Campaigners have raised £100,000 to fight controversial proposals for a giant solar farm.

The proposed 3,200-acre Botley West Solar Farm would cover sites near Botley, Kidlington and Woodstock mostly on land owned by Blenheim.

Developer Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) sent its proposals to the government's Planning Inspectorate on November 15.

The Stop Botley West community group’s fighting fund has been boosted to a total of £100,000 by a 30 per cent increase in donations since the Development Consent Order (DCO) application was submitted.

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Four days before the DCO submission, Stop Botley West said it had raised around £70,000 but 10 days later, donations of more than £30,000 had hit the campaigning group’s bank account.

Stop Botley West will use the donations to fund legal and technical expertise that challenges the controversial application.

The proposed development would stretch from above Wootton to below Cassington, mainly on green belt-designated Blenheim Estate farmland.

Some 15 villages will be impacted as far south as Culham.

Professor Alex Rogers, chair of Stop Botley West, said: “We have been contacted by many people making small but important contributions, as well as individuals who have felt able to provide substantial donations to our fighting fund.

“They have told us that they are motivated by four main areas of concern about the proposed development by PVDP and Blenheim Estate.

"They fear long-term damage to green belt-based productive agricultural land and the tenants who farm it. They also believe that the massive risk of increased flooding triggered by rain run-off is being ignored by the developer.

“They are worried that the industrialisation of the heritage, landscape and public rights of way will have a serious impact on the physical and mental health of residents and visitors.

"Finally, they told us that they are frustrated by the lack of opportunities to have their voices heard and acted on during PVDP’s wholly inadequate public consultation process.”

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The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) is currently considering whether to accept the DCO application with a December 13 deadline.

Professor Rogers urged supporters to use the next fortnight to prepare to submit their concerns and arguments to PINS.

Speaking on behalf of Photovolt Development Partners, Director Mark Owen-Lloyd said: "We are delighted to have submitted our application, which will now be subject to a rigorous, evidence-based assessment by the Planning Inspectorate.

"We welcome any interested party who wishes to take part in this transparent, thorough and well-defined process."