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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the policy paper entitled British energy security strategy, published in April 2022, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that large solar developments are located on previously developed or lower value land and not on graded agricultural land.

The Government recognises the need to preserve the UK’s arable farmland. Planning guidance prioritises effective land use and encourages siting large solar projects on previously developed land. Where solar project proposals involve greenfield land, lower quality land should be used where possible, and projects need to justify using better quality land classifications.

The Government will consult on changing planning rules for ground-mounted solar to strengthen policy in favour of development, while ensuring communities continue to have a say and environmental protections remain in place.