'Industrialisation of the Wolds': Warning as North Ray Solar Farm enters planning

Lincolnshire Against Needless Destruction (LAND) is currently analysing both the submission of the proposed North Ray Solar Farm to East Lindsey District Council and the acceptance of Meridian Solar Farm into the Planning Inspectorate’s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) process.

The 98MW North Ray scheme, proposed by TotalEnergies, is the first large-scale solar application in North East Lindsey to be decided locally under new Government planning reforms introduced in January 2026. The changes raised the NSIP threshold from 50MW to 100MW, meaning schemes just under that limit now fall to local authorities rather than national determination.

‘Residents deserve honesty’

Campaigners at LAND say the change places greater pressure on local communities to assess major infrastructure projects without the scrutiny of the national planning system.

Spokesperson Cat Makinson said residents must be given the full picture of what is being proposed.

“Residents deserve absolute honesty,” she said. “North Ray may sit just under the NSIP threshold, but the scale, footprint and long-term consequences are anything but small.

“When a developer still holds a 1,200-acre agreement, it is reasonable for communities to question whether they are being shown the full picture.”

She added: “This is not simply a 98MW scheme — it is the first phase of a much larger industrialisation of the Wolds’ setting. People have a right to understand what may follow.”

‘Two-phase project presented as one’

According to project documents, the land at Ludborough and North Thoresby was originally considered for a much larger 278MW development, later split into a 98MW first phase and a potential second phase of around 180MW.

Although the current application is being presented as a standalone scheme, LAND says the wider land agreement remains in place.

The proposed site lies at the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds, within East Lindsey’s designated protected landscape setting. Campaigners say the area currently forms productive farmland and a key gateway to the Wolds, supporting local businesses and attractions including the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway.

LAND warns that the combined effect of the solar farm, alongside other major infrastructure projects including the Grimsby–Walpole pylons and Viking carbon capture pipeline, could significantly alter the character of the area.

Ms Makinson said: “The Lincolnshire Wolds are not just a beautiful backdrop, they are a national asset.

“Thousands visit every year for walking, cycling, heritage and open countryside. Turning the gateway to the Wolds into an industrial corridor would permanently change how this landscape feels, functions and is experienced.”

Traffic and community concerns

Construction of North Ray is expected to take around three years, with campaigners warning of sustained heavy goods traffic on the A16 and A18, both described as accident blackspots.

Villages including Ludborough, North Thoresby, Utterby and Fulstow are expected to see increased traffic, noise and disruption during the build phase.

Some residents have told LAND they feel overwhelmed by the scale of development proposals and the complexity of the planning process.

One Ludborough resident said: “We feel like we’re having this solar factory forced upon us and it will change our little village forever. It’s frightening, and people feel unheard.”

They added: “We fought off a huge windfarm here ten years ago and while we’re not as young as we were then, our fight against this will be just as strong.”

LAND says it will continue to support the Ludborough Action Group and parish council as the application progresses.

Meridian Solar Farm enters national process

Alongside North Ray, campaigners are also monitoring Meridian Solar Farm, which has now been accepted into the Planning Inspectorate’s NSIP process, meaning it will be examined at a national level rather than locally.

LAND says the two developments highlight the changing scale and speed of renewable energy infrastructure proposals across Lincolnshire.

Call to residents

LAND is urging residents to prepare to take part in the consultation process once East Lindsey District Council begins public engagement on North Ray.

Information, maps and guidance are available via www.lincsland.co.uk