Labour was last night accused of ‘astonishing hypocrisy’ after it emerged that two ministers are trying to torpedo a vast solar farm near Ed Miliband’s constituency.
The sprawling Whitestone Solar Farm would be the largest in the UK and carpet almost 5,000 acres of Green Belt land between Doncaster and Rotherham in South Yorkshire with solar panels.
It is one of dozens of huge projects in the pipeline amid a Net Zero crusade by Energy Security Secretary Mr Miliband to install enough solar panels to power up to nine million homes by 2030, up from two million now.
But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the Whitestone proposal – which comes as close as 1.5 miles to Mr Miliband’s Doncaster North constituency – is being opposed by his South Yorkshire neighbours: Defence Secretary John Healey, Justice Minister Jake Richards and backbench Labour MP Sarah Champion.
Despite Mr Miliband previously warning that ‘every rejected solar farm’ will make the country less secure’, Mr Healey warned that the scheme will affect historic villages in his Rawmarsh and Conisbrough constituency.
In a hard-hitting letter to power firm Green Nation, which is behind the plans, he said: ‘This is the wrong scale of scheme in the wrong place. Whitestone would cover almost 2,000 hectares of South Yorkshire countryside, entirely within the Green Belt… and change the character of historic villages.’
Mr Richards, MP for Rother Valley, called for the ‘enormous industrial-scale development across Green Belt land’ to be scaled back as homes face being ‘surrounded by solar panels’.
‘Whilst I fully support the principle of expanding renewable energy generation, this must not come at the expense of our communities,’ he added.
Picture of local residents group Save Our Greenbelt who are protesting against the development of a solar farm planned in Coisborough spanning 5,000 acres
It is one of dozens of huge projects in the pipeline amid a Net Zero crusade by Energy Security Secretary Mr Miliband
Conisbrough Parks, home to the listed Roman Villa and medieval deer hunting park, will be panelled over under the plans.
A graphic showing the Whitestone Solar Farm site 1 in Conisborough – circled is the historic Royal hunting lodge
Ms Champion, the MP for Rotherham, is also opposed to the plans, warning that ‘substantial areas’ of agricultural land will be lost. Last night she said she backed solar farms – but hit out at a ‘shameful’ lack of consultation here.
Green Nation are set to apply for consent next spring, with Mr Miliband expected to make the final decision in 2027.
Shadow Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: ‘This shocking display of double standards by Labour ministers will appal people who face having their communities ruined by sprawling solar farms.
Labour bigwigs are opposing solar farms in their back yards while carpeting the countryside with mega projects elsewhere. It is the height of hypocrisy.’
After Mr Healey and Mr Richards were asked for comment, a Labour spokesman responded by insisting that all such projects ‘are subject to rigorous planning processes, and the views of the local community must be taken into account’.
Locals fury as rural idyll set to be blighted by solar farm plans
Ed Miliband was branded an ‘eco-zealot’ by a couple whose rural idyll will be blighted by the solar farm.
Billy Collins, 75, farmed the land around his red-brick cottage all his life; and before that his father did the same.
Now Mr Collins and his wife Wendy, 67, are spending their retirement years having to fight the proposal, which will see their views of rolling green fields destroyed forever.
Ironically, the couple are currently improving their home with an Eco4 grant to make it more energy efficient and ecologically friendly.
Billy and Wendy Collins of group Save Our Greenbelt who are protesting against the development of a solar farm planned in Coisborough
Green Nation are set to apply for consent next spring, with Mr Miliband expected to make the final decision in 2027
A Roman villa was unearthed on the land in 1986, along with coins and other artefacts
‘The solar panels on our roof have just been fitted this week, but I don’t want any more in my eyesight around here,’ Mr Collins said.
‘All the fields behind our house will be covered in 4m high solar panels if this plan is pushed through. We’ll be looking at a huge clump of 2 sq miles of solar panels.
‘It will ruin the countryside for local people. Not one person around here is supporting the scheme.
‘My family has been here over a hundred years. We farmed 330 acres, a quarter of the proposed solar site, until I retired a few years ago.
