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Labour could ‘immediately give green light’ to 2,500 acres Cambridgeshire/Suffolk Sunnica solar farm
If agreed it would be the largest solar farm in the UK
Britain Remade – a campaign set to promote economic growth – believes one of the Labour Government’s first tasks will be to approve the Sunnica solar energy that will swallow 2,500 acres across the borders of West Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire.
The campaign group was launched in 2022 “to reform the planning process to deliver more clean energy projects, transport infrastructure, and new good quality housing at speed”.
Its chief executive Sam Richards believes the appointment of Ed Miliband as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, raises expectations of Sunnica being approved.
Thank you to @NoSunnica for showing me some of the beautiful countryside and fertile agricultural land which would be lost if the Sunnica Solar Farm goes ahead. I support solar energy through community schemes, on roofs and on brownfield sites, I oppose this scheme. @ECLibDems pic.twitter.com/AXxlIwTIn1
— Charlotte Cane (@CharlotteCane8) June 24, 2024
“Ed has been a strong champion for the necessary planning reforms needed to build the new sources of clean energy,” Mr Richards says in an article in trade journal ReNEWS
“At the stroke of a pen he can reverse the de facto ban on new onshore wind farms in England – unlocking one of the cheapest forms of energy available and lowering bills for millions of households across the country.”
And that could mean the minister could “immediately give the green light” to three solar farms awaiting approval, including Sunnica.
Mr Richards told reNEWS: “These large-scale solar farms are shovel ready and could power hundreds of thousands of homes with clean renewable energy, they just need to be signed-off by government.
“Together these actions would show a government led by Keir Starmer really is committed to hitting the ground running.”
Mr Miliband replaces Conservative MP following Labour’s landslide victory; he had been shadow energy minister since 2020.
Opponents of the Sunnica scheme had expected a decision in June but this was deferred until after the election.
If agreed it would be the largest solar farm in the UK – affecting 16 villages and stretching 15 miles from end to end.
The Say No to Sunnica campaign says it is not against solar power or other renewables, “but we consider the proposed Sunnica Solar Farm to be a bad renewable energy scheme”.
The campaign to stop Sunnica, which had the support of former MP Lucy Frazer, has also attracted backing from Charlotte Cane, the Lib Dem for Ely and East Cambridgeshire elected last Thursday.
She met opponents before the election and thanked them “for showing me some of the beautiful countryside and fertile agricultural land which would be lost if the Sunnica Solar Farm goes ahead.
“I support solar energy through community schemes, on roofs and on brownfield sites, I oppose this scheme”.
