Sir –  Brigid Sturdy (Letters, April 17) states incorrectly that the planning application for the solar farm close to Charlbury was rejected two years ago by the local planning authority.


A proposal was made two years ago, not by Sustainable Charlbury, but by a commercial organisation, in an entirely different location. It was rejected because it was deemed to be too close to the parkland and historic house of Cornbury Park.


The location of the new site is by a road and next to an electricity substation, well away from the park and the house.


The site slopes away from the road, and is largely hidden from the foot and cycle path that Ms Sturdy cites, because it slopes away into the valley.
Great care has been taken to mitigate the views of the panels, and the parts of the field that can be seen from various points will not have panels on them.


Sustainable Charlbury held several open meetings to which everyone was invited, and distributed a questionnaire to very household, so everyone has had a chance to have their say several times over.


The meetings were in each case well attended, and 25 per cent of households returned the questionnaire.


Anyone with any experience of research will know that this is a very high rate of return. Ms Sturdy is right in stating that 87 per cent of those who completed the questionnaire are in favour of the plan.


The people who support the plan see it as benefitting not only the communities of Charlbury, Finstock and Fawler, but our country as a whole. We need to change the way that we generate power, and this is one step in that direction, proposed by a community that treasures its environment but is also concerned for the sustainability of our world.
Liz Leffman, Councillor, Charlbury, Finstock and Fawler, Charlbury