A FARMER from Basingstoke has been left ‘angry’ after a renewable energy group 'mistakenly' sprayed chemicals on his land, killing an area of natural habitat for bees and wildlife.

James Bromhead, who has a large solar farm owned by Octopus Energy Group, on the 18 acres of land he owns in Hill End Farm in Basingstoke has been left “lost for words” after contractors employed by the energy group sprayed a “broadleaf herbicide” on the field destroying wildflowers last week.

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He said: “That plot of 18 acres has had a natural regeneration of wildflowers and those wildflowers are all-natural. I have had a real fight with them about making sure the flowers run the whole summer because the bees benefit, and we have got beehives just around the corner and we do a lot of work for bees.

“If we don’t give them that nectar they are screwed. Last year their contractors came in and they sprayed and killed all the wildflowers.”

Following the incident, James said they absolutely promised they would not do it again.

Since then the group has said that spraying the herbicide was a mistake.

A spokesperson from the Octopus Energy Group said: "Last week we were informed that one of our contractors made a mistake while managing Hill End Farm. We briefed them to use a really precise spraying method so weedkiller was only applied where it absolutely had to be, limiting any impact on the wildflower population. Unfortunately, our instructions weren't followed, and a wider area was sprayed by mistake which resulted in wildflowers needlessly dying.

"We're very sorry about this as we’re usually really proud of our approach to encouraging biodiversity where our turbines and solar panels are and in fact wrote about this last year.

"We will make things right at Hill End Farm by reseeding where appropriate (we appreciate and understand that revitalising a meadow takes time) and are considering other measures to ensure years of flourishing plantlife in the future."

James described the incident as "criminal".

He added: “To me, it’s like what Putin is doing in Ukraine they have just destroyed the whole 18 acres and there is nothing left.

“It should not be allowed and to be blunt I am managed by the Environmental Agency and if I put a foot out of line, I get crucified but they seem to be outside the law.”

He said the destruction was both unnecessary and unwanted and means they have failed in their duty to be green.

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Paul Sterry, a top botanist has visited the land and was shocked to see the destruction.

Paul added: “What should have been a wonderful, flowery meadow-in-the-making was mown several times a year to within an inch of its life. This management regime ensured that biodiversity gains were virtually non-existent. He [James] badgered the owners and eventually the mowing ceased, only to be replaced by sprays. So, in stark terms, physical abuse of the prospective meadow was replaced by chemical abuse."

Greg Jackson,CEO and founder of Octopus Energy Group, added: "It’s very rare (we look after over 300 big solar farms and this is only one I know of where this has happened) but two directors visited this weekend to work out how we can fix it. It’s bad, but a genuine error and one which occurs too frequently in all forms of land management."

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