The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal backed Corangamite Shire Council's decision to reject the proposal.

Andrew Duynhoven, an objector and neighbour to the proposed site, said glasses would be raised from a property adjoining the land that would have housed the solar farm.

"There will be a celebration," Mr Duynhoven said.

"We will sit in Ian Urquhart's front yard tonight, have a sherbet and take in the view."

Mr Duynhoven said he was still digesting the news and conceded he thought there was a 70 to 80 per cent chance that the permit would be issued.

"Our only chance, I thought, was that we would get enough conditions on it to make it not viable," he said.

"To win outright is unbelievable."

Mr Duynhoven said the victory was a team effort, with objectors forking out about $20,000 in legal fees and dedicating hundreds of hours to their cause.

He said while he had faith in the process, he was acutely aware it was a David versus Goliath battle.

VCAT ruled that it had ruled against issuing a permit due to a number of deficiencies in the applicant's proposal.

In their report, VCAT's Mark Dwyer and Margaret Baird said they considered whether to issue an interim decision to allow the issues to be addressed, but decided against that.

"The deficiencies in the proposal therefore lead us to a decision that the application, as currently framed, should be refused," they stated.

Mr Duynhoven said he was aware that the fight was not over, as the applicant could submit amended plans, but said he was savouring the win.

"At the end of the day, I'll take the here and now," he said.

"We will tip our hats and have a champagne to celebrate."

Mr Duynhoven said he hoped the size of the proposal would be reduced in any future applications for a solar farm at the site.

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