“What we do this decade on climate change will resonate for 1000s of years”
Sir David Attenborough
Botley West Solar Farm, climate change and nature deprivation are emotive and personal with the pace and scale of change challenging everyone. It is one of the largest solar energy proposals in the UK and Europe; we support the proposal and wish to make the project and welcome the thorough scrutiny by the National Strategic Infrastructure Planning process (NSIP), from groups and organisations and residents impacted by the proposal. … to make it better
Climate change is the defining crisis of our time with global warming happening more quickly than feared. In order to avoid the worst of the climate and nature emergency, we have to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels and rapidly reduce greenhouse gases. Solar power is now the cheapest form of electricity and plays a key part of the solution for energy security.
Botley West will be a part of the solution in Oxfordshire but over the lifetime of the project and with fair community benefit, it can be an opportunity for a positive impact on communities as well – a transition that is better for the planet and better for people as well.
Botley West is one of the largest solar energy proposals in the UK and Europe; we support the proposal but welcome the thorough scrutiny by the National Strategic Infrastructure Planning process (NSIP). The proposed capacity is 840 MW (megawatts), enough to power around 330,000 homes, contributing significantly to Oxfordshire’s Net-Zero Strategy. The NSIP Examination stage was completed in mid-November 2025 and the Planning Inspectorate are now reviewing the evidence, submissions, and hearing outputs and will make their recommendation to the Secretary of State (SoS); the final decision is made by the SoS and expected around May 2026.
The solar farm will cover 2500 – 3500 acres and span across three Oxfordshire districts; 90% of the solar farm will be on land leased by Blenheim Estate to the developers PVDP (Photovolt Development Partners on behalf of SolarFive Ltd).
Raising the Alarm on Community Benefit and What You Can Do
The focus of local authorities and others throughout 2023 and 2024 was mostly to object to Botley West. This posed a danger of the community fund being overlooked and we shared our concerns with many including MPs, councillors (town and district), the Planning Inspectorate at the NSIP hearings held in Oxford May and October 2025, with local authorities, Blenheim and other organisations.
At the moment, communities hosting renewable energy projects rely on a voluntary offer from commercial companies and unfortunately PVDP’s offer of £441,000 per annum, given the scale, impact and proximity to homes and other factors, is woefully inadequate and not comparable to other commercial proposals (while PVDP claim they offer the highest despite us sending them examples). We are also disappointed that Botley West offers no element of community ownership that would distribute even more benefit.
You Can
Raise the alarm. There is still time to achieve a better and much fairer offer from the developers, PVDP. Write to your Oxfordshire MP plus the CEO of Oxfordshire County Council who is ultimately responsible for the success of the negotiations. Ask them to agree an improved voluntary community benefit. Talk to friends, family and colleagues and ask them to write as well.
“What we do this decade on climate change will resonate for 1000s of years”
Sir David Attenborough
Climate change is the defining crisis of our time with global warming happening more quickly than feared. We have to transition away from fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gases in order to avoid the worst of the climate and nature emergency. Solar power is now the cheapest form of electricity and plays a key part of energy security.
Botley West and climate change are both emotive and personal with the pace and scale of change challenging everyone. Botley West will be a part of the solution in Oxfordshire but over the lifetime of the project and with fair community benefit, it can be an opportunity for a positive impact on communities as well – a transition that is better for the planet and better for people as well.
What is a Fair Community Benefit ?
With no agreed process in England as yet, there are several possibilities we could consider:
£5000 x 840 MW = £4.2million per year for the lifetime of project (40 years) = £168million
Compare: £525 per MW is the offer from PVDP = £441,000 x 40 years = £17.6 million
Difference: £150 million lost to communities over 40 years
Imagine: the positive impact of an additional £150million on community-led projects
2) Comparisons with other commercial companies:
PVDP claim they offer the highest community benefit of commercial companies despite us sending them two examples showing otherwise. These examples are in the application pipeline like Botley West and illustrate that some commercial developers are willing to offer £1000 and £1200 per MW and double the offer made by PVDP and more.
3) Percentage of Income:
Low Carbon Hub launched a campaign and petition in April 2025, calling for 2% of project income to be allocated directly to communities. This experienced team believe this to be simple to administrate, affordable and fair to investors as well as communities. This would generate approximately £1million community benefit per year.
NSIP Botley West Hearings May 2025, Oxford. Examination Authority and representatives from PVDP, the Councils and Oxford Airport.
Clean Energy – Why Here and Why Now? Pros and Cons
The sudden announcement of Botley West resulted in the circulation of misinformation as well as disinformation. We decided not to remain passive and agreed to offer a space for enquiry rather than the division that was leading to a significant polarisation of views in the community. This led us to organise a meeting that was completely independent of the planning process.
The meeting was entitled “Clean Energy – Why Here and Why Now” and held at our parish church in October 2023. We invited an expert panel “of the highest quality” and chaired impartially by a local minister. St Mary Magdalene was packed and the audience heard the panel discussing the pros and cons of large-scale solar ground-mount. Many still refer back to the evening for the opportunity it gave to ask many questions that were carefully and considerately answered by the panellists. You can listen and watch – available on YouTube.
