CPRE calls on Secretary of State to reject solar farm plan for North Bedfordshire

CPRE Bedfordshire is concerned people are not aware of the ‘significant consequences’ of the East Park Solar project.

But a spokesperson for the project said the plans would provide up to 400 megawatts of low-carbon electricity, boost the UK’s energy security by reducing reliance on fossil fuels from overseas and help decarbonise the electricity system.

The East Park Energy solar farm and battery energy storage system will be the size of 1,000 football pitches and built across a six-mile corridor stretching from Great Staughton, across to Pertenhall and Keysoe.

CPRE Bedfordshire says the 'blot on the landscape' solar farm will have a huge impact on villages in North Bedfordshire.

But an East Park Energy spokesperson said: “Prior to our first round of consultation in 2023, we significantly reduced the amount of land intended for solar versus what was originally offered to us. Since then, we have further reduced the size of the proposed solar development in response to archaeology findings, along with feedback from stakeholders and communities.

“As part of our development consent order application, we are only proposing to install solar panels on around 57% of the land within our proposals across four separate sites. The remaining land would be used for a variety of other purposes, including planting and screening, habitat creation, and site accesses.”

The plans are now at the examination stage of the Development Consent Order process – but while this is open and public, residents must have already registered as an Interested Party.

The process invites submissions on specific points of the plan, rather than general objections.

The CPRE supports the Stop East Park action group’s bid to halt plans – and says rural communities and farms near Little Staughton, Keysoe and Pertenhall will be almost encircled by fields of solar panels, transforming the sense of place and open countryside.

Gerry Sansom, representing CPRE Bedfordshire said: “The suggestion by the developer that a mega solar farm on this scale can be constructed in a way that protects landscape character through careful siting and screening with shrubs and trees completely lacks credibility.

“CPRE Bedfordshire is a strong advocate for the generation of electricity, however, we wish to ensure that wherever possible Solar PV generating systems are located in the most appropriate locations, ensuring that environmental damage is kept to a minimum. We support and encourage large scale solar installations on the roofs of industrial and commercial buildings, e.g. offices, factories, retail complexes, and warehouses.”

But the project spokesperson responded: “Only a small amount of this farmland would see a permanent adverse impact.”

Richard Fuller, MP for North Bedfordshire, stated: “In pursuit of the good objective of decarbonising our energy production, the East Park Energy proposal for this massively scaled solar power facility across countryside in North Bedfordshire and into Cambridgeshire is a bad idea.

"The proposal is far too large. The proposal would have a lasting detrimental effect on the prime farmland targeted for development. The proposal seems more about financial speculation than anything else.”

North Beds has been identified as an area within the government’s Oxford Cambridge Arc, an initiative to create a science and technology growth corridor. Solar energy generation aims is to contribute towards the government’s target of reducing dependence of fossil fuels and reducing carbon emissions.

The project spokesperson added: “Over the past three years, we have developed our proposals through engagement with a range of stakeholders, including local councils, Natural England, the Environment Agency and Historic England. We also held two rounds of public consultation in 2023 and 2024 that resulted in a series of changes to our plans, including the removal of proposed solar panels at several locations and an increase in proposed community benefit funding.”

And they said it will “continue to engage with stakeholders, and members of the public who have registered to do so will have further opportunities to give their views”.

The final decision on our application will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Visit the Stop East Park local action group website and the East Park Energy website to find out more.

> This article was updated on July 8 to clarify the examination process.