Villagers in tiny hamlet with just 10 houses and a pub fear their home is about to become an ‘island surrounded by a sea of solar panels’

Published: 19:53, 4 March 2026 | Updated: 19:59, 4 March 2026

A historic Roman hamlet filled with Grade II listed homes is in danger of being 'industrialised' by the planned introduction of a solar farm with 'up to 100,000 panels'.

Potters Crouch, a designated conservation area in Hertfordshire, is at risk of being 'completely wrecked' and turned into an 'island surrounded by a sea of solar panels' by a 107-hectare development site on open countryside.

The 600-year-old hamlet, which comprises just 10 houses and a pub, is a mile from the Roman Britain city of Verulamium.

Furious residents fear their 'sanctuary of greenery' will be consumed by nearby towns as the area urbanises with the construction of 27 inverter and transformer buildings, boundary fencing and CCTV poles.

They also claim the local airstrip, Plaistows Airfield, will be forced shut with fields covered in solar panels, leaving no safe space to land and dangerous reflections shining into pilots' eyes.

Exagen, who are behind the Beechtree Junction Solar Farm, say it will generate enough electricity to power 13,000 homes for 40 years and the site has been 'carefully selected to minimise environmental impact'.

But residents of Potters Crouch and those from surrounding towns and villages raised hundreds of objections during the consultation period as they nervously await the decision of the planning application.

Locals claim the land has been wrongly reclassified as grey belt since December 2024 and have mounted a campaign to reject the development, hanging up dozens of posters in surrounding areas.

Andy and Gilly Morris (pictured) fear their 'beautiful countryside view' will become 'absolutely and completely surrounded' by solar panels

Potters Crouch is in danger of being 'industrialised' by the planned introduction of a solar farm with 'up to 100,000 panels'

Andy Morris, 70, a retired sales manager, has lived in the hamlet for 13 years but fears his house will lose its 'beautiful countryside view' as it becomes 'absolutely and completely surrounded' by solar panels.

His wife Gilly Morris, a retired specialist education support worker, told the Daily Mail: 'It will be horrendous if the solar farm goes through. It will use an incredible amount of machinery to build it.

'We have a little sanctuary of greenery and need it to be saved.

'Once it is accepted and the land is built on, there will be nothing holding back from more development. Soon we will become part of Watford.

She continued: 'If building work goes ahead there will be lorries piling down tiny lanes causing damage to hedges and it will be very dangerous for cyclists, walkers, joggers, horse riders and to for us.

'Once constructed the view from our house will be ruined by the 10ft panels which you can see from the top floor of our home.

Instead of fields and hedges it will be banks of panels.

'It will be a very unpleasant view - the area is designated an area of conservation and of outstanding natural beauty.

'We have nearby a microlight airfield - it would be very dangerous for people to try and land on a field with solar panels

'The roads nearby are totally unsuitable. They are single, ancient lands which will be be bombarded by lorries.

Furious residents fear their 'sanctuary of greenery' will be consumed into nearby towns as the area urbanises

'It is staggering to have so many objections from such a small area.'

She added: 'In principle, we agree with solar panels but we see them when we drive on motorways. They should be on motorways not near homes and near infrastructure.

They belong near warehouses and on newbuilds.'

Exagen says the farm is 'temporary' with a lifespan of 40 years and construction would take around six months.

'Any effects arising from this would be short-term and reversible upon completion,' they claim.'

'There's been quite a campaign to reject it,' Mr Morris said.

'Posters hung up and hundreds of objections. But we went to a meeting with Exagen and were told it was almost a done deal. They said "don't even bother objecting as it's a done deal".'

He added: 'We moved here for the countryside and the lovely view but it will be ruined

'The company said the solar panels have a life expectancy of 40 years, but I'm 70.'

Christopher Simpson, an engineering consultant and a resident of Potters Crouch for 30 years, told the Mail: 'They're claiming that at the end of the 40 years the land will be reverted back to agriculture, and it's a complete and absolute lie.

'There will be thousands of tons of concrete, cables, steel all in the land, and nobody is ever going to take those out.

'It's not a question of blighting these, this beautiful countryside for 40 years, but losing it forever.'

He added: 'We live in a beautiful hamlet surrounded by beautiful countryside, and if the proposals were to be implemented every way we looked, instead of green fields, it would be solar panels.

A map showing where Beechtree Junction Solar Farm could be built

'If they build it, they will be transporting 60,000 tons of material down single-track lanes, beautiful old lanes with medieval hedgerows.

'It will completely wreck all of these beautiful old lanes surrounded by trees and hedges.

'Green energy is something to be welcomed when there is an opportunity.

There are old gravel pits, there are areas of derelict land within two or three kilometres of here, where they could equally well build these solar panels.'

The local Parish council has 'urged' the planning authority to refuse permission.

They say the farm would 'constitute inappropriate Green Belt development with no very special circumstances' and 'cause substantial harm to the Potters Crouch Conservation Area and its settings'.

A spokesperson for Exagen said the site for development has been 'carefully selected to minimise environmental impact; located next to the M1, A414, and multiple high voltage electricity distribution lines, and outside of major environmental designations'.

They added: 'The site has an undulating landscape, enclosed by mature woodland blocks which will help minimise any visual impact of the scheme.

'All existing footpaths at the site will be retained, new permissive paths will be created for public access, and the design is significantly set back from local residences.

The development is temporary, reversible, and sited on lower-grade farmland.'

Chris Traill, Strategic Director for Community and Place Delivery for St Albans City and District Council, said: 'The planning application is being considered following a consultation period when a number of concerns were raised.

'All objections and supportive comments will be carefully considered before the final decision is made.

'All planning applications are dealt with according to a statutory process and planning law.'

References

^ ADAM POGRUND, TRAINEE REPORTER (www.dailymail.co.uk)