Hundreds of people are battling to stop a solar farm being built amid fears it could cause “serious harm” to one of Britain’s most important Roman sites.

TV historian Mary Beard is among those who have highlighted the controversial proposals for Richborough, near Sandwich.

On Thursday afternoon, the classicist shared a link to the planning application on social media site X and wrote: “If you are interested in the Roman site at Richborough, you should take a look at this.”

It resulted in dozens more objections being lodged against the bid for the vast 206-acre solar panel array, taking the total opposed to more than 550.

Also among those concerned is Kent County Council archaeology officer Ben Found.

He warns that the plans could cause “serious” harm to the ancient Richborough Roman Fort - only 400 metres from the development site at its closest point.

“The impact of the scheme on the setting of the Roman site of Richborough is a major consideration,” Mr Found says in his submission on Dover District Council’s (DDC) planning portal.

“We recommend that the views of Historic England are sought on the impact of the proposals on the setting of the scheduled monument.

“We think the harm to the monument is serious.”

“Further intrusive evaluation works are required before the application is determined,” the archaeologist adds, arguing more information is needed on possible buried structures in the area.

Richborough once hosted a huge Roman fort, town and amphitheatre, and was the first permanent Roman settlement in Britain after the invasion by Emperor Claudian in 43 AD.

Today the wall of the fortress and the remains of earthworks and the amphitheatre remain visible.

Plans were first put forward for the site just off East Street, near Ash and Sandwich, in November 2023.

Statkraft - Europe’s biggest clean energy company - are behind the bid, dubbed Little South Solar Farm.

In planning documents, the firm says: “The development would contribute to local and national ‘Net Zero’ targets with an export capacity of up to 49.9 Megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.”

Any solar farm producing 50 megawatts or more needs development consent from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

That 49.9 MW refers to the maximum amount of power it could produce in any given moment running at maximum efficiency, not over a period of time.

“The annual output of the generating station will provide enough clean electricity to meet the annual electricity demand of up to 15,870 dwellings per annum,” Statkraft continues.

The plot of land where the panels will be built is 390 metres from Ash, and 1.5km from Sandwich.

Statkraft says the plans will contribute to DDC’s plans for the district to be “net zero” by 2030.

Dr Tony Redding, military historian, author and local amateur archeologist, describes the fort as “probably the most important single Roman site in Britain, so it’s got national and international importance”.

The Ash-based history buff, 75, told KentOnline: “There’s a very strong possibility that the first Roman road to be built in Britain runs exactly across the middle of the proposed site.”

However, in planning documents the developers insist “there is no evidence to support the presence of the Roman Road”.

Dr Redding said: “The site is waterlogged and it probably contains archaeological remains in a very high state of preservation, so if this thing goes ahead it’s basically going to drain this marshy area and destroy the deposits.”

He argues that the solar farm “will destroy the setting of the ancient monument”.

In 2043 it will be the 2,000th anniversary of the Roman invasion.

“That is a hugely significant event in British history,” Dr Redding said.

“And when we come to celebrate it in 19 years time, all you’ll see is an ocean of solar arrays.”

Describing the historic site, English Heritage says on its website: “Evocatively sited in East Kent, Richborough is the cradle of life for Roman Britain.

“The Romans started their conquest by landing here in AD 43, and later created a thriving trading hub at the entrance to Roman Britain.”

Permanent Roman occupation of Britain ended in 410 AD.

In response to the concerns, a Statkraft spokesman said: “We have undertaken extensive surveys which show there is no evidence or archaeological record of Roman activity on the site and have taken measures to ensure that Richborough Roman Fort is protected.

“As a result of feedback from the local community, we’ve reduced the maximum height of solar panels and increased their distance from Richborough Roman Fort to 400 metres.

“We’re also including a nature conservation area, which will be more in keeping with how the landscape near the fort looked, before it was farmed.”

It is not yet known when DDC’s planning committee will decide on the development, but an internal deadline of March 22 has been set.