A Lincolnshire farmer says renting out land to solar farm developers is five times more profitable than growing food on it.
His landlord is one of several who have agreed to be part of a 2,400 acre solar farm near Sleaford.
The Leoda Solar Farm would cover the equivalent of around 1,360 football pitches between Leadenham, Brant Broughton, and Welbourn, new plans confirmed last week.
The site of the Leoda Solar Farm.
With the agricultural community being squeezed ever tighter, the farmer – who has asked not to be named – says more will undoubtedly sell up to solar.
“The money is so good compared to farming. You can hardly blame them,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“A developer will pay £1,200 per acre per year – that’s five times the amount you would get from grain.
The site of the Leoda Solar Farm.
“The money is just colossal.
“The government already subsidises crops for biodigestors rather than food – this is just another form of that.
“We’ve had a bad winter, and next year looks like it will be bad too because too much food got imported, pushing prices lower.
“There will be more farmers turning to solar without a doubt.”
He says that a group behind a second development which isn’t yet public are currently reaching out to nearby landowners.
This project – supposedly a year behind the Leoda farm – could potentially cover up to 2,000 acres south of the A17.
“We could end up in a situation where there’s nearly 5,000 acres of solar panels in this area alone,” the Leadenham farmer said.
“People in the village aren’t really talking about them yet much – I don’t think they realise how big they will be.
“Perhaps North Kesteven District Council should have let a few smaller ones through, and we wouldn’t have these enormous ones instead.”
Due to the scale of the project, the Leoda solar farm will be deemed ‘nationally significant’.
The Planning Inspectorate will make a recommendation once plans are formally submitted, and the Secretary of State for Energy will make a decision.
The farmer said: “I wonder if [current Secretary] Ed Miliband will be making a visit in person before he decides?”
The Cliff Villages Solar Action Group will be hosting a meeting on the plans at The Venue in Navenby on Thursday, January 16, from 5pm to 7pm.
One of the organisers said: “It would cover a huge area, and we would lose all that agricultural land.
“I personally think we should be focusing on nuclear energy instead.”
Developer Telis Energy UK will be holding a six-week public consultation starting on Thursday, January 23 for local community members and other interested parties.
The project’s website says its plans are at an early stage and are subject to change.
Alex Herbert, the project’s head of planning, said: “As the UK continues its transition towards renewable energy, projects like Leoda Solar Farm are vital.
“This project not only supports national goals for net zero emissions but also provides a significant opportunity to invest in our environment, health, and local communities.
“We are committed to working closely with stakeholders and residents over the coming months to develop a project that benefits both the region and the country as a whole.”
North Kesteven District Council leader Richard Wright recently said he was ‘seriously concerned’ how many large applications are being suggested for the area.
He said the council was listening to residents, but had its hands tied by the planning process.