Councillors Call For Government Cap On Solar Farms In East Riding

East Riding councillors have unanimously backed a motion calling on the Government to cap the amount of agricultural land that can be converted into solar farms.

Councillors in the East Riding have called for the Government to introduce caps on the amount of agricultural land in any one area that can be converted into solar farms.

At a full council meeting at Beverley Town Hall, members also instructed the local authority to produce a clear guide to help residents engage with Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.

These large-scale developments are too big for the council to make the final decision on, with the planning inspectorate managing the process and a Government minister having the final say.

The solar farm-focused motion was proposed by Councillor Victoria Aitken following a recent spate of major solar farm developments put forward in the East Riding.

Councillor Aitken noted there are currently five nationally significant solar farms in the works across the region, which are too large to be decided on by local councillors because they involve a fifty-megawatt or greater capacity.

Speaking about the sheer scale of the plans, Councillor Aitken said:

"We should not be concentrating this scale of development in our rural areas. Across approved and pending applications, we are looking at over 6,000 hectares of land. And if I may give my world cup analogy, that's around 8,500 football pitches or over 3 million car parking spaces. That is the scale we're talking about, and this is not empty land. It is productive agricultural land, land that supports food production, rural jobs, and farming families. Government cannot treat rural areas as blank space on a map, there must be balance."

She added that the East Yorkshire Solar Farm site planned in her Howdenshire ward was comparable in size to the city of Durham.

Councillor Aitken said:

"We now have at least five nationally significant solar schemes affecting the east riding. And that number is growing. Residents are asking, how much is too much in one place? That is the question Government must now answer. Cumulative impact must be treated as a material planning consideration, and Government must introduce stronger controls, including how much agricultural land in any one area can be converted, so communities like ours do not carry a disproportionate burden."

Her proposal called for a clear, plain English guide to explain the planning process and how residents can engage effectively.

The motion was backed unanimously by fellow councillors.

Councillor Jeremy Wilcock said:

"These represent an existential threat to our farmland."

Green Councillor Andy Walker, who represents Bridlington South, expressed support for solar energy in the context of the climate emergency, but raised concerns about the impact on farming.

Councillor Walker said:

"If energy security comes at the cost of food security, that’s not an intelligent solution."

Councillor Denise Howard added:

"We can’t eat solar panels and at some point, food production has to take precedence."

Two amendments to the motion were proposed, but both failed. Councillor Walker suggested the cap should protect good quality-rated land as well as prime agricultural land, and called for developers to look more at agrivoltaics, where solar farms and agriculture coexist.

Meanwhile, Councillor Phillip Redshaw called for planning rules to consider concerns about the potential impact of large Battery Energy Storage Systems on local water systems, noting that the East Riding chalk aquifer is one of the area's most important natural assets.

Councillor Redshaw said:

"As more solar developments include large-scale battery storage facilities, it is only right that any potential risks to groundwater and public water supplies are subject to rigorous scrutiny before consent is granted."

Councillor Aitken recognised the importance of water but felt it could complicate her motion, which focused on simplifying the planning system for residents.

Some residents have organised a concerted campaign against the developments, forming a group known as East Riding Against Solar Expansion. Members of the group protested outside the full council meeting before watching the proposal pass.

East Riding Against Solar Expansion spokesman George McManus called the result brilliant news, he said:

"A great leap forward. This is the culmination of our two year campaign to get the public involved in the process. The council must now deliver on its promise to provide clear guidance to residents on how to get involved. We are currently sleepwalking towards a great tragedy, the despoiling of our beautiful countryside."

Reacting to the unanimous support, Councillor Aitken said it sent a clear message to the Government, adding:

"We need a planning system that delivers renewable energy, but also protects our countryside, values our farmland, and respects the communities who live there."