Campaigners join national walk against solar farms

Campaigners have taken part in a walk to protest against plans to install thousands of solar panels on prime agricultural land.

The Claydons Solar Action Group organised the event near Winslow and The Claydons in Buckinghamshire as part of a national community walk day on Sunday to highlight the issue of rural solar farm development.

Developers say the Rosefield Solar Farm would provide enough clean energy to power more than 57,000 homes - and would have a shelf life of 40 years.

The Conservative Mid Buckinghamshire MP, Greg Smith, described the plan as "inefficient technology that trashes the countryside and damages our food security".

A government spokesperson said projects were "subject to a rigorous planning process, in which the views and interests of the local community and impacts on the local environment, including any impact on amenities, landscapes and land use, are considered."

The walk at Botolph Claydon was one of 25 taking place nationally against solar farm developments, with others planned in Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk and Bedfordshire.

Geography teacher Lorraine Campbell, who has lived in the area for 15 years, said: "The whole reason people come to live in the countryside is because they want to be able to enjoy the wildlife and the landscape.

"It's being taken away from us.

"This is not the place for solar panels. This is agricultural grade land, it's full of biodiversity.

"Solar panels should be put on the roofs of warehouses, of distribution centres. There are hundreds of those."

Local councillor Frank Mahon said the plan was a "ridiculous proposal".

"North Buckinghamshire has become a dumping ground for major infrastructure, HS2, East West Rail, a mega prison, not to mention three solar farms.

"Nobody is taking into consideration the beautiful countryside we have and the amount of farmers that will lose their livelihoods."

MP Mr Smith said constituents were "absolutely opposed to the dearth of solar farms, battery storage, substation rebuilds that we're seeing in our beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside".

"Two thousand acres of solar panels to produce enough energy for 50,000 homes - a tiny tiny fraction of our energy need."

A government spokesperson said: "Solar is at the heart of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, and just this week the government confirmed that new build homes will have solar panels by default.

"As of September last year, solar farms covered around 0.1 per cent of the total land area of the UK, while bringing huge benefits for the British public and our energy security."

A consultation on the Rosefield plan took place between 18 September and 5 December 2024 and the planning process was ongoing.

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