A new plan to run a cable from a huge solar farm directly to the substation nearby - rather than along three roads - has been approved.

Corner Copse Solar Ltd has permission to build a solar farm the size of 236 football pitches on land north of Stanton Fitzwarren.

The route of cabling to Kingsdown is fairly direct, but in 2021 the company was given permission to route the last part along Kingsdown Lane, part of Highworth Road and then along Kingsdown Road.

Now it has been given permission to run the cable more directly to the substation on Kingsdown Road across the woodland to the west of Kingsdown Cemetery.

The company said the change would: “Reduce the cable length by approximately 30 per cent, reduce potential impacts on trees, and avoids causing significant disruption to the local community via road closures along Highworth Road and Kingsdown Road.

And plenty of people thought this plan was an improvement.

Ramblers Swindon & North East Wiltshire Group said: “We have no objection to the proposed cable route, which should cause considerably less disruption to rights of way users during the construction phase than the previously consented route.

Stratton St Margaret Parish council did have one concern: “Members would like a plan submitted how residents will access their homes during the works at Kingsdown mobile homes.”

Swindon Borough Council’s tree officer said: “Regarding ecological impact, the revised proposal has improved significantly with the construction footprint now reduced to almost a third of the area sought.

“In addition, the initial impression was that the area was an existing woodland, however, upon site visit the tree officer has confirmed it is scrubland with intermittent trees and therefore of less ecological value.

“From an ecological point of view, the reinstatement of the site is the bigger issue and, in that regard, this is controllable with appropriate conditions.

The conclusion of the planning officers recommending consent was: “The proposals would result in some level of arboricultural and ecological impact.

“In this instance the benefits of clean energy supply to Swindon, reducing CO2 emissions in line with Swindon and central government objective of achieving net-zero emissions, and providing employment and contributing positively to the local economy is considered to outweigh the identified limited arboricultural and ecological impact.”