The alliance acknowledges the importance of renewable energy sources. We accept that solar energy has a part to play in supplying renewable energy where appropriate.
However, there is a clear policy conflict within government which seeks to protect and enhance our domestic production to maintain food security, but is encouraging the growth of renewable energy on valuable farmland and areas of high amenity.
The alliance is concerned about this increasingly considerable loss of land and inadequate policies to protect it, and believes that no solar farm should be approved for development on greenfield land until their collective impact on the environment, biodiversity and food security is fully understood.
In 2019 it cost £11.5 billion to import just fruit and vegetables. We are losing good quality land due to pressure from industrialisation, plus residential and infrastructure demands. If we don’t protect our farmland, we will import even more of what we eat. Importing food is, of course, not green.