Senior councillor says Holbeach Bank land should be kept for agriculture and not solar farm

Solar farms should not be built on prime agricultural land, according to a senior councillor.

Coun Nick Worth is opposing plans to build a 48MW solar farm on land in Holbeach Bank - saying that it should still be used to grow crops.

The Holbeach Hurn councillor also believes that the site is classed as Grade I agricultural land, and not as developer, AUK PE12, suggests the lower Grade II.

The London based developer has applied to create a solar farm on an 80 acre site which lies between Middle Bank Road and Roman Bank.

It could create enough power for 14,400 homes annually.

Coun Worth, who is the district council’s porfolio holder for People, Places, Economy, said: “I think it is far more important to be growing crops and food for the nation rather than solar panels which produce a relatively small amount of energy.

“We need to be self sufficient as a country. We are one of the biggest food growers in the UK and we have 80 hectares being taken out of food production - I think it is bonkers.

“Why not put them on brown field sites or there is plenty of land around the county that are used by sheep farming.

“There are plenty of areas in the county that have field which do not grow much food on them.

“I am not against solar farms but I am against them in the wrong location.”