Our View
Botley West Solar Farm, climate change and nature deprivation are emotive and personal with the pace and scale of change challenging everyone. It is one of the largest solar energy proposals in the UK and Europe; we support the proposal and wish to make the project and welcome the thorough scrutiny by the National Strategic Infrastructure Planning process (NSIP), from groups and organisations and residents impacted by the proposal. … to make it better
Climate change is the defining crisis of our time with global warming happening more quickly than feared. In order to avoid the worst of the climate and nature emergency, we have to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels and rapidly reduce greenhouse gases. Solar power is now the cheapest form of electricity and plays a key part of the solution for energy security.
Botley West will be a part of the solution in Oxfordshire but over the lifetime of the project and with fair community benefit, it can be an opportunity for a positive impact on communities as well – a transition that is better for the planet and better for people as well.
Botley West is one of the largest solar energy proposals in the UK and Europe; we support the proposal but welcome the thorough scrutiny by the National Strategic Infrastructure Planning process (NSIP). The proposed capacity is 840 MW (megawatts), enough to power around 330,000 homes, contributing significantly to Oxfordshire’s Net-Zero Strategy. The NSIP Examination stage was completed in mid-November 2025 and the Planning Inspectorate are now reviewing the evidence, submissions, and hearing outputs and will make their recommendation to the Secretary of State (SoS); the final decision is made by the SoS and expected around May 2026.
The solar farm will cover 2500 – 3500 acres and span across three Oxfordshire districts; 90% of the solar farm will be on land leased by Blenheim Estate to the developers PVDP (Photovolt Development Partners on behalf of SolarFive Ltd).
Raising the Alarm on Community Benefit and What You Can Do
The focus of local authorities and others throughout 2023 and 2024 was mostly to object to Botley West. This posed a danger of the community fund being overlooked and we shared our concerns with many including MPs, councillors (town and district), the Planning Inspectorate at the NSIP hearings held in Oxford May and October 2025, with local authorities, Blenheim and other organisations.
At the moment, communities hosting renewable energy projects rely on a voluntary offer from commercial companies and unfortunately PVDP’s offer of £441,000 per annum, given the scale, impact and proximity to homes and other factors, is woefully inadequate and not comparable to other commercial proposals (while PVDP claim they offer the highest despite us sending them examples). We are also disappointed that Botley West offers no element of community ownership that would distribute even more benefit.
You Can
Raise the alarm. There is still time to achieve a better and much fairer offer from the developers, PVDP. Write to your Oxfordshire MP plus the CEO of Oxfordshire County Council who is ultimately responsible for the success of the negotiations. Ask them to agree an improved voluntary community benefit. Talk to friends, family and colleagues and ask them to write as well.
1. Calum Miller MP calum.miller.mp@parliament.uk – include postcode, name and address
2. Martin Reeves CEO of OCC . ChiefExecutive@Oxfordshire.gov.uk include postcode, name and address.
Our View
Climate change is the defining crisis of our time with global warming happening more quickly than feared. We have to transition away from fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gases in order to avoid the worst of the climate and nature emergency. Solar power is now the cheapest form of electricity and plays a key part of energy security.
Botley West and climate change are both emotive and personal with the pace and scale of change challenging everyone. Botley West will be a part of the solution in Oxfordshire but over the lifetime of the project and with fair community benefit, it can be an opportunity for a positive impact on communities as well – a transition that is better for the planet and better for people as well.
What is a Fair Community Benefit ?
With no agreed process in England as yet, there are several possibilities we could consider:
1) £ Per MW installed:
£5000 per MW is proportionate and does not set a precedent and is a suggestion in the Government Working Paper : ‘Community Benefits and Shared Ownership for Low Carbon Energy Infrastructure’..
2) Comparisons with other commercial companies:
PVDP claim they offer the highest community benefit of commercial companies despite us sending them two examples showing otherwise. These examples are in the application pipeline like Botley West and illustrate that some commercial developers are willing to offer £1000 and £1200 per MW and double the offer made by PVDP and more.
3) Percentage of Income:
Low Carbon Hub launched a campaign and petition in April 2025, calling for 2% of project income to be allocated directly to communities. This experienced team believe this to be simple to administrate, affordable and fair to investors as well as communities. This would generate approximately £1million community benefit per year.
Clean Energy – Why Here and Why Now? Pros and Cons
The sudden announcement of Botley West resulted in the circulation of misinformation as well as disinformation. We decided not to remain passive and agreed to offer a space for enquiry rather than the division that was leading to a significant polarisation of views in the community. This led us to organise a meeting that was completely independent of the planning process.
The meeting was entitled “Clean Energy – Why Here and Why Now” and held at our parish church in October 2023. We invited an expert panel “of the highest quality” and chaired impartially by a local minister. St Mary Magdalene was packed and the audience heard the panel discussing the pros and cons of large-scale solar ground-mount. Many still refer back to the evening for the opportunity it gave to ask many questions that were carefully and considerately answered by the panellists. You can listen and watch – available on YouTube.
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