Langport Battlesite still not safe
A planning application to put an industrial scale solar panel site next to Tengore Lane continues to rumble on. We understand that the Planning Inspector will review the site in person during the course of this week.
After an earlier application failed having been appealed all the way up to the Planning Inspectorate, a new (and in many respects similar) application has been submitted by The Green Company. The site is within the site of the Battle of Langport, just in front of the Parliamentary lines at the start of the battle. It is however not part of the registered battlefield.
The Battle of Langport is one of just 42 registered battle sites in England (Sedgemoor is one of the others) although despite the name, the site actually sits in the parish of Long Sutton. Indeed Oliver Cromwell actually described the battle in his letter to Parliament in July 1645 as having taken place at Long Sutton!
The plans have once again been rejected by all the parish councils in the area and by South Somerset District Council and now sit with the Planning Inspectorate at Bristol. Hence the inspection scheduled for this week.
It has always seemed to us to be e a travesty to allow this application when there is plenty of suitable land along Tengore Lane which would not impact upon the battle site.