A SOLAR farm almost the size of Washford could be built in the West Somerset countryside - much to the dismay of a growing number of local people.

Opposition is mounting against what would be the district's first large-scale solar farm, with opponents branding it is as "inappropriate" and out of keeping with the rural character of the area.

A number of parish councils and nearby residents have formally objected to the proposal, which they say would be seen from the Quantock Hills and Exmoor as well as numerous villages including Bicknoller and Stogumber.

TGC Renewables wants to install 35,200 solar panels on 50 acres of land owned by the Wyndham Estate at Aller Farm, east of Woodford and north of Monksilver.

The development would generate 8.27 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 2,281 homes, and would also come with security fencing, CCTV and on-site power units.

TGC Renewables is adamant the site would be well-screened and would only have a limited impact on the surrounding countryside.

The firm said it had considered other sites but the chosen plot was deemed to be the best for a variety of reasons.

In its planning application to West Somerset Council, TGC Renewables said: "It was decided to proceed with a proposal at this location due to the land's orientation, it being well screened ensuring minimal landscape impact, there is a good separation distance between residential properties and protected buildings/ landscapes, good access links and proximity to grid connection.

"The proposal development will be well contained and not cause a significant or unacceptable detrimental visual impact as demonstrated by the landscape and visual report submitted with the planning application.

"The proposal will create an environmental and economic benefit by providing renewable energy.

"The development also creates a temporary dual-use for the land, whereby the fields beneath the panels can still be utilised for agricultural use and the development can be completely removed at the end of its lifetime and the land reinstated."

The company said public reaction to its plans had been positive at a recent consultation event, but accepted some people had concerns about its visual impact.

So far, some half a dozen parish councils have objected to the application, together with a similar number of local residents.

The application site lies within the jurisdiction of Sampford Brett Parish Council and while parish councillors praised TGC Renewables for its "exemplary" consultation, they were less enthusiastic about the solar farm itself.

Objecting on behalf of the parish council, chairman Jan Swan, said: "Our primary concern relates to the visibility of the site which is in an elevated position with expansive rural views in all directions.

"The proposed development will cover 20.26 hectares of agricultural land with solar panels which will be visible from both Exmoor National Park and the Quantock Hills AONB.

"We accept that the views from these locations will be relatively distant, but anticipate that they will, nonetheless, be out of keeping with the very rural character of the area.

"At a closer distance, the panels will be clearly visible from the two houses at Jacobs Pond and from the Sampford Brett to Monksilver road.

"Closer still, the panels will be adjacent to the Coleridge Way bridleway and very near to the Coleridge Way footpath, both of which are important recreational routes."

Cllr Swan said there were real fears the development could cause flooding problems on local roads and have a detrimental impact on tourism as many visitors came specifically to enjoy the countryside.

TGC Renewables maintained the solar farm would only have "very limited impacts on the landscape" and pledged to plant even more trees in what they described as an already well-screened area.

"[The solar farm] will only be intermittently overlooked from the high ground of the AONB to the east and only partially from the national park to the west where, although perceived, will be a relatively minor built element set within an expansive rolling agricultural, well-vegetated landscape," the firm said.

If approved, the solar farm would remain in situ for a maximum of 25 years, before being removed and the land returned to sole agricultural use.

Similar developments have already been given approval just across the border in Taunton Deane, including sites in Huish Champflower and near Bishops Lydeard.

However, others, including one in Tolland, were refused planning permission due to the visual impact on the surrounding countryside and another mooted for the outskirts of Lydeard St Lawrence was withdrawn due to local capacity issues on the National Grid.

Campaigners fighting the Aller Farm proposal are also hoping to have new legislation on their side, which would overturn the current planning rules which order councils to look favourably on green energy developments.

Last month, Energy Minister Greg Barker said he would be issuing new guidelines to ensure renewable energy projects were no longer allowed to override "environmental protections and the planning concerns of local communities".

He said: "I want UK solar targeted on industrial roofs, homes and on brownfield sites, not on our beautiful countryside.

"The public is rightly keen on clean solar power but we mustn't lose that support by deploying enormous arrays in the wrong places.

"Our new planning guidance will make this crystal clear," Mr Barker said.

However, no planning guidance has yet been forthcoming.

The land at Aller Farm is deemed to be 'class 3b' agricultural land and although not the best, it is currently used to grow crops.

Somerset highways chiefs have not objected to the proposal, which would see large lorries accessing the site along the A358 from Taunton and then up through Bridge Street in Williton.

Highways said that, although officers had some concerns about the increase in traffic, that impact would only be temporary during the anticipated three to four months' construction period.

But they did question the projected number of lorry movements each day, estimated to be between five and seven by TGC Renewables.

In its application, the firm said a similar sized solar farm elsewhere was built with the use of just 310 lorry movements.

Williton Parish Council was not convinced and added its voice to objections when it debated the application at its monthly meeting on Monday.

Councillors raised a series of concerns, including the number of traffic movements during the construction period and the fact access to the site would be past historic Bridge Farm and the village's 19th century church.

The council was also unhappy about the impact of the proposal on the environment and wildlife and believed it did not comply with the latest Government guidance on solar developments.

"It is a beautiful combe along that stretch from Monksilver to Wiveliscombe and it is going to take up some good countryside," said Cllr Rebecca James.