Solar farms like Cleve Hill in Graveney – set to be the largest one in Europe – are being approved across the country and on some of our best and most versatile agricultural land. Almost 60% of England’s largest solar farms are on farmland, and of this around 1,300 football pitches’ worth of land is classed as best and most versatile.
I recognise the need to move away from fossil fuels and I support the move to cleaner energy. But covering acres of our best farmland with solar panels is not the answer. We are far from self-sufficient in food production as it is. We need to keep our best farmland for producing food.
So I’ve signed a letter to the Prime Minister, standing up for farmers, food security and our countryside. It calls for a clear ban on large solar developments on our most productive farmland and calls for the Government to prioritise solar panels on buildings and brownfield sites instead. We must protect our key agricultural land, especially as climate change, international instability and a growing population put even more pressure on our ability to secure food for the UK.
I care deeply about preserving the countryside that makes our area so special, and I will always stand up for farmers and our rural way of life.
