Green energy developers want to build one of Scotland’s biggest solar farms on agricultural land near Methven.
The site, at Kinnon Park Farm, off the busy A85 Perth-Crieff road could stretch to just over 80 hectares.
That’s the equivalent of more than 100 football fields.
Bosses say it could provide enough energy to power 25,000 homes.
But residents say they’ll fight the plans.
One campaigner says the application has sparked “uproar” in the community.
And neighbours in nearby Tibbermore have formed an action group to oppose the solar scheme and a second, unrelated proposal for a battery storage farm nearby.
Spokeswoman Sarah Fergusson said the group would be launching an online petition to draw attention to their plight.
“If this goes ahead, we’re going to have thousands of solar panels dumped on one side of us and a battery farm on the other,” she said.
“There’s no benefit to locals from any of this; no jobs. They’re not going to improve the roads. There won’t be any reduction in our power bills.
“It’s the scale of it that’s so worrying, ” Sarah added.
“People are in uproar.”
Flood risk and glare considerations for Methven solar farm site
The solar farm application has been lodged with Perth and Kinross Council in the name of NS Solar Kinnon Park.
It follows discussions with council staff and consultations with locals, during which the original plans were scaled back.
A planning statement on the council website says there’s been a 25% reduction in the size of the application site and the number of solar panels since the proposal first emerged.
The document, submitted by Gray Planning and Development, says the solar farm could operate for up to 40 years.
It would be surrounded by 2m high deer fencing with CCTV.
The developers say they can provide screening to reduce the visual impact and any glare from the panels.
They are also proposing to plant new hedgerows and trees, as well as a wildflower meadow.
And they say the solar farm will have only “a minimal negative impact” on nearby Methven Castle.
A flood risk assessment found the site could be at high risk of flooding from the East Pow and from surface water.
However, the planning statement says these concerns can be overcome.
“Providing critical infrastructure is raised above the maximum flood levels, the development would remain operational and could be developed to be resilient against flooding,” it says.
The land was previously earmarked for a new golf course, but those plans were never developed.
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