“Solar installations should be rooftop before rural” …

Suffolk County Council is preparing to respond to another large solar farm proposal, this time set to cover around 1,500 acres, near Eye.

EcoPower Suffolk is putting forward plans to build a solar farm and battery storage facility, which would impact Yaxley, Brome, Gislingham, Mellis, Eye and Occold, with connections made at the existing substation to the north of Yaxley.

The project aims to deliver around 250 megawatts of renewable energy. At that size, it will be classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), requiring planning approval from the Secretary of State, rather than the local authority.

Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Devolution, Local Government Reform and NSIPs, says, “Another NSIP is looking to land in Suffolk and for many of the communities impacted by EcoPower Suffolk’s plans, this comes hot on the heels of discussing the Norwich to Tilbury pylon proposals. So I can fully understand how local communities are wearily bracing themselves for a time-consuming and uncertain road ahead.

“It does feel like a case of ‘here we go again’, but I am expecting regular, productive engagement with EcoPower Suffolk – not just with the council, but with local residents and parishes.

“I trust that their opening words on their website are sincere – they talk about collaboration, and a commitment to community engagement and understanding local challenges and aspirations.”

A number of consultations, beginning next month (March), will be held by EcoPower Suffolk as it shapes its final planning application.

The county council will be contributing to these, to support and represent residents, businesses, agriculture, our landscape and ecology.

Cllr Rout continues:“Suffolk County Council has previously been clear in setting out its views that solar farms in Suffolk should not take our best quality farmland out of food production and that, broadly speaking, solar installations should be rooftop before rural.

“Moreover, the council has the highest possible expectations that any solar developer fully rules out any possible links to forced labour in China or elsewhere in the world.”

“Ultimately, any decision to approve or refuse this scheme will be made by the government. The worst-case scenario is that we will suffer a similar farce to the Sunnica project: an incredibly poor proposal, seemingly rushed through on a whim by the Secretary of State, with no interest in the welfare of local communities or the environment. All because the government is hastily chasing an unrealistic target of decarbonising the Grid by 2030.”

EcoPower Suffolk hopes that the project will connect to the Grid in 2030.

• More information can be found at www.ecopowersuffolk.com