‘I was hoping to put my feet up, have a beer, enjoy the views and walk the countryside.’
The couple understand why landowners, who don’t live locally and therefore won’t see the solar panels, are happy with the plan.
‘At the moment it’s £200 per acre a year to rent out arable land,’ Mr Collins added. ‘They have been offered £1,200 per acre for 60 years by Whitestone.
‘I think the plan to put solar panels on the fields is crazy. It’s not a reliable source of energy. It’s not going to work at night. It’s four times more efficient in summer than it is on 21 December, and most power is required in the winter months.’
A Roman villa was unearthed on the land in 1986, along with coins and other artefacts.
Conisbrough Parks, home to the listed Roman Villa and medieval deer hunting park, will be panelled over under the plans.
Mr Collins and his wife Wendy, 67, are spending their retirement years having to fight the proposal, which will see their views of rolling green fields destroyed forever
he Whitestone Solar Farm will cover almost 5,000 acres of Green Belt between Rotherham and Doncaster in South Yorkshire and could power 250,000 homes
A picture of the now listed Roman Villa within the proposed site at Conisbrough parks
Locals have been left furious by the proposals and are seeking to be a stop to the plans
‘We’ve been looking after that site and it has recently been scheduled, it’s got as much protection now as Conisbrough Castle has, which we can see from our window,’ Mr Collins said.
‘There is also a medieval furnace on the land. The whole area is riddled with history and the landscape has not changed for 2,000 years.’
Mrs Collins rides her horse on a disused railway line she owns and where she has scattered the ashes of her mother, sister and brother in law.
‘Without consultation Whitestones have said they are going to put access service roads to get to the fields, on my land where I ride my horse and where the ashes of my loved ones are scattered, ‘ she said.
The pair used the grade 3 fields for cattle and arable crops.
‘Grade 3 is not the best, but it is not the worst, by a long way,’ Mrs Collins said. ‘But Whitestones are trying to downgrade it to Grade 3 B, which is a lie.’
She said ancient hedgerows will be ripped up and fauna, including skylarks, will be badly disturbed.
‘The area is just dirt tracks and bridleways and is popular with horse riders and walkers. All that will be destroyed.
‘This is Ed Miliband’s baby, and he’s a zealot about it, and absolute eco-zealot. He won’t be swayed, it’s just going to happen. But we are fighting as hard as we can.’
Terry Huggett and wife Kerry of group Save Our Greenbelt
Jonathan Holdsworth said: ‘Why would you want to buy a house when you know the view could be ruined by a field of solar panels?’
Local businessman Lee Ashworth, 53, and his former Team GB Olympic gymnast wife Karen, also 53, are against the plan
Locals formed the Save Our Greenbelt group 12 months ago and more than 10,000 objections to the plan have been lodge
Locals formed the Save Our Greenbelt group 12 months ago and more than 10,000 objections to the plan have been lodged.
Constituency MP John Healey has had meetings with the group at the home of campaign member Terry Huggett, 53, who builds eco-friendly passive houses.
‘Mr Healey is on board with us, and he is in the same cabinet as Ed Miliband,’ said Mr Huggett.
The Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones CBE also objects to the solar farm plan.
‘All the elected Labour MPs around here are all in agreement with us, as are all the local people,’ Mr Huggett added.
‘Only Ed Miliband, who is always in London, seems to want it and push through his green agenda.’
Local businessman Lee Ashworth, 53, and his former Team GB Olympic gymnast wife Karen, also 53, are against the plan.
‘The site will be as vast as 2,000 football pitches and be a dumping ground for solar panels,’ Mr Ashworth said.
‘We have got a real David versus Goliath fight on our hands.
‘The scheme will bring no benefits to the local community. It will create no local jobs and it will destroy our lovely and historic landscape.’
Jonathan Holdsworth, 48, who breeds gun dogs, said: ‘There are plenty of brown fields sites available in South Yorkshire following the loss of coal mines and heavy industry. Why not use those sites?
‘Even the possibility that the solar panel farm could be built is lowering house prices. Why would you want to buy a house when you know the view could be ruined by a field of solar panels?’
