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Category Archives: Rampisham Down
Rampisham Down Factsheet #8: Politics and Politicians
As the election draws closer, I thought it would be worth looking at the politics and politicians of Rampisham Down and who supports the development of a Solar Farm on one of Britain’s most important nature sites. There are some … Continue reading
Rampisham Down Factsheet #6: The Solar Farm Business: British Solar Renewables and Community Heat and Power
Brownfield Site? Rampisham Down SSSI It pays to know who you are dealing with, and this is as much the case at Rampisham Down as anywhere else. The developers of Rampisham Down are British Solar Renewables, as I have mentioned … Continue reading
Solar Farm developers paying £1000 an acre a year to landowners
There’s an interesting piece on Farmers Weekly online today about rents landowners can expect to receive from Solar Farm developers. Despite the changes in the subsidy regime, the article suggests landowners can still look for £1000 an acre per annum … Continue reading
Rampisham Factcheck #5: The photographs of Rampisham Down
Some people are trying to make out that Rampisham Down SSSI is a poor quality, low value piece of wildlife grassland, or, as Professor Ghillean Prance, former Director of Key Gardens said a “very degraded and often impacted habitat”. They … Continue reading
Posted in Natural England, Rampisham Down, Solar Farms, Uncategorized
Tagged British Solar Renewables, Natural England, Rampisham, Solar Farms
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Rampisham Down and Lodge Hill demonstrate that Natural England must Notify every site which qualifies as SSSI
Offham Down SSSI ploughed to grow Flax 1997 (http://www.eco-action.org/history/offham/offham.html) When the Wildlife and Countryside Act was introduced in 1981 in order for the UK to comply with the European Union’s Birds Directive, nationally and internationally important … Continue reading
Posted in Lodge Hill, Natural England, Rampisham Down, SSSis
Tagged Lodge Hill, Natural England, Rampisham Down, SSSIs
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Dorset CPRE’s letter to Secretary of State Pickles asking for Rampisham permission to be called in
Dorset CPRE have just published their letter asking for the Rampisham Down Solar Factory planning permission to be called in for determination by the Secretary of State. I am republishing it here. They make an extremely interesting point. There have … Continue reading
Posted in CPRE, Rampisham Down, Solar Farms, West Dorset District Council
Tagged CPRE, Rampisham, Solar Farms, West Dorset District Council
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Rampisham Down Factcheck #4: A Fairy Tale.
Here’s a quick fairy tale for Monday Morning. Once Upon a Time, Nature was in trouble in the Kingdom, and the King sent for the wise men to tell him what needed to be done to save Nature. The wise … Continue reading
Posted in connectivity, Lawton Report, Rampisham Down
Tagged Connectivity, Lawton, Rampisham
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Rampisham Downs Factcheck #3: Professor Ghillean Prance’s speech in favour of buiding a Solar Factory on a SSSI
British Solar Renewables have just published Professor Ghillean Prance’s speech for them to the West Dorset District Council Planning Committee, when they met to decide whether to approve the development of a Solar Factory on Rampisham Down SSSI. I reproduce … Continue reading
Rampisham Factcheck #2: Democracy
It seems appropriate in this, the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, that the question of democracy and what it means in the 21st century, should be alive and kicking. The Magna Carta … Continue reading
Rampisham: Kicked into the Long Grass?
The Long Grass (c) Miles King Today West Dorset District Council informed various people (including myself) that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (CLG), the Right Hon Eric Pickles, has directed West … Continue reading
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