It’s good to be back after the summer – an unexpectedly sunny one, in July anyway.

The summer has, however, been marred by the controversy over the proposal to set up a ‘Solar Array’ of photo-voltaic panels at Sheephouse Farm, on the Brewham road. A great deal of anguish was caused, with the vast majority of local residents to whom we spoke being very much against the project. Their reasons were, to summarise: the despoliation of the beautiful Somerset countryside for no material local benefit, but to the detriment of local businesses that depend on attracting visitors; a large acreage (32 acres minimum, the size of the Bruton conservation area) would be covered, with the considerable rise of 44 metres from bottom to top of the sloping site impossible to hide from view.