Rutland Councillors Propose Motion on Solar Development and Food Security

Rutland Councillors Propose Motion on Solar Development and Food Security

Rutland Councillors Propose Motion on Solar Development and Food Security

At Thursdays Rutland County Council meeting, (18th September, 2025 7.00 pm)  a new motion titled "Solar Motion", proposed by Councillors K. Heckels and L. Stephenson, (Conservative) will be discussed. The motion seeks to address the balance between tackling climate change and preserving Rutland's agricultural landscape and heritage. It builds upon previous council commitments to climate action and the preservation of the countryside.

The proposed motion outlines several key resolutions for the council:

• Cumulative Impact and Preservation: The council will be asked to acknowledge that the combined effect of multiple solar farms in Rutland must be considered. The focus is on the potential consequences for the landscape, biodiversity, and local communities, while upholding the commitment to enhance the countryside. This point highlights a concern that while individual projects might be acceptable, their total impact could be detrimental.

• Support for Local Plan and National Policy: The motion supports the solar farm policies within the proposed Local Plan, which are in line with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). It emphasises that solar projects are encouraged in specific, designated areas or in adopted Neighbourhood Plans. This reinforces a preference for planned development over ad-hoc applications.

• Prioritising Alternative Locations: The motion strongly encourages the development of solar panels on new housing, rooftops, agricultural buildings, and industrial zones. This is presented as a preferred alternative to using agricultural land and open countryside. It also welcomes the new Future Homes Standard which reduces carbon emissions and expresses a desire for the government to amend its Climate Change Policy to reflect the equal need for food security. This is a significant point, as it directly addresses a growing national concern about the use of farmland for renewable energy projects.

• Community Compensation and Ethical Procurement: The proposal advocates for solar farm developers to provide "competitive community compensation" that exceeds any future industry or government standards. Additionally, the motion raises concerns about the ethical issues within solar panel supply chains and urges for the ethical procurement of materials.

In its concluding statement, the motion states that it demonstrates the council's commitment to "safeguarding food security, preserving Rutland’s landscape, heritage and environment, promoting ethical chains in the solar industry and advocate for sustainable development and net-zero."

A copy of the motion, if passed, will be sent to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. This action aims to influence national policy by showcasing Rutland's stance on balancing renewable energy goals with agricultural and environmental protection.