictions on place a bank of solar panels on your roof - they must not be visible to your neighbours. Reasonable enough? Quite honestly, how much time do any of us spend looking at our neighbours, or our own roofs? In Germany it seems you may place them where you want on your own property - and the neighbours either don't complain, or at least are not listened to if they do.

Wind turbines may not be exactly beautiful to look at, but neither are pylons, factory chimneys, power plants of any other description, parking garages and a long list of other modern technological constructions that we have somehow managed to get used to.

We have quite a lot of wind turbines here, and quite honestly, you notice a new one, but after a short while you see they are there, but that's all there is to it.

I much prefer the thought of wind, solar or water power being used to generate electricity than coal, diesel or atomic power.

No, I think Solar Farms are a short term solution to our energy problem but I wouldn't mine one near me.

We have many solar farms in Devon, I imagine people are getting fed up with the eye sores.

I remember seeing a programme many, many years ago that outlined how the United Kingdom could produce all the energy needed using just the sun, wind and sea. We are an island and we do not use the power of the sea to produce energy. I am not sure why....

I just love to see the solar windmills as I call them lol. I wouldn't object at all

l live in Wiltshire and have done 40+ years. The observation l have made about objections are from people who have moved to the country and only think about the over priced "cottage" of 5+ bedrooms they have bought and will it affect selling. We have a number round here and they are hidden for the most part behind hedges and look no worse than plastic covering that is put over potatoes in Pembrokeshire. My neighbour complained about my roof PV array despite you could only see them from the bottom of the garden and not in her line of sight. As someone said l prefer a solar farm to looking at a Hinkly Point.

I recently learned about agri- solar. Instead of the panels being laid low to the ground they are on 15ft posts. This enables vegetation to grow underneath. Indeed, if growing crops or vegetables there is a greenhouse effect from the panels resulting in 15-30% more growth. Alternatively, the land underneath can be left alone to increase biodiversity. It’s win win. Ok, some people may hate the sight of panels per se but remember they can always be removed in future if technology improves. Without accepting alternative energy sources to reduce carbon emissions there won’t be any future. Time to wake up!

Not keen on solar panels but I wouldn't object. Needs must and all that

I rather like the windmills. They can look quite beautiful.

I would welcome a solar energy farm near us in the area that is being promoted as a suitable place for 2 of the largest prisons in Europe.

We are in a rural area with pretty villages that rely on tourism for the livelihood of local businesses. The roads are narrow country roads with a number of single file bridges, poor public transport and a distance from any railway station. The proposed site is on top of a hilly part of the county so would be visible from a huge area, there would be 24 hour light polution and 24 hour traffic. It is also against the MOJ's own preferment of where prisons should be sited.

So yes, maybe I am guilty of nimbyism where the prisons are proposed but not for a solar energy site.

Excellent idea. Make use of the large surfaces that already exist

I prefer them to wind turbines which are so ooming and intrusive, and noisy too. A field near here being proposed for solar panels, but will be well hidden. No problem with it.

Once fields are taken up with solar panels, that land is taken out of food production. Contrary to what an earlier poster said on here, the land beneath can't be used for crops as it's hard to harvest them.
This country imports far too much food already without losing more land. I think that space on top of buildings is the way forward - as someone else pointed out, all factories, supermarkets etc have roof space.

I don't like the word nimby . When we were living in Malaga the solar farms were endless and a real blot on the landscape. They took hundreds of euros off the cost of people's houses and the farms were despised. We saved for our home and noone should want to devalue our precious asset,after all its the only, most expensive asset you will ever buy.

On a purely personal level, I'd love to have solar panels on my south-facing roof but we're not allowed as it's a listed building. We're not even allowed double glazing, in spite of showing the planning people that it would look no different from how it does now.

We need our greenfield to feed livestock,birds insects etc wildlife, and grow crops for human and fodder for sheep cattle dairy beef..solar panels on every possible building, not on green fields

Agree!!

They are much better for wildlife than growing crops that demand fertiliser, insecticide and herbicides.

I’ve been delighted at the increase in birds, butterflies, bees and other insects after the field near me became a solar farm. All the land is covered in wild flowers.

There won't be much of a view for anybody if we don't start getting clever about clean fuels. Why anybody would complain about solar panels on somebody's roof is beyond me. If everybody had them, they would just be part and parcel of the scenery just like tiles did once upon a time. We would just get used to it.

Nagmad2016

I think we all have to accept that our landscapes will change dramatically as more solar and wind farms are established. As much as I love our lovely countryside, and rambling, green fields, we have already seen our landscape changed by acres of poly tunnels. It is a changing world and if we want the convenience of home grown power, we have to concede some things. This is the way of the modern world.

Prior to polytunnels we saw the destruction of our lovely countryside, particularly in East Anglia, by the removal of miles and miles of hedgerows.

Since WW2 50% of the hedgerows have been removed. After the war farmers were paid to remove them to enable easier cultivation.

60% of those remaining are in poor condition despite incentives to improve them.

Some farmers are looking after them and also leaving wide margins for wildlife.

Why are new houses STILL not being built with solar panels, small turbines, grey water collection etc

Janetashbolt

Why are new houses STILL not being built with solar panels, small turbines, grey water collection etc

No political will to do it from our current government.

Since WW2 50% of the hedgerows have been removed. After the war farmers were paid to remove them to enable easier cultivation.

As I was brought up in1950s/60s Essex I remember all that. When I first went to Normandy I had a shock of recognition, all those little fields surrounded by hedges, just like the Essex fields of my early childhood were.

Now, of course, they are dustbowls, that light sandy soil blows away very easily. They must be expensive and difficult to keep profitable.

New Houses being built within a 5 minute walk from where I live, 421
Of them we fought it we lost after it went to parliament. Across the lane a huge field could take 600 houses Bellway have first refusal. I would much rather solar panels.
At least they don't clog up the roads with extra cars there's no schools, Doctors, any kind of infrastructure so yes I would love solar panels.

I think it's important we accept them even if they are in our line of sight. I wonder if they would look better if they were green. I am looking at some on hills in the distance and I'm sure they would be less conspicuous if they toned into countryside better.

There is a huge industrial park begin built near me for the life of me I can't understand why the planners can insist that all new builds have solar panels on the vast roofs