Solar panel critic now 'supporter of plan' — SkimNews
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- Chris Chadwick initially objected to a planned 72-panel solar array in St Sampson, Guernsey, because the site is classified as greenfield, but reversed his position after meeting applicant Len Shephard to walk through the planning documents.
- Shephard told the BBC his proposal could power five Guernsey households and save 505 trees a year, and said the panels would be 'fully demountable' so the site could be restored with no trace.
- Chadwick said he was won over because the panels are raised off the ground, leaving grass and wildlife access to sunlight, and because Shephard addressed every concern he raised.
- Shephard explained the field had been used for greenhousing and sat unused for 45 years because buried greenhouse materials beneath the soil prevent farming — forcing it into planning's greenfield category by default.
- Chadwick called the project altruistic rather than commercial, saying Shephard 'probably won't see financial return from it his lifetime.'
- Guernsey planning officials are still considering the application, with a site assessment recently completed on the property.
Why it matters: Solar siting in Guernsey is constrained by greenfield rules, and Shephard is urging planners to judge greenfield proposals case-by-case. Chadwick's turnaround suggests that face-to-face walkthroughs between applicants and objectors can defuse opposition over panels that cost the developer nothing in his own lifetime but would power five households and displace 505 trees annually.
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