South Holland District Council members look set to back a motion calling for the protection of Fenland in response to plans for renewable energy infrastructure in the area.
It has been tabled by Coun Laura Eldridge and was due to be voted on by a meeting of the council yesterday (Wednesday, October 2) as The Voice went to press.
‘Preservation of Fenland Landscape and Recognition of South Holland as a Critical Food Producing Area’ says the council notes ‘the potential impacts of national significant infrastructure projects planned for our area…which threaten to disrupt and alter our valuable landscape’.
It goes on to state the importance of protecting agricultural land and encourages ‘local stakeholders and residents to engage in consultation to ensure voices are heard and concerns addressed’.
“This council urges the relevant national authorities and infrastructure project planners to recognise the importance of the Fenland landscape and South Holland’s role as a food-producing area.
“This council advocates for the implementation of mitigation strategies to minimize the visual and ecological impact of infrastructure developments, including the consideration of alternative technologies and routing options.”
Coun Eldridge (pictured right) said she tabled the motion following residents’ comments, particularly with regards to Meridian solar farm and another in Sutton St James.
“Whilst I support green energy and understand the requirement for net zero, this should not be at the cost of our future food security,” she said. “We have an ever increasing population, and are becoming increasingly dependent on importing food and crops from abroad, leaving us vulnerable, as recently demonstrated with supply issues due to the war in Ukraine.
“Lincolnshire is the breadbasket of the country and provides 30 per cent of the nation’s vegetables and 20 per cent of sugar beet.
“Over 50 percent of jobs in South Holland are directly linked to the Agri-Food value chain and food manufacturing is 13 times more significant as an employer in the district than the national average.
“This is not about NIMBYism, this is about the impact it would have on us not only as a district but also a country for the next 40 plus years.
“Removing swathes of our most productive agricultural land and covering them in solar panels at the expense of our nation’s food security is in my opinion short-sighted, ruthless, and irresponsible.
“I will continue to work with Sir John Hayes MP, the Meridian Action Group, residents, and parish councils regarding huge NSIP developments and the threat they present to us all.”
