Prime Minister quizzed on controversial Northamptonshire solar farm in House of Commons

Andy Burnham, who took office on July 20, took questions from MPs for the first time yesterday (September 1), following the end of Parliament’s summer recess.

There, Daventry MP Stuart Andrew asked the Primer Minister to ‘review the situation’ where agricultural land could be lost to make way for solar infrastructure.

Stuart Andrew said: “In a volatile world I think we can all agree that energy security is important, but so too is food security.

“In the eastern side of my constituency there is an application for a huge solar farm on prime agricultural land, but on the western side there are huge distribution warehouses, but not a single solar panel on their roofs.

“Will he commit to review this situation so we can have a policy which safeguards both our food and our energy?”

In response, the Prime Minister said Stuart Andrew’s question was ‘characteristically clear, and a good suggestion and one I will take up’, elaborating no further as he moved on to the next question.

Green Hill Solar Farm is a proposal to install solar infrastructure on eight sites across Northamptonshire, including near villages Mears Ashby, Earls Barton, Easton Maudit, Bozeat, Grendon and Walgrave.

Stuart Andrew has campaigned alongside local people against the development he says is ‘staggering’ in scale.

South Northamptonshire MP, Sarah Bool, whose constituency the solar farm would also fall into, also expressed criticism of the solar farm, calling the proposal ‘inappropriate’, with the pair travelling to London with campaigners in February to submit a petition against the development.

The proposal is currently being reviewed by the Secretary of State for net zero, Miatta Fahnbulleh, and a decision must be made within three months.

A final decision on its approval is anticipated on October 8 and, should the solar farm be approved, Island Green Power would start construction in 2027, connecting to the grid in 2029.