Community rallies for Heanor farm under threat from solar plan

Andrew Dakin told the BBC said the solar sites planned for farmland like his would affect food security

A community has rallied around a farmer whose business is under threat from a 180-acre solar energy development.

Dozens of people from Heanor and surrounding villages in Derbyshire came out to support Andrew Dakin, whose family has worked on Kidsley Park Farm for nearly 100 years.

Residents also raised concerns around the loss of green belt land and said the development was in the wrong place.

Mr Dakin told the BBC: "Without that support, I don't think I'd cope."

A full planning application is expected to be submitted to Amber Valley Borough Council which, if approved, would take away fields he uses to rear cattle for beef and leave only the house he lives in.

Residents in a number of communities in the Amber Valley area are opposing plans for solar farms

The solar farm, which would be built on Mr Dakin's farmland, is one of two applications for neighbouring solar farms north of Derby and Smalley, which would sit 500m apart and cover an area of 328 acres.

Mr Dakin, a third-generation tenant farmer, said: "I would like the farm to stay forever as far as I'm concerned.

"It's not the answer putting solar on green fields - this land is for livestock and for crop growing, like it has been for centuries.

"It's a waiting game now, it's been a stressful time for me. I've got good community support which is backing me all the way and without that support, I don't think I'd cope as much as I do.

"Food security is becoming a major issue - hence the 'no farmers no food' message. People are realising we can't always rely on food from abroad as we did in the past."

Georgia Hubbard, from Heanor, said there was real concern within the community

Georgia Hubbard, 22, from Heanor, is the campaign coordinator for Save Kidsley Park Farm.

"I can't be more grateful to the people that have come out... stood with banners and placards protesting - it means so much to us that they care as much as we do," she said.

"We've got green belt land, agricultural land and that's the land we need to protect. If that goes, it sets a precedent not only in Derbyshire but in the rest of the UK that this type of land is not protected.

"Everybody is on the edge of their seats to find out what happens - [the planning application] is hanging over everybody."

Chris Dent is one of many people who are against the plans for solar farms in the area

Chris Dent, from the Save Denby Green Belt campaign group, said people in the area welcomed green energy projects but not on agricultural land.

"There's a lot of negative feeling from people around here - some are quite confused, some are quite angry," he said.

"There are hundreds of these solar farm developments happening with hundreds more community groups fighting against them."

A spokesman for the solar farm developer, Intelligent Alternatives, previously said harm to the green belt would "not be significant".

Mr Dakin's landlord, The Locko Estate, declined to comment.

More than 50 people turned out for a community rally in opposition to the solar farm plans