Context
Sir Edward Leigh raised concerns about the amount of agricultural land being set aside for solar farms in his constituency, Gainsborough, citing figures that indicate up to 15% of arable and fertile land could be affected. He requested a holistic approach to planning applications.
Question
What recent discussions has he had with Cabinet colleagues on the development of large-scale solar farms? The Government say only 1% of agricultural land will be taken up by solar farms, but in Gainsborough around 10,000 acres have already been put aside for solar farms, with another 4,000 announced recently. Up to 15% of the constituency's most arable and fertile land is involved. Will he consider applications in the round rather than individually, looking at their cumulative effect on food production and the local environment?
Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Michael Shanks)
Under even the most ambitious scenarios, less than 1% of agricultural land would be occupied by solar farms. The strategic spatial energy planning we have taken forward is important in having a coherent view of the entire energy system, which should have been done many years ago. Individual planning applications are being considered, but there is an emphasis on holistic planning.
Not addressed: Cumulative impact assessment
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