Thank you for contacting me about solar farms.
I agree with you and am concerned that solar farms are taking good agricultural land out of use. I would also prefer that solar panels were on roofs and on every new house and will continue to press the Government on this.
The 'Powering Up Britain' strategy states that: "Government seeks large scale solar deployment across the UK, looking for development mainly on brownfield, industrial and low/medium grade agricultural land. The government will therefore not be making changes to categories of agricultural land in ways that might constrain solar deployment." You can read more about it here.
The National Planning Policy Framework - which sets out guidance to local planning authorities in England - is clear that: “When located in the Green Belt, elements of many renewable energy projects will comprise inappropriate development”. Projects can only proceed in very special circumstances, which may include the wider environmental benefits associated with increased production of energy from renewable sources.
Defra has committed to publishing a land use framework for England which will help inform the management of trade-offs between different land uses and maximising co-benefits of land and I hope that they will take in your opinions (and mine) into account.
