Government rejects Botley West mega solar farm – a victory for Oxfordshire’s countryside
12th November 2026
Government rejects Botley West mega solar farm
The Energy Secretary’s decision to reject the Botley West mega solar farm is hopeful news for the countryside in Oxfordshire and beyond.
Botley West would have sprawled across an area the size of 2,000 football pitches, much of it Green Belt or high-quality farmland. It would have destroyed beautiful landscapes, damaged the setting of Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and displaced local farmers.
“Botley West would have been one of the largest solar farms in Europe, nearly three-quarters of it eating into Oxford’s protected Green Belt and displacing local farmers,” said Marcus Gilleard, Director of CPRE Oxfordshire.
“Ignoring the concerns raised by local communities, it would have destroyed precious landscapes, threatened the World Heritage Status of Blenheim Palace, and damaged the future potential of land to produce food.
“We thank the Secretary of State for recognising that climate action need not mean sacrificing our irreplaceable countryside at any cost. There is huge, untapped potential in solar panels on homes, community buildings, warehouses, and car park canopies – and there’s a clear role for small-scale, community-led solar farms.
“But with two other mega solar farms hot on the heels of Botley West, we are not out of the woods in Oxfordshire. Until the Government can come up with a clear spatial energy plan, setting out the necessary scale and siting of solar farms, we‘re calling for a moratorium on those over 30 megawatts.”
Rolling out mega solar schemes, without proper regard for their landscape impact, risks alienating many people who support climate action.
Next year’s Strategic Spatial Energy Plan must unlock renewable energy in the right places, including small-scale, community-led solar. Until then, we need a moratorium. No further solar farms over 30 megawatts should be given the go-ahead.