Residents meet to fight solar farm plans between Lincoln and Sleaford

A councillor leading the charge against large solar farms says she believes the government will be forced to reconsider its policy.

Councillor Marianne Overton (Ind) has urged people to keep the pressure on as the plans advance.

The proposals for the Springwell, Fosse Green and Leoda projects would convert around 10,000 acres of countryside between Lincoln and Sleaford into solar farms.

More than three hundred local residents met in Welbourn village hall on Tuesday last week to co-ordinate resistance to the schemes.

The flurry of major applications for the area was compared to a “gold rush”, leaving residents worried about its future.

Councillor Overton, who is the chair of the Cliff Villages Solar Action Group, said: “I think the government can’t begin to think this is a good idea when you look at the facts.

“They must be teetering on the edge of that policy, we want to give them a push.

“We need local people to demonstrate they care, and I can use that nationally to show the policy needs to change.

“People are really anxious and angry about the desecration of our rural countryside. Our rural nature is being threatened by industrial developments on an unprecedented vast scale.”

Solar farm developers say the installations are needed to provide sustainable, renewable energy, and would be removed after a 40 year period.

However, locals believe they are too large and too concentrated in one area.

David Crampton, a member of the Leoda action group, said it was a “gold rush”, with companies sensing there was “money to be made in Lincolnshire”.

There was criticism of the planning system which meant these “nationally significant” applications were being decided by the government rather than local councils.

Marc Williams leads the Springwell Action Group, which is the application closest to a decision.

“It’s a slow, challenging process. You come away feeling like you’ve made some headway but there’s so much negative news about solar farms being given the go-ahead,” he said.

“Even when they’re refused locally, the government overturns it – you feel like you’re pushing water uphill.

“I don’t come across anyone in favour. Some people think no matter what we do it will happen so they’re resigned and are less vocal.”

Energy minister Ed Miliband said earlier this year: “Solar is at the heart of our mission to make the United Kingdom a clean energy superpower.

“It is one of the cheapest and quickest to build power sources we have, and every solar panel we install helps us take back control of our energy supply.”

The Springwell application is being brought by EDF Renewables UK and Luminous Energy, who say it would power 180,000 homes and help the transition to renewable energy.

It is currently being considered by the Planning Inspectorate after public hearings in May, with ones to follow for Fosse Green and Leoda.