As part of the government’s dogma driven approach to energy, in North West Norfolk and across the county there are plans for major new energy infrastructure projects including solar farms, pylons, and substations. These proposals are coming forward to meet the arbitrary 2030 deadline the government has set to decarbonise the power sector.
What about the impact locally? In isolation a scheme may seem largely unobjectionable. Through careful siting and design the impact can be limited. But it is the cumulative impact of development that needs to be properly considered in the planning system.
Take solar. There are plans for two major solar farms – Droves and High Grove – that border Castle Acre and will involve the loss of 6,700 acres of farmland out of around 20,000 acres across the county. I have met developers of the sites and raised concerns on behalf of constituents including around the visual impact, heritage impact, battery storage, and construction traffic.
In the House of Commons last week, I urged ministers to prioritise more suitable alternatives for solar farms such as brownfield, industrial, and already-developed sites for new infrastructure - not the best and most versatile farmland. Everyone would agree major distribution hubs and industrial buildings should have solar panels. Adopting a priority approach should be common-sense. Indeed, the Energy Security and Net Zero select committee has rightly highlighted that the government has so far failed to prioritise food security in the national policy statements.
Decisions on these projects will be made ultimately by the same Energy Secretary and ministers who lose no opportunity to underline their commitment to the 2030 deadline – their reputations depend on delivering. So if approval is ultimately given for schemes as seems likely then it will be essential residents and the community receive benefits and measures are taken to mitigate the impact.
Another local energy proposal is the pylons and substations planned for the Walpole area. This includes a new substation 15 metres high on flat agricultural land, two convertor stations, pylons, and other infrastructure. Little wonder local residents I met at a community information session were so concerned about the potential impact of the development. Consultation on the 90 miles of pylons from Grimsby to Walpole is open until 6 August and I encourage residents to apply.
No one is arguing we do not need energy generation. But we need a balanced approach that takes into account the views of local people and ensures energy security. Simply approving multiple projects while ignoring the cumulative impact cannot be right.
Of course, energy costs are a concern for consumers, businesses, and charities. High energy costs are one of the reasons that our economy is not performing as well as it should. Energy is four times the cost of that in the United States. And despite Labour promising to cut energy bills by £300 for households in fact we have seen them go up since the general election. What was a key campaign pledge seems set to be broken.
So we need a reality check on energy policy and an approach that delivers cheaper energy rather than rushing ahead with plans that are increasing costs and riding roughshod over the concerns of local people.
