East Riding Councillors Raise Concerns Over National Decision-Making For Solar Farms

East Riding councillors have expressed significant concerns about the number of large-scale solar projects being proposed for the area, which are bypassing the local planning process.

Four major solar farms have been put forward in the East Riding at such a scale that they are classified as national infrastructure projects. This designation means the final decision on whether the developments go ahead rests with central government in Westminster, rather than with the local authority.

A motion put forward by Councillor Victoria Aitken calls for cumulative impact to be reaffirmed as a material planning consideration. The motion also urges the government to introduce a cap on the amount of agricultural land in any one area that can be converted for solar use.

Councillor Denis Healy argued that the current system is undermining local democracy and leaving residents feeling ignored.

He said:

"The council is being sidelined from the decision-making process, because these solar farm proposals being classed as national infrastructure, and as a result, we're being pushed out of the decision-making process.

We're not being consulted properly, we're not being listened to, and we're not in control. And that matters, because when residents have concerns, they come to their local councillors, and they say, look what's happening with our farmland, look at the proliferation of solar farms. They're saying why are we seeing multiple schemes in the same area? And who is actually making these decisions? They ask us that. And increasingly, the answer is, well, it's not us.

So, we're held accountable locally, but we are powerless to act, and that is not how local democracy is supposed to work."

Councillor Healy also highlighted the disconnect between national policy makers and the local area.

He added:

"From Whitehall, a scheme might look reasonable in isolation. But on the ground here, in the East Riding, people see the bigger picture and they are worried and rightly so, because once large areas of agricultural land are taken out of use, that change is not easily reversed.

And yet, the system that is meant to weigh those impacts is moving further and further away from the people who understand them. And that's the real issue here. Not just solar, not just energy policy, but control. Who decides? Is it local people through their elected councillors or is it a remote process, where decisions are taken nationally with local voices reduced to submissions on a website."

Councillor Denise Howard stated that a much tougher message needs to be sent to central government and developers regarding the industrialisation of rural areas.

She said:

"If this council is serious about wanting to stop even bigger swathes of the East Riding from disappearing under glass, then I think the message we need to send to central government and to the developers needs to be much tougher.

But if we are to reaffirm cumulative impact as a material planning condition, then we should also be reaffirming some of the other considerations that seem to get swept under the carpet when green energy companies turning up wanting to industrialize our rural areas, like landscape and visual harm, ecology and wildlife, tranquillity and tourism value, for instance, because once this stuff is gone, it's gone."

Councillor Victoria Aitken emphasised that the motion is focused on fairness and protecting the countryside, rather than opposing renewable energy outright.

She said:

"This motion is not anti-solar. It's about standing up for our residents, protecting our countryside, and recognizing the loss of food producing land and ensuring fairness in how these decisions are made.

The East Riding should not be expected to absorb development at this scale without proper regard for cumulative impact and community consequences."

Reflecting on her experience opposing the East Yorkshire solar farm in Howdenshire, Councillor Aitken criticised the lack of local influence over major developments.

She added:

"These decisions are taken nationally by people with no connection to our rural East Riding. So, we are left with an unacceptable position. The impact is local, the countryside is local, the residents are local, but the decision is taken in Westminster, and that cannot be right without stronger safeguards.

I worked relentlessly with residents in Howdenshire to oppose the East Yorkshire solar farm, a site comparable to the size of the city of Durham. It was industrial scale development in our countryside.

Residents tried to engage properly, parish councils tried to engage, concerns were raised about landscape, food producing land, local roads and the industrialization of our rural East Riding, and yet the scheme was approved outside of the local planning process. That is unfair, and it is absolutely bad policy.

Government should be doing far more to prioritize alternatives: rooftops, car parks, brownfield and innovative approaches. This needs to be a national policy that is supported and funded, and we should not be concentrating this scale of development in our rural areas."

The council now plans to produce a clear, accessible guide for residents on how to engage with national infrastructure consultations. It says the guidance will be actively shared with all ward councillors, as well as town and parish councils, to ensure communities are properly informed and involved.