New plans for a solar park that was fiercely opposed by residents of a Cotswold village have been submitted.

Energy company British Solar Renewables has lodged revised plans for Akeman Solar Park and a battery storage facility on land in Ramsden.

BSR originally submitted a planning application in 2021 with solar panels covering 27 acres of the five-field site.

It sparked opposition and was withdrawn.

It has now announced new plans for a smaller site, removing panels from key viewpoints in response to feedback it received.

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Although the new proposal is smaller, the developers said technological advances and specification changes in the output of panels means the solar park would have an export capacity of up 20 megawatts for distribution to the National Grid and would generate an estimated 20,000 megawatts of electricity per year.

This is the equivalent to the annual electrical needs of approximately 6,060 family homes.

Ramsden and Delly End villagers in the Solar Park Action Group (SPAG), Ramsden Parish Council and CPRE West Oxfordshire objected to the previous proposals.

Oxfordshire County Council’s conservation officer said Akeman Street was "an important Roman road" and a major east-west route, linking Watling Street to Fosse Way. There were also nearby Bronze Age barrows and Iron Age remains.

West Oxfordshire District Council planning officers recommended refusal on the grounds it "would have a significantly harmful impact" on the landscape and the Cotswolds AONB.

BSR said further detailed assessments have been undertaken that have helped redesign the scheme so that "it is more sensitive towards and compatible with the local landscape and environment".

It said the proposed solar park offers the opportunity for ecological enhancements including wildflower and wild bird seed grasslands. A range of breeding boxes for bats and birds are also being considered as part of the application.

There will be a significant positive net biodiversity impact, it said.

New hedgerow planting is also proposed to contain and screen the solar arrays and no public rights of way will be closed during or after construction.

Colin Ramsay, development director at BSR Energy, said: “It has never been more important to change the way we make energy in the UK.

"Our revised application follows West Oxfordshire District Council’s declaration of a climate emergency, and the emergence of national climate change targets that are enshrined in law.

"We look forward to working with residents in West Oxfordshire to assist the district's journey towards achieving their self-set net zero targets”.

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A public consultation event is being held on Monday, July 3 from 2pm-7pm at Ramsden Memorial Hall, High Street, Ramsden, Chipping Norton OX7 3BA.

More information can be found at https://bsrenergy.com/akeman-solar-park/