IT seems that the baton for most controversial developments has passed well and truly from wind turbines to solar power farms.

Today this paper reports on the surprise decision by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to put a holding order on plans to cover farmland in Hampshire near Stockbridge with 185,000 solar panels.

The project had been given the go-ahead by councillors despite recommendations from their own officers to reject the scheme and strong opposition from some locals.

Now the matter will wait for Mr Pickles to decide whether he wishes to call the project in for his final decision, a matter that will undoubtedly depend on whether his party is in power after next week.

There will be many who are relieved at the decision to delay the judgment.

Solar farms erected on such spaces cannot be anything other than an eyesore and are proving extremely unpopular with the public who see whole swathes of green countryside vanish under industrial development under the guise of green energy provision.

The battle may not be over, but at least the fight goes on.