Hempnall villagers divided over East Pye solar farm
The project has stirred up strong opposition in the village
A Norfolk village is at the epicentre of a row over plans for a solar farm sprawling across 2,700 acres of surrounding countryside.
Hempnall, near Long Stratton, will be encircled by panels as part of the scheme, known as East Pye, which would be roughly 10 times the size of the UK’s current biggest.
The project has stirred up strong opposition in the village, with the parish council vowing to lead the fight against the development.
However, it seems this sentiment is not universal, with some locals now accusing others of being too precious about their countryside.
East Pye proposals
The East Pye scheme has been put forward by energy firm Island Green Power and will stretch across 2,700 acres of countryside – surrounding a large cluster of villages.
These include Saxlingham, Shotesham, Brooke, Woodton and Great Moulton, although only Hempnall will be completely encircled by the scheme.
Because of its size, a decision on whether the project can go ahead will ultimately rest with Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy and net zero, rather than local councils.
Norfolk has become a green energy hotspot over recent weeks, with plans also being unveiled for High Grove, a 4,000-acre scheme near Dereham and Swaffham, the Droves, spanning 2,800 acres on an adjoining site, and a 5,000-acre project near Gissing – all dwarfing the UK’s current biggest solar farm, which spans roughly 260 acres.
Local opposition
Hempnall Parish Council has led the campaign against the scheme so far and warned the panels would “decimate” the local landscape.
This view is shared by many villagers, with posters lining the streets in protest against the development.
Iain Fisher, who lives locally, said: “This isn’t going to serve Norfolk, it’s going to provide more energy for London.
“I understand we can’t put a solar farm in Watton or Thetford, but why does it have to be here?”
Marilyn Harvey, also a Hempnall local, said: “These projects will lead to us over-relying on the weather for our electricity. It’s a total waste of money and I happen to like my gas boiler and petrol car anyway.
“I don’t see why they can’t put these panels in disused areas – not on farming fields.”
Richard Delf, the vice chairman of the parish council, said he would back whatever the majority of villagers felt toward the scheme.
He added: “It seems like the majority of people are against it and I don’t want to see it happen.”
Divided opinion
While the parish council continues its crusade against the scheme, there does not seem to be an entirely united front against the developers.
Despite councillors raising concerns about some 23km of pathways through local countryside being surrounded by solar panels, there is less worry among Hempnall Community Walkers.
Pearl Ward, who leads the group, said: “I would rather walk my dogs around these solar farms than a new housing estate.
“We all use electricity and we have to move on with the times.”
Several villagers agreed the solar farms were a more favourable option to alternative large developments.
Laura Johnson said: “I’d rather we have solar panels than a nuclear power station.
“It’s not like we live in the Cairngorms – this is just farmland. We can’t live in an area like this and not expect it to grow.”
Other villagers felt the scheme was a “fait accompli” and would be ushered through the planning system as the UK government tries to hit its ambitious net zero targets.
Polly Cobb said: “I’m assuming this will go ahead whatever we say – I think it’s a done deal.
“We need to make the best of a bad situation and find out how the environmental impacts can be mitigated against.”
What now?
Mr Miliband has declared his intention to push ahead with onshore windfarms and solar farms across the country with the 600MW Cottam solar project in Lincolnshire being one of the latest to be given the green light, despite strong local objections.
The National Energy Systems Operator (NESO) said that while Labour’s plan to decarbonise the grid by the end of the decade is a “huge challenge” it is “achievable”.
But Labour will need to reform the planning system to allow the swift building of new pylons, wind farms and solar plants to hit the target, it said.
More than twice as much transmission network – pylons, overhead power cables and substations – needs to be built than in the previous decade, it added.
Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, has accused the government of “riding roughshod” over local opinion and claimed the county was “under attack” from the solar industry.
She described the Hempnall scheme as “completely unacceptable” and urged locals and parish councillors to continue their resistance.