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Large-scale Solar Farms
18 April 2024
Lead MP
Caroline Johnson
Sleaford and North Hykeham
Con
Responding Minister
Andrew Bowie
Tags
Crime & Law EnforcementEconomyClimateEnergyBusiness & TradeAgriculture & Rural Affairs
Word Count: 25505
Other Contributors: 16
At a Glance
Caroline Johnson raised concerns about large-scale solar farms in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The MP asks for a comprehensive land use strategy that prioritises agricultural needs over energy security, encourages the use of brownfield sites and rooftops instead of farmland, addresses the backlog in grid connection prioritisation, assesses costs accurately, and ensures strict guidance to avoid the best agricultural lands.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The MP is concerned about the impact of large-scale solar farms on food security, particularly in Lincolnshire which produces a significant portion of the UK's vegetables and poultry. She notes that many proposals are targeting prime farmland, with some covering up to 9,109 hectares and reducing UK's valuable food production capacity. The MP highlights the loss of arable land due to solar farms and the potential reliance on foreign food sources with less stringent environmental standards.
Alan Whitehead
Lab/Co-op
Southampton, Test
Thanked the Chair and hon. Members for their contributions on large-scale solar farms. Emphasized that while defending one's constituency is not nimbyism, there needs to be a balance between rapid deployment of solar energy and managing its impact on communities. Stressed the importance of reaching targets like 70 GW by 2035 and discussed the role of brownfield sites in solar development.
Danny Kruger
Reform
East Wiltshire
Eight of the 10 largest solar sites in England are in Wiltshire. Local authorities should have more power to determine a solar strategy for their area rather than conforming to national rules.
David Davis
Con
Goole and Pocklington
The balance of solar power and wind has let down Germany during cloudless and windy periods. Other countries, including the UK, should be cautious about relying solely on solar power. Critiques the dismissive use of 'nimbyism' towards those protecting their property rights in rural areas where they moved for peace, work opportunities, or a good environment. He argued that the pricing mechanisms for solar farms make tenant farming uneconomical, suggesting foreign investors might prefer to remove tenant farmers in favour of solar farm developments. Davis highlighted the imbalance in current policy towards large-scale solar farms, emphasizing their negative impact on landscapes and local environments. He cited an example of a project covering 3,500 acres, which is equivalent to 2,000 football fields or about 1.5 times the size of Heathrow airport. Davis argued that the national infrastructure rules diminish local decision-making power over these projects, leading to environmental and economic harm for communities near hubs in the national grid. He proposed legislating to incentivise or mandate the use of rooftops for solar panels instead of large-scale ground-mounted farms. My right hon. Friend makes a brilliantly important point on the issue of tax relief, particularly inheritance tax relief, which has led to vast quantities of British countryside being owned for the sole purpose of avoiding inheritance tax, thereby driving financialisation. I am listening with interest to the hon. Gentleman. Does he agree that if we increase the incentive, up to the point of mandating in some cases, for the use of brownfield sites and roofs and so on, that is likely to alter the economics, with people like Elon Musk and others investing in more cost-effective and more easily used photovoltaic cells for that purpose?
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Edward Leigh argued against large-scale solar farms, stating they undermine agriculture and the countryside. He highlighted that Lincolnshire is a major food producer and emphasized the need to prioritize agricultural land over solar installations on good farmland. Leigh cited concerns about property value decreases, tourism impacts, and environmental justice issues.
Greg Smith
Con
Mid Buckinghamshire
Expressed significant concern over the impact of large-scale solar farms on agricultural land in his constituency, highlighting that 3,600 acres have been allocated or planned for solar installations. Emphasised the negative effects on food security, wildlife, local economy and tourism.
James Gray
Con
North Wiltshire
There is a surprise development regarding the debate on solar farms, but no specific details are provided beyond this interjection. The Member raised a question about the lack of national policy on solar farm development, asking whether the Government prefers large-scale or smaller sites for solar installations and suggesting that a clear strategy is needed. He questioned the accuracy of land classification grades 3a and 3b as determined by developers' surveyors, highlighting inconsistencies with Natural England's undefined maps and potential biases. Expressed concerns about large-scale solar farms proposed in North Wiltshire, particularly the Lime Down project. Noted that the application includes 2,000 acres of panels and significant blight on surrounding areas. Highlighted existing overcapacity with eight of England's largest solar farms already within his constituency. There is a perversity here, of course, which is that the further away a site is from the input into the grid, the bigger it has to be. Because Lime Down, the one in my constituency, is 30 miles away from a link into the grid, it has to be at least 2,000 acres, probably more, in order to pay for the connection. He criticized the consultation process for large-scale solar farms, stating that it is not considering community opposition to these projects.
