Plans to construct a vast solar farm next to the Gloucester and Sharpness canal have received hundreds of objections.
A proposal has been put forward to Stroud District Council to install photovoltaic panels across more than 117 acres of open countryside farmland in the Lower Severn Valley.
PACE Tribute Energy Limited is seeking permission to develop the site, located approximately 540 yards south of Epney village and east of Saul.
However, the proposed 49.9-megawatt scheme, which could provide power to around 11,000 homes, has triggered a significant public backlash.
More than 260 public comments have been submitted to Stroud District Council, with one objector stating that the area between the A38 at Morton Vallance and the River Serven is "already inundated with solar power plants".
"It is unreasonable to impose yet another on those of us who live in this area," they added.
"We live close to the Severn. Our house is home to a significant maternal bat roost.
"Aside for a moment from the impact on the human species, has any consideration at all been paid to nonverbal species regarding this area as their home?"
Another objector claimed that the nearby Whitminster solar farm development has already caused them considerable stress due to the impact of traffic, construction noise, and pollution from the volume of construction vehicles affecting their asthma.
"I object due to the area identified being a flood zone and the surrounding villages having been impacted several times in recent years, this will only increase water runoff," they said.
"I object to the destruction of the natural environment, an environment that brings people great joy. I object to the damage to wildlife and their habitat. I object to the noise these stations create when operational, this will impact humans and wildlife.
"This area is being unfairly targeted, solar must be on roofs and industrial land, not farmland."
Meanwhile, another opponent from Stroud described the solar panels as a "blight on the landscape".
They added: "There will be no way back and the loss for the local nature and local community will be devastating. Reading between the lines, there is not one local person in the Longney and Epney villages that wants this project to occur."
County Councillor Stephen Davies (C, Hardwicke and Severn) has raised concerns about the growing number of solar farms across the flat terrain stretching between the M5 and the Severn.
A solar farm already operates at Cam, with another currently being built at Whitminster and Moreton Valence, plus planning consent granted for one at Longney and Epney.
The latest proposals have sparked fears of creating a solar installation on flood-prone land, which Cllr Davies believes is particularly unsuitable for electrical infrastructure and threatens a vital wildlife habitat. Fretherne with Saul Parish Council also opposed the proposals and conducted a public survey which revealed 99% of participants reject the development.
Cllr Davies said: "It is important to understand that people are not against solar farms and recognise the need for these, the concern is the overdevelopment of these in the flat piece of land between the M5 and the Severn.
"This is overdevelopment on farming land that is equally important for food production. And there is a frustration at how difficult people have found it to give their feedback to Stroud planning."
Advisers working on the project say the proposed solar farm would not create a significant detrimental effect on landscape character or residential properties.
They argue the Epney location has been thoughtfully chosen and the arrangement of the solar panels has been meticulously planned to reduce its visibility.
Additional planting has been suggested to help minimise the visual impact further, they stated.
"The proposed development will deliver significant benefits, including a valuable contribution to the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's Government's targets for renewable energy generation, ecological and landscape enhancements," they state in the planning documents.
"The development proposal meets the requirements of the NPPFF's presumption in favour of sustainable development and is in accordance with the adopted Development Plan at Stroud District Council.
"On that basis, it is considered that planning permission should be granted, subject to the imposition of necessary planning conditions."
District planners are anticipated to review and make a decision on the plans by December this year.
A spokesperson for Stroud District Council stated: "We appreciate that residents and statutory consultees including parish councils need ample time to consider and respond to planning applications.
"As such we will consider reasonable requests for appropriate time extensions to allow them to provide a response on an application.
"We have done so in this case. Comments on this application will be taken into account by the planning officer in making their recommendation."
