Liz Truss is poised to ban photo voltaic initiatives from most farms in England in a transfer that may dismay local weather change campaigners and a few Tory backbenchers.
The prime minister has lengthy been against photo voltaic farms on agricultural land, condemning them as “a blight on the landscape” when she was surroundings secretary in 2014.
And throughout the Tory management marketing campaign this summer season, she mentioned she needed to see farmers producing meals with crops and livestock, “not filling fields with paraphernalia like solar farms”.
Politics reside: Kwarteng confirms U-turn on date for financial forecast
Confirming an imminent ban on photo voltaic initiatives on farmland, the PM’s spokesman mentioned: “We need to enhance long run vitality and meals safety.
“We are looking at regulations and investment that impacts farmers to make sure our projects boost food production and protect the environment. It’s farmers who are best to decide how best to use their land.”
Under proposed modifications to planning laws, it’s estimated that photo voltaic initiatives could be banned from about 40% of land in England and virtually 60% of agricultural land.
But the photo voltaic ban has already been criticised by Tory MP Angela Richardson, who has a majority of simply 3,337 over the Liberal Democrats in her “Blue Wall” constituency of Guildford in Surrey.
“There is a planning application for a solar farm in my constituency, which I support, as it will help my local university meet its net zero aims by 2030,” she tweeted.
“A blanket ban on solar farms would be unwise. They should be looked at on a case by case basis.”
Ms Truss voiced her robust hostility to wind farms on the Tory management hustings in Darlington on 9 August and in Cheltenham on 11 August.
“I’m somebody who wants to see farmers producing food, not filling in forms, not doing red tape, not filling fields with paraphernalia like solar farms,” she mentioned in Darlington. “What we want is crops and we want livestock.”
Two days later in Cheltenham, she mentioned: “I think one of the most depressing sights when you’re driving through England is seeing fields that should be full of crops or livestock full of solar panels.
“I’m not in opposition to photo voltaic panels per se. There are loads of industrial roofs in Britain the place we may very well be placing photo voltaic panels. But the place they should not be is on agricultural lands that needs to be used for meals manufacturing.”
The row over solar panels on farmland comes as the PM faces a rural rebellion over nature protection and the environment as she pursues her dash for economic growth.
Environmentalists and wildlife campaigners have reacted angrily to her response to Greenpeace protesters who interrupted her Tory conference speech, when she denounced them as part of an “anti-growth coalition”.
In a Sunday Times interview at the weekend, National Trust boss Hilary McGrady accused Ms Truss of “demonising” conservationists and said her members were outraged and worried about the threat posed by her policies.
‘Empowering local places’
Scrapping EU laws protecting the environment, creating the government’s proposed investment zones in national parks and lifting the ban on fracking are also bitterly opposed by the green lobby.
And as MPs return to Westminster after the party conference recess with Tory support collapsing in opinion polls, some Conservative MPs are also alarmed at the prospect of voters in rural areas deserting the party.
Defending the plan to allow investment zones in national parks, a government spokesperson told Sky News: “Investment zones will ship the expansion, jobs and housing that communities need and wish.
“They are not being imposed by government – we’re empowering local places to deliver plans that are right for their area. We will not be downgrading the strong and established protections for national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and protected sites.
“National greenbelt coverage will proceed to use and all proposals should have consent from native planners or nationwide park authorities. Those that don’t won’t be taken ahead and can’t turn into an funding zone.”
Source: information.sky.com”