Protesters gathered at Churchill’s grave to demonstrate how close the proposed Botley West Solar Farm will come to the wartime leader's memorial.

Supporters of Stop Botley West group demonstrated their opposition to plans to install solar panels less than 200 yards from the memorial in St Martin's churchyard in Bladon.

A number of protesters then walked local footpaths that would border fields full of solar panels.

(Image: Stop Botley West) Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) are set to submit an application for a development consent order for Botley West Solar Farm in early November.

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It would cover a total of 3,200 acres of mainly greenbelt land owned by Blenheim, stretching 11 miles from end to end and around 15 villages from north of Woodstock to Botley in the south.

PVDP has said it will generate enough electricity to power up to 330,000 homes.

Professor Alex Rogers, chair of the Stop Botley West group, said: “Churchill had a great affection for the Blenheim estate and the countryside around it, and many Bladon residents we have spoken to believe he would be turning in his grave if he knew that his heritage could be abandoned for unsustainable profit."

He added: “Local people are rightly concerned that if the Botley West proposal goes ahead, fields of panels would come close to the edge of a children’s play area and to the back of houses as well as engulfing local footpaths to the north of Bladon."

According to an assessment by the group "around 25 kilometres" of footpaths in the northern, central and southern sections of the proposed site would be "adversely affected with walkers having to walk beside or between acres of solar panels".

Oxfordshire County Council responded to the plans last month, listing a number of areas that would need "considerable improvements" before PVDP submits its DCO application.

West Oxfordshire District Council said there were "multiple areas of concern", including the impact it would have on the landscape.

(Image: Stop Botley West)

PVDP said they were "confident that no panels would be visible" from Churchill's grave as it is surrounded by a walled churchyard, and then a house and woods.

During the consultation no concerns were submitted about proximity of panels to Churchill’s grave, they said.

They added they were "continuing to work closely with all relevant experts and authorities and we are confident that the project will in no way be detrimental to the access to or legacy of the estate".

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PVDP said the project will deliver 2km of new cycleways and 40km of current footpath surface will be upgraded.

A spokesperson said: "No footpath will be disrupted or obstructed.

"We would reiterate that PVDP has worked hard to ensure that any visual impact will be extremely rare.

"The dimensions and visibility of the proposed site have been considered and scrutinised in full by local planning authorities in such a way to ensure that the impact on the visual landscape of the area is minimised."