Rutland Solar Action Group says methods for sourcing renewable energy must be sustainable

A group in Rutland are calling on the government to ensure that ways of sourcing renewable energy are sustainable.

It comes after Rutland County Council approved plans for a large solar farm on green fields in the area.

Councillors on the committee approved plans for over 87,000 on farm land.

We are hugely disappointed

Over 200 objection letters were sent to the planning authority.

Gary Firkins, a member of Rutland Solar Action Group, said:

"There's no doubt we absolutely need renewable energy and we need it as rapidly as possible."

"But, this is the wrong way of going about it."

"We are losing farmland at the expense of a quick fix."

"We have already seen difficulties in food supply and losing farmland in this way is crazy. It just doesn't make sense."

"We feel that Rutland is taking a disproportionate share of industrial solar."

"We are hugely disappointed."

Rutland is taking a disproportionate share of industrial solar

It follows the governments decision to approve the Mallard Pass scheme on the Rutland-Lincolnshire border as a national infrastructure project.

With the latest approval of the solar farm, the amount of land in the county to be covered solar panels is equal to the size of Rutland Water.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.