PEOPLE in Bridgwater have hit out at plans for three giant solar farms near their homes.

All three proposed schemes are on land near Westonzoyland Road.

A planning application has already been submitted to put solar panels on 27.7 acres of agricultural land at Summerway Drove and on a 38.5-acre site at Dunwear.

Plans are also being lined up for another, 40-acre solar park at Penzoy Farm.

Chris Portingale, of Westonzoyland Road, said: “I am sure that the majority of people, both locals and visitors, do not wish to view the Somerset landscape covered with thousands of these panels surrounded by security fences in order to generate a minimal amount of electricity.

“This is just going to open the floodgates for other solar parks.”

Andrew Bradbury, who owns Beeches Pond near the proposed Dunwear site, said: “I think eco power is a damn good idea, but I don't think any account has been taken on the wildlife situation.

“Also, the visual impact will be horrendous.

“Anyone walking on the Quantock Hills will see the massive array of reflective panels.”

And David Lane, from Summerway Drove, added: “I'm all for going green, but I don't think this is the way forward.

“On one side I have just open green fields, but I'm going to be surrounded if these applications keep coming up - where will it end?”

TWO of the companies applying to build solar farms along Westonzoyland Road say they have tried to limit the visual impact of their projects.

David Maguire, of BNRG Bridgwater, which is behind the Summerway Drove scheme, said: “In terms of visual impact, this particular site was carefully selected because it is flat and for the most part already well screened by hedgerows and trees.”

John Wearmouth, director of Wessex Solar Energy, which is behind the Dunwear scheme, said his company had looked to grow hedgerows to screen the solar panels and reduce the visual impact.

The Mercury was unable to contact AEE, the German firm behind the proposed Penzoy Farm scheme.