Tory MPs blast approval of one of Britain's biggest solar farms as villages face being 'surrounded' by panels on prime farmland

From the Newshound archive · first published 10 October 2026.

The 1,200-hectare site south of Wellingborough was waved through by the Planning Inspectorate on Thursday, bypassing local planning authorities entirely. Andrew warned villages in his constituency would be 'surrounded' by the giant panels, while Bool said she was 'incredibly disappointed' the versatile farmland would be lost to agriculture. Over 1,200 people and businesses had objected during a five-month examination process.

Campaigner Juliet Jarvis, of the Stop Green Hill Solar group, said she was 'pretty devastated' and called the panels — each the size of a double decker bus — a threat to rural communities.

Locals branded the approval 'wanton vandalism', arguing brownfield sites should be covered with solar panels before prime agricultural land is sacrificed.

Labour peer Baroness Curran defended the decision, insisting solar power is 'crucial to delivering energy security for the country'.