Campaign welcomes solar reforms but warns over farmland loss
A Lincolnshire campaign group has welcomed new government plans to expand plug-in solar and rooftop panels, but warned that the loss of prime farmland remains a major concern.
Lincolnshire Against Needless Destruction (LAND) said the move towards plug-in solar — expected to be available in UK shops within months — and proposals for most new homes to include rooftop panels were a “vital step” towards a more affordable and resilient energy system.
However, the group says large-scale solar developments on high-quality agricultural land are still being allowed to grow.
According to LAND, 47% of land approved for major solar projects in Lincolnshire is classified as Best and Most Versatile (BMV) farmland — Grades 1 to 3a — which the Government has said should be protected.
Campaign lead Cat Makinson said: “We welcome these new measures. Plug-in solar and rooftop requirements are exactly the kind of common-sense solutions the UK has needed for years.
“But the elephant in the room remains the unchecked rollout of vast solar sites on Lincolnshire’s best farmland. You cannot talk about energy security while quietly eroding food security.”
The group argues the UK should focus more on decentralised energy systems, using rooftops, brownfield land and smaller community projects rather than large-scale developments.
LAND spokesperson Peter Phillips said: “If we are serious about resilience, we must stop treating farmland as expendable. Lincolnshire plays a key role in feeding the nation, and once this land is lost, it is gone.”
The campaign group is calling on the Government to introduce stronger protections for farmland and prioritise alternative locations for solar energy.
However. MP for Boston and Skegness and deputy leader of the Reform Party remains unimpressed by the proposals affecting building. He posted on social media: “The Government is adding yet more cost to new homes with more heat pumps, meaning prices go up, demand goes down.”
Previously a DESNZ spokesperson addressed concerns about farmland and told Lincolnshire World: “The biggest threat to agriculture and nature is the climate crisis.
“Solar is one of the cheapest and quickest forms of energy to build, getting us off fossil fuels and delivering energy security so we can get bills down for good.
“Even in the most ambitious scenarios, we only expect up to 0.4% of total UK land to be occupied by 2030.”