John Hayes
Con
South Holland and The Deepings
My hon. Friend has done a great service to the House by bringing this debate to our attention, highlighting that compromising food security for energy security is nonsensical. There are three deceptions in large-scale solar developments: dodgy reclassification of land, inclusion of different grades of land in the development, and exclusion of local authorities and people from decision-making processes. The Member for South Holland and the Deepings defended his area from what he described as the 'menace' of large-scale solar farms, emphasizing his commitment to protecting local interests.
Karen Bradley
Con
Staffordshire Moorlands
She raised concerns about multiple small-scale solar farm applications being submitted in her constituency, urging district councils to have adequate training to assess cumulative impacts and suggesting the Government should pause granting such applications. Another choice needs to be made when it comes to solar, which relates to the use of slave labour in the production of many solar panels and the materials that go into them. We should not have to make a choice between being environmentally friendly and respecting human rights by ensuring that forced labour is not active in supply chains.
Martin Vickers
Con
Brigg and Immingham
Planning guidance for local authorities needs to be interpreted more robustly to prevent excessive development of solar farms in Lincolnshire.
There are applications in my constituency for 1,200 acres and several other smaller-scale applications amounting to 2,000 acres total. The decision-making process regarding land classification needs robustness and integrity to ensure agricultural use.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is reviewing the suitability of best and most versatile land for solar planning applications, emphasising that balance must be achieved in placing solar farms appropriately.
Rachel Maclean
Lab
Wythenshawe and Sale East
Ms Maclean strongly opposes the development of a solar farm on 287 acres of farmland in her constituency, citing concerns over loss of agricultural land, fire risks, and damage to local green spaces. She notes that there is insufficient funding for brownfield site redevelopment compared to greenfield sites and criticises Labour's stance on housing targets. She asked the Minister when the solar road map will be published.
Richard Fuller
Con
North Bedfordshire
Small-scale solar farms are generally welcomed by local communities in my constituency, but large-scale developments have caused consternation and environmental concern. The Member for North Bedfordshire highlighted the economic challenge farmers face when comparing solar power pricing with farming, noting that the strike price for solar power has increased from £47 to £61 per megawatt hour. He suggested that if there is an overabundance of solar production capacity compared to demand, there needs to be a more balanced approach to support both industries.
Robert Jenrick
Reform
Newark
The scale of solar farm applications in my constituency will profoundly impact the landscape and more than 60 villages, changing it for a generation. This is unfair and against the Prime Minister's stance on over-zealous net zero application. Highlights the scale and impact of proposed solar panels, noting that some panels are as high as houses and will be placed near homes, significantly affecting quality of life.
David Amess
Con
Southend West
The MP agrees with the lead MP's concerns about large-scale solar farms on prime farmland in Lincolnshire, highlighting that such projects are detrimental to food security and should be discouraged.
Therese Coffey
Con
Suffolk Coastal
Concerned about the impact of solar farms on agricultural land and food security, questioning the economic incentives for farmers and the transparency of planning processes. Advocated for a balanced approach to land use between renewable energy and agriculture. She highlighted concerns about the connection process for solar farms and called for a moratorium on further connections until the issue can be addressed. She referred to NPS EN-3 in her remarks.
Government Response
Andrew Bowie
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Henderson. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham on securing this incredibly important and timely debate on large-scale solar and the impact of the plans on rural England. The Government adopted our sixth carbon budget with the world's most ambitious climate change goal—to reduce emissions by 77% by 2035, compared with 1990 levels—and we aim for up to 70 GW of solar capacity by 2035. To achieve this, we need both rooftop and ground-mounted technology, with the latter being one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation. The Department recognises that solar projects may impact communities and the environment; however, the planning system must balance these impacts against national energy needs. Developers are required to justify using land classified as best and most versatile agricultural (BMV) land and to design their projects to avoid, mitigate and where necessary compensate for any impacts. Concerns remain about the scale and volume of projects proposed on BMV land in specific areas with historic grid connections. The Government are listening and working on ensuring that balance is met. Solar and farming can be complementary, supporting each other financially, environmentally and through shared use of land. Analysis shows that even if all additional solar needed to meet the British energy security strategy ambition of 70 GW were to come forward as ground-mounted solar, it would use less than 1% of UK utilised agricultural land. The planning system sets out how applicants should consider cumulative impacts when preparing an application for a development consent order. We are also working with Ofgem and network companies to increase grid capacity and prevent speculative projects from obtaining and retaining network capacity. Community engagement is vital, with established routes in the planning system to enable communities to raise concerns about developments. The Government do not have a formal role with regard to community benefits for solar and other large-scale renewable energy projects; these are best agreed at a local level between the renewable operator and the local communities. We are working with Solar Energy UK to provide further guidance on how to support local communities and deliver community benefits, aiming for a more consistent approach across the country. The issue of forced labour in supply chains was raised, and I reassured Members that the Government are committed to tackling this issue through new guidance, enhanced export controls and financial penalties for non-compliance under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.