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Solar Farms: Agricultural Land
28 January 2025
Lead MP
Roz Savage
South Cotswolds
LD
Responding Minister
Sarah Jones
Tags
EconomyClimate
Word Count: 4200
Other Contributors: 9
At a Glance
Roz Savage raised concerns about solar farms: agricultural land in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
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:
Lead Contributor
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tiverton and Minehead
The hon. Member suggested that we should put solar panels on commercial buildings and residential houses rather than on farmland.
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
Government Response
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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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.