A new plan could shrink the areas available for English solar farm developments, according to a report from the Guardian.
Quoting government sources, the newspaper said that Environment Secretary Ranil Jayawardena has asked his officials to broaden the definition of land reserved for farming.
With land designated from 1-5, with 1 being the highest, the move will see the best and most versatile (BMV) category expanded from the current 1 to 3a to include lower level 3b.
As such, current planning guidance recommends not using BMV land for developments, keeping it reserved for farming.
The decision will mean that land commonly used for solar farms will be rendered off limits.
According to the Guardian, the ban would prevent solar farms being developed on 41% England’s total land area and around 58% of its agricultural land.
In addition, much of the lower grade 4 and 5 land is unsuitable for solar developments.
Jayawardena has argued that solar farms impede his plans to increase food production and boost growth.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will need approval from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The Guardian noted that it believes that BEIS ministers are against the plan, but that the Liz Truss government is sympathetic to it. The Prime Minister previously promised to block solar farms from being developed on agricultural land.
Commenting on the report, Solar Energy UK CEO Chris Hewett said: “The UK solar sector is alarmed by attempts to put major planning rules in the way of cheap, homegrown energy. Solar power is the answer to so many needs and policy demands: it will cut energy bills, deliver energy security, boost growth and help rural economies.”
Greenpeace UK policy director Dr Doug Parr added: “The government is once again trying to sabotage one of the cheapest and quicker-to-deploy energy sources we have. Since it’s perfectly possible to use land underneath solar panels, we don’t face a stark dilemma between homegrown clean energy and food.”
He added: “With energy bills at an all-time high, the government should get rid of barriers to the cheapest energy sources we have, not put up new ones.”