A solar farm covering 13ha in Devon was approved, an inspector being satisfied that whilst there would be some harm to the local landscape, the site was visually well contained and a landscape masterplan would ensure that the impact was minimised.

Up to 26,300 panels would be built surrounded by a deer fence within a landscape of broad valleys and sweeping open hilltops. Visitors to and from the Exmoor national park would have limited views of the site and this would not undermine their enjoyment of the area. It would lead to a low to moderate adverse impact on the landscape character and the masterplan would strengthen hedgerow boundaries. There would be limited loss of higher quality agricultural land and grazing activity could continue in between the panels, the inspector held.

Allowing the appeal, a partial award of costs was also made in favour of the appellant in dealing with the council’s claim that land of lower agricultural quality should have been considered. The site included some land of grade 3b quality and government statements made clear that land of lower grade agricultural land was to be preferred. Since none of the site involved land of higher quality it was unreasonable of the council to have pursued an objection on this ground not least because its own policy recognised the need to weigh impacts against benefits including whether such a development involved higher quality land.