Marsh solar park plans questioned by campaigners

Amanda Farrant is part of the Hands Off Our Marsh campaign

Campaigners against proposals to build three large-scale solar parks claim the government's ambition to treble the amount of solar capacity in the UK is "fundamentally flawed" and "damaging".

Amanda Farrant, who lives near the proposed Shepway Energy Park, says if plans are approved it would be "like living in the middle of a massive, great big solar power station".

Three solar parks being put forward for Romney Marsh in Kent are at various stages of planning and consultation. None have yet been submitted to the planning inspectorate.

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said solar contributed five per cent of total electricity generation in 2024.

Solar 'gold rush'

Opponents to the Romney Marsh plans raise concerns they will damage unique and fragile habitats and take up productive farm land.

Ms Farrant, who formed the Hands Off Our Marsh campaign, believes there are better options to solar energy calling it "too intermittent" and that the government's solar ambitions are generating a solar "gold rush".

"It's all about speed and getting it done quickly," she claimed, adding the approach could lead to "devastation" of the rural environment.

There is scepticism from some about the effectiveness of solar panels.

Prof Tony Day, an independent energy consultant and visiting professor at London South Bank University, said the government target would only deliver 2-3.5% of national energy needs in the depths of winter.

"Even in the peak of summer the average monthly power output is around one fifth of headline capacity figure," Prof Day said.

"No other generation asset would be considered viable with this type of delivery or energy risk profile."

Three energy companies - SSE Renewables, EDF Power Solutions UK/PS Renewables and Low Carbon - are proposing projects on the Romney Marsh

The government's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan hopes the UK will have 45-47GW of solar capacity by 2030.

Proposals for a 500MW South Kent Energy Park in Old Romney would see more than 1,400 acres turned over to solar.

Plans for the 200MW Shepway Energy Park, near Newchurch, see an area made up of six sites covering more than 1,000 acres.

South Brooks Solar Farm's 500MW plan is made up of several sites potentially over more than 2,700 acres.

If approved they would be three of the biggest solar parks in the country.

Due to the size of the proposals they are classed as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) and the decision to approve or reject the plans is made at a national level, not by local councils.

Since coming to power Labour has approved 11 NSIP solar parks around the UK.

Colin Woollard claims there is an "ideological push" for solar energy from the government

Colin Woollard, who lives and works on Romney Marsh, bought 256 solar panels from China in 2023 to power his motorsport engineering manufacturing business, with a 140KW capacity.

He says when he bought them he was sold the idea that it would work all year round. "It just doesn't," he said.

Mr Woollard said on a cloudy day in November they only generated 21 kilowatts, which he said was "basically seven kettles of water".

He questioned the ability to "run a country" on such an inefficient model.

'Delivering energy security'

The government says solar offers potential to boost the country's energy independence, bring down bills and tackle the climate crisis.

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: "Solar is one of the cheapest forms of power and – alongside upgrades to the electricity grid – will help us get us off fossil fuels and delivering energy security so we can get bills down for good.

"All projects are subject to rigorous planning processes, and the views of the local community must be taken into account."

The three developers of the proposed sites said they had consulted residents and that the feedback would help to inform the projects.