Giant solar plan on hold

It would cover 2,700 acres near Holsworthy

Campaigners are hoping developers are “having second thoughts” about siting one of the largest solar farms in the UK at Holsworthy Beacon after the project was paused.

Beacon Solar Ltd has withdrawn its scheme from the Planning Inspectorate’s pre-application service and placed consultation on hold.

The company, part of Galileo Empower UK, says the proposed farm, which would span across four miles of Devon farmland, is “undergoing further assessment in terms of its layout, scale and detailed design”.

Steve Boulton, who is behind the Stop Beacon Solar campaign, said the news was “encouraging” but it also presented “so much uncertainty” for residents whose homes would be surrounded by solar panels if the scheme went ahead.

“This could reappear at any time. I find it strange that the company does not have all the technical assessments done despite being at this for 18 months.

“I think the lack of grid connection could be a factor. I hope they are having second thoughts.”

At over 100 megawatts  the Beacon Solar Project would count as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and would be decided by the government.

Planning authorities, including Torridge District Council and the six parish councils, would only be consultees.

Mr Boulton said no-one could sell their houses while all this was going on.

“There is no hope of selling anything, as soon as someone sees this plan in the background the seller has not got a hope in hell.”

At a public meeting in October 2025 hosted by the countryside charity CPRE and attended by Torridge and Tavistock Conservative MP Geoffrey Cox and hundreds of local residents, the community was urged to get together a battle fund to fight the proposals.

Mr Boulton said: “We will keep fundraising to fight this and to do the ecology studies we need to do. It’s early days, we have a few thousand pounds and events in the pipeline so it’s full steam ahead on the fundraising.”

He said if the solar farm didn’t go ahead the money would be allocated for similar campaigns by countryside protection charities.

The fighting fund and petition is being organised by the CPRE. The organisation’s chairman Steve Crowther said, “We are pleased to see that Beacon Solar have withdrawn their application for a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project – a gigantic 2,700-acre solar farm which would produce no energy for more than a decade – across the landscape at Holsworthy.

“We hope that they have noted the reaction from thousands of residents of the area and members of the wider public who cherish this landscape; and will now redirect their investment into brownfield or rooftop renewable energy projects.

“If all the developers now eyeing up our green fields would do that, we could exceed the government’s solar targets for 2050 without ruining landscapes and taking millions of pounds worth of food production out of our economy.

“We will watch very closely what this developer – a Swiss-based group with many fingers in the renewables pie – does next. And we will be ready and waiting if they come this way again.”

He urged Devonians to keep signing and circulating the petition, at devoncpre.org.uk, to “help us defend Devon’s unique landscape assets from mega-solar speculators.”

A spokesperson on behalf of  Beacon Solar Project said: “Following the collection of environmental and technical data over the last 18 months, the proposed Beacon Solar farm is undergoing further assessment in terms of its layout, scale and detailed design. 

“While this process is ongoing, there will be a pause to the consultation process and as such the project has been withdrawn from the NSIP process.

“Further updates will be issued in due course following the completion of the various technical assessments.” 

The project team says it’s aim is to contribute to the UK’s net-zero targets and improve energy security by generating renewable electricity at scale.