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A plan for 200 solar panels on an island associated with crime writer Agatha Christie have been blasted as 'horrific' by a former owner.

Tony Porter said the panels would 'spoil' Burgh Island off the south Devon coast. 

The current owners of the island and its hotel say the site, measuring 335 square metres, on a former tennis court, will be protected from view by hedges. 

The pretty Burgh Island off the South Devon Coast could be set to go solar, which some say will 'spoil' it

Literary inspiration: Crime writer Agatha Christie wrote her novel Evil Under the Sun on Burgh Island

Hotel owners: Tony Orchard and Deborah Clark, plan to install 200 solar panels on an old tennis court

Deborah Clark and Tony Orchard, who own the Art Deco hotel where Christie stayed when she wrote, have applied to South Hams Council in Devon for permission. 

But former owner Tony Porter - who sold the island in 2001 - said: 'We are horrified that this application has been lodged. We spent 16 years doing everything we could to restore it to its former beauty. 

'Now this green island sleeping in the sun is going to be scarred by this horrible shiny thing. It will be visible from miles away. It is going to glint in the sun and spoil the whole thing.' 

The island inspired the setting for Christie's Evil Under the Sun - one of her Hercule Poirot mysteries. 

The plans for the implementation of the solar panels which can be viewed on the South Hams Council website

Well hidden: The owners of the Art Deco hotel believe the solar panels would be concealed by hedges 

The Art Deco Hotel:  Its owners have applied for controversially  permission to install solar panels nearby

So far there have been four objections to the plan, including one from a neighbour who overlooks the island. Hubert Ashton said: 'This would be a monstrous carbuncle on an old friend. It would be ruinous for the beauty of the island.'

Stuart Watts, of Bigbury Parish Council, said: 'As a feature the island is known around the world so this is bound to prove controversial and stir up a huge amount of interest.' 

A spokesman for South Hams Council in Devon told Mail Online: 'I don't think this type of planning application has been put forward for the island before, but every application is looked at individually on its merits.

'The application will be looked at very carefully, It's a unique situation in so far as Burgh is a private island and yet planning is a public process.' 

All of the letters of objection, which can be viewed on South Hams Council website along with the proposal, will be considered. 

Mr C Ashton wrote: 'This cannot be in the interests of protecting and maintaining an area of outstanding natural beauty which attracts people from far and wide.

'Putting solar panels where you suggest will be visible from all around on the mainland and clearly will ruin any walks that people might want to take on the island thus presumably having a negative impact on visitor numbers.'

Meanwhile Mrs Katie MacEachran added: 'I feel this will be a hideous eyesore and not in keeping with the surroundings at all.'