Solar Panels on Agricultural Land Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Roz Savage
Main Page: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)Department Debates - View all Roz Savage's debates with the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Solar Panels on Agricultural Land
Roz Savage Excerpts(3 days, 12 hours ago)
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Dr Roz Savage (South Cotswolds) (LD)
Does the right hon. Lady agree that it cannot be right that farmers in the South Cotswolds, who have had no say in this, now face the compulsory acquisition of rights over their land purely because the developer has chosen to locate a solar farm 13 miles away from the nearest grid connection?
Esther McVey
I agree with the hon. Lady, and I hope the Minister is listening to what all right hon. and hon. Members are saying about this issue.
According to the Commons Library, between August 2025 and July 2026 some 733 solar photovoltaic projects received planning permission across the United Kingdom. That shows the pace at which solar developments are reshaping our countryside, with around 188,000 acres approved for grid-scale solar projects across the UK.