PLANS for a solar power station at Rampisham Down will not go ahead, it has been revealed.

Organisations including Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT), Natural England and the RSPB have been campaigning against plans for the area of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the former site of a BBC transmission station near Beaminster.

The original plans were submitted by British Solar Renewables (BSR) in December 2012 and the site listed as a SSSI in March 2014 by Natural England as an important designated lowland acid grassland and heathland.

The solar panels will now be developed on an alternative site across the road from the SSSI, which is not of high importance for wildlife, adjacent to Rampisham Down.

In January 2015, West Dorset District Council’s development control committee decided to approve a planning application by BSR to build a 25MW solar power plant. DWT launched a petition which more than 10,000 people signed, asking for the decision to be re-considered by the then Communities Minister, Eric Pickles.

In June 2015 the decision was ‘called in’ by government and it was announced that a public inquiry would take place to decide the fate of the site. But in September last year, the inquiry was "paused" by BSR. Now it has been confirmed that the development at Rampisham Down will not go ahead after planning permission was secured for the alternative site.

DWT chief executive, Simon Cripps said: "DWT is the first to applaud British Solar Renewables’ sensible decision not to develop their solar power station on Rampisham Down.

"This nationally important wildlife site will now continue to be protected. Many conservationists were concerned that if this site was built on, other SSSI designated sites in the UK would be undermined and at risk as a result.”

The new, smaller solar park is opposite the original location, and the planning permission includes an agreement to withdraw plans for the controversial large solar park and manage the transmitter site for wildlife.

Ian Alexander, team leader for Natural England in Dorset, said: “This shows we can achieve the kind of development that needs to happen in our society in a way that is beneficial for the environment.

“But we must recognise the importance of protecting our best environmental assets and that is what we have done here.”

Rampisham Down, at 72 hectares, is one of the largest areas of lowland acid grassland left in England. The revised solar park is expected to produce enough electricity for more than 4,000 homes each year.

Renny Henderson, the RSPB’s conservation officer for Dorset, said: “This decision means a nationally important area of grassland has been saved from a very damaging development.

“This sends a clear message that SSSI’s are designated for the right reasons and they can and should be defended.”

BSR welcomed the "positive outcome".

A spokesman for BSR said: “British Solar Renewables is pleased to have worked closely with Dorset Wildlife Trust, Historic England and Natural England to arrive at a solution which both protects the wildlife and sensitivities of the Rampisham Down site SSSI, and also ensures a supply of sustainable, renewable energy for future generations.

“This successful outcome reflects BSR’s ethos of combining renewable energy schemes with wildlife conservation and protection of the natural environment.”