Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) the proposed solar plant at Mallard Pass in Rutland and (b) other large scale solar plants on biodiversity.

Due to its proposed size (over 50MW), the Mallard Pass Solar Farm will be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State will therefore be the decision-maker for the application for development consent for the Mallard Pass Solar Project.

The Government recognises that solar projects can affect the local environment. The developers of all large solar projects must complete an Environmental Impact Assessment Statement as part of their planning application, which will include an assessment of the impacts on biodiversity. Well-designed solar farms have been shown to enhance biodiversity.