The North Wiltshire community welcomes today’s statement on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) by Claire Coutinho, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The acknowledgment that NSIPs need to strike the right balance between energy security and food production is welcome. So too is the government’s recognition of the critical role rooftop solar must play if Britain is to meet its net zero targets.
We strongly agree with the Energy Secretary that agricultural land should be protected and food production prioritised when solar proposals are being considered. Wiltshire already has 54 solar farms covering 3000 acres either under construction or in operation, making it one of the largest areas of solar development in Europe. This is why today’s statement by the Secretary of State urging local authorities to consider not just the impact of individual proposals on local community but the cumulative impact of proposals in the same area is a welcome contribution to our campaign.
We remain committed to demonstrating how damaging the industrial sized Lime Down Solar Park proposal is to North Wiltshire.
We also urge the government to deliver on its pledge to explore alternative sources of solar power. One way to do this would be to harness the opportunities presented by Britain’s 600,000 acres of unexploited commercial rooftop space rather than jeopardise food security, biodiversity, and cultural heritage through the development of large-scale solar on agricultural land.
SoS Statement on solar farms 1505.24 (pdf)
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DownloadCommons Debate -2024-04-16 (pdf)
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DownloadEnds Don't Always Justify Means - Roz Savage (pdf)
DownloadLetter to Rt Hon Rishi Sunak Prime Minister regarding solar on farmland (pdf)
DownloadMichelle Donelan objection to Lime Down Proposals 12 April 2024 (pdf)
DownloadDaily Mail article on Sat 23 March - Jamie Blackett (pdf)
DownloadUsing rooftops for solar - moronic and absolute nonsense? (pdf)
DownloadGuardian As Thames Water sinks, Macquarie Group continues its unstoppable rise (pdf)
Download2024 4 1 – FT article Global glut turns solar panels into fence panels (pdf)
DownloadCPRE-Report-Lighting-the-way-final-version (pdf)
DownloadCountryside Alliance_Alliance raises concerns over trend of solar farms on productive_17.04.24 (pdf)
DownloadGuardian_Clean energy’s dirty secret_18.04.24 (pdf)
DownloadFT_Chinese solar groups pull out of tender after EU anti-subsidy probe_16.05.24 (pdf)
DownloadTelegraph_Solar panels must not be built on good farmland_14.05.24 (pdf)
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