Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Solar Farms: Agricultural Land

28 January 2025 · 9 other contributors · 4,200 words

Opened by Roz Savage Lib Dem South Cotswolds

Responding minister: Sarah Jones

ClimateAgriculture & Rural AffairsEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Roz Savage raised concerns about solar farms: agricultural land in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The hon. Member received numerous messages from residents near the proposed Lime Down site expressing distress over the solar farm proposal.
  • Dr Savage highlighted the loss of agricultural land at nearly 100,000 acres annually and noted over 60% of food is imported, raising concerns about food security.
  • The Minister acknowledged concerns about the impact of renewable energy projects on agricultural land and farmers, stating that less than 1% of UK's agricultural land will be used for solar farms.

Key requests to Government

Dr Savage proposed that we prioritise locations for solar farms that do not affect our ability to meet food security needs. She suggested requiring all new homes to be fitted with solar panels and using the roof spaces of warehouses, public buildings, and car parks instead of agricultural land.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Roz Savage Lib Dem South Cotswolds

The hon. Member has received numerous messages from residents near the proposed Lime Down site, who are distressed about the proposal. Dr Savage highlighted that agricultural land is dwindling at an alarming rate, with nearly 100,000 acres lost annually and over 60% of our food being imported. She raised concerns about the environmental impact of large installations on ecosystems and soil contamination, as well as issues such as tenant farmers facing eviction due to long-term leases and soaring land values.

Other contributors (9)
  • Adrian Ramsay Green Waveney Valley

    Asked about the risk of making piecemeal decisions regarding solar farm locations without a clear land use strategy that balances food security and net zero targets.

  • Edward Morello LD West Dorset

    The hon. Friend stated that the economics of rooftop solar do not currently stand up without Government intervention to guarantee minimum value for export, suggesting that government needs to regulate the market.

  • Greg Smith Con North East Cambridgeshire

    The hon. Member agreed with the points raised about protecting food security and highlighted that associated infrastructure projects like battery storage are also impacting agricultural land, making it a bigger problem than just solar farms. Asks why the Government are focusing on solar when small modular reactors could provide more energy with less land impact.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    The hon. Gentleman raised concerns about the impact of long-term leases on family inheritance tax potential and highlighted that land should be used for food production, with only lower quality or rocky land suitable for solar farms.

  • Not specified in this chunk

    I cannot stress enough that communities hosting clean energy infrastructure are doing a service to our country, and they need to benefit from that. It could be argued that we will all benefit in the long term as energy prices come down and we have more energy security.

  • Pippa Heylings LD South Cambridgeshire

    The hon. Member pointed out the need for a joined-up approach to public acceptance of large-scale solar farms and highlighted the importance of seeing where 0.1% of land use should go.

  • Rachel Gilmour LD Tiverton and Minehead

    The hon. Member suggested that we should put solar panels on commercial buildings and residential houses rather than on farmland.

  • Sarah Jones

    Acknowledged the concerns raised and highlighted that solar farms currently occupy only about 0.1% of UK land, including agricultural land. Stressed the importance of balancing national goals with local impacts through community benefit systems.

  • Tim Farron LD Westmorland and Lonsdale

    The hon. Friend agreed that we should prioritise locations for solar farms that do not impact on our food security needs, citing an example of a solar farm built on non-agricultural land by Westmorland and Furness Council. Questioned the impact of the Budget's significant cut to basic payments for farmers and suggested the need for dialogue with the Treasury on this issue.

Government Response

Sarah Jones

The Minister of State, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Reiterates the government's commitment to clean power, sets out the target for solar power by 2030, addresses planning concerns, and mentions efforts to encourage rooftop solar installation. The Minister acknowledged concerns around the impact of renewable energy projects on agricultural land and farmers. She highlighted that while less than 1% of UK's agricultural land will be used for solar farms, climate change poses a greater threat to food security. She stated the Government’s commitment to introducing a land use framework to balance competing demands and transform how land is used in support of economic growth.

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