The UK government's plans to build solar farms are causing frustration among farmers, who claim that the relaxation of planning rules is a kick in the teeth for the agricultural sector. The decision will allow 110,640 solar panels to be installed across 14 fields in Burnhope, County Durham, without proper local scrutiny.
Residents in Burnhope, County Durham, are set to be frustrated by a planning system that has paved the way for 110,640 solar panels to be installed across 14 fields.
Ministers have relaxed planning rules, allowing judicial reviews to be barred on 'all but human rights grounds'. This decision is a kick in the teeth for the agricultural sector, as many of these solar farms are being sited on valuable fertile land needed for food production.
For example, the Sunnica Energy Farm on the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border will devour 2,500 acres of land, half of which is prime agricultural land. This is symptomatic of the government's view of farmers, as seen by the former President of the National Farmers' Union, who witnessed this issue firsthand.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is facing backlash for plans to build solar farms, despite the fact that a farmer must jump through hoops to extend a building like a chicken shed to meet welfare food production requirements. The relaxation of planning rules is utter madness, as it means the UK will import more food produced to lower standards.
This is not just limited to solar farms, as the same issue applies to reservoirs, which are essential for farmers to irrigate crops. However, farmers often face years of red tape and bureaucratic nightmares to get permission to build a reservoir. The distressing thing is that farmers have much to offer a community, but are being hindered by the government's decisions.
As the former President of the National Farmers' Union points out, we are running out of time to make simple but vital changes to ensure we can produce the food we need. Relying on imports is dangerously foolhardy, especially with global crises like the war in Ukraine and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The UK should be producing more food here, as it keeps more money within the UK economy, provides jobs and economic growth.
Alarmingly, UK farms now produce less than 65 per cent of food bought domestically, down from 78 per cent in 1984. The costs for farmers are expected to be over 30 per cent higher next year than five years ago, and the £2.4billion farming budget for England has all but flatlined since 2007. The government needs to work with farmers, not tie their hands behind their backs.
With 70 million people to feed, the nation's food security should be taken every bit as seriously as our defence needs
Solar Farms Planning Rules Agricultural Sector Farmers Food Security
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