As I See It: Newark MP Robert Jenrick hits out on the influx of solar farms in his latest column
The Labour government is wasting no time in pushing through giant solar farms on good agricultural land.
In Newark alone, the proposed Steeples, One Earth, and Great North Road solar farms would make our region one of the most heavily covered areas in Europe.
If approved, these developments would drastically change our landscape, consume thousands of acres of productive farmland, and place an unfair burden on our local communities.
We have seen from day one what Ed Miliband’s approach is. Just days into his new role as Energy Secretary, he greenlit the massive Gate Burton solar farm, which will connect to Cottam.
Given the speed of his decision, one has to question whether he even read the papers on this application. What is clear is that Labour’s plan is full steam ahead for industrial-scale solar farms — regardless of the cost to food security, rural communities, or local democracy.
As if that weren’t bad enough, Labour is also hammering family farms with their new Family Farms Tax — a policy that will see inheritance tax hikes devastate generational farming businesses.
By slapping huge tax bills on families simply trying to pass farms down through generations, Labour is undermining the backbone of our rural economy. They simply don’t get areas like ours. This, combined with their reckless drive to cover prime agricultural land with solar panels, is an all-out assault on our countryside.
The fight to protect our rural communities is far from over. Major schemes like One Earth, Great North Road and The Steeples projects remain pending, and I will continue to fight against them — both at the local and national level.
This week, I wrote to Ed Miliband and requested a meeting with him or his ministers to make our case directly—just as I did with his predecessors.
The cumulative impact of these giant solar farms is devastating for the Trent Valley and the whole county.
They threaten to overwhelm Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire with an unprecedented level of harmful development, taking away vital agricultural land at a time when food security should be a national priority.
I am already working with my neighbouring MPs to challenge this, and I will continue to work across party lines to stop these projects or mitigate their worst effects.
There is a better way. Instead of blanketing our countryside with solar panels, we should be prioritising rooftop solar and brownfield sites—options that do not jeopardise food production or rural communities.
I will not stop fighting for a more balanced and sustainable approach to energy that works for local people, not just the green lobby in Whitehall.
Labour’s twin attack—covering farmland with solar panels and taxing family farms into extinction—will destroy the character and economy of our countryside. We must stand up to this now, before it is too late.
To stay updated and join the campaign against these damaging policies, email me at Robert.Jenrick.MP@parliament.uk. I will always stand up for Newark and fight to protect our countryside from Labour’s destructive agenda.
