Gainsborough's MP and councillors have spoken out about West Burton solar farm plans

The latest consultation on the proposal ended on August 23, and objections have been made.

Coun Jeff Summers, who has been a councillor in West Lindsey for 20 years, said: “I have spent my whole life working in agriculture and at the age of 72 I’m still going strong.

“West Lindsey District Council has been approached by several speculators aiming to acquire planning permission to erect solar panels over approximately 10,000 acres of very productive arable land between Lincoln and Gainsborough, with a view to making a grid connection at West Burton and Cottam Power Stations, situated close to the River Trent near Gainsborough. I am strongly opposed to these proposals.”

Gainsborough MP, Sir Edward Leigh, who is also against the amount of solar farm plans currently proposed, said: “It is the height of insanity to take good land out of agricultural use in the middle of a global food crisis.

"Ministers have made clear this should not happen and I am confident that if local residents make their voices heard these proposals will be turned down.

"Food security is vital in the wake of the war in Eastern Europe and we must make sure Lincolnshire continues to be the breadbasket of England.”

A spokesperson for Island Green Power said: “Over the summer we held a second phase of public consultation on our proposals for two nationally significant solar projects. Collectively, these could contribute over 1,000 MW of low carbon electricity to the National Grid through connection points at Cottam and West Burton.

"Our team is now working to consider all of the further feedback that we received through this second round of consultation. These comments will again help us to refine our proposals ahead of submitting our planning application later this year.

“We appreciate the need to carefully consider the design of each site that forms our solar projects. We are grateful to everyone who has taken time so far to engage with us by providing their comments and thoughts on our proposals.”