CPRE Release Rural Solar Policy Document

UK based campaign organisation, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have released a policy document setting out their position on using solar PV technology in farms and rural settings. The group state they would like to see greater use made of commercial roofs and brownfield land unsuitable for housing for solar electricity. The group claim that the area alone in this sector alone is twice the size of metropolitan London and CPRE feel this resource should be a focus rather than the continued growth of solar farms.

The CPRE make it clear they do not rule out solar farms, but it does say they should meet important criteria. On protecting landscape and heritage, amenity and the best agricultural land, and maximise biodiversity.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) recognises that solar energy has an important role to play in meeting future energy needs. It helps increase energy security and diversity, while making a significant contribution to meeting the UK's targets of producing 15% of our energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020 and an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

CPRE believes that the most suitable and, as yet, largely untapped location for solar technologies is on industrial and other buildings with major roof surfaces. We recognise that there has been rapid growth in ground-mounted solar farms. These can bring benefits, but we wish to ensure that they are located where they do not harm the natural beauty and productivity of the countryside and in ways that provide local benefits. 

CPRE finds its position in agreement with the current Government policy and sees great opportunity to use solar energy generation without the need for greenfield development. Part 2 of the Government's UK Solar PV Strategy quantified part of this potential estimating that there are currently 250,000 hectares of south-facing commercial roofs in the UK. The potential for significant energy generation, however, should never be a justification for approving a new building that would otherwise be refused.

The policy document points out that there are a number of constraints that stand in the way of maximising the use of buildings for PV and the CPRE urges the Government to resolve these as soon as possible. These include the complexity of commercial building ownership and leasing. Landlords should be given greater incentives to support solar PV, for example, enabling them to become electricity suppliers.

The policy states it is essential that the siting, design and landscaping of solar farms avoid adverse impacts on the countryside. To this end CPRE will assess individual solar farm proposals and applications against criteria. The document sets out that a solar farm is acceptable when it avois harm to landscape character and quality, when viewed from publicly accessible vantage points: Solar farms should not adversely affect the character of the landscape.

Solar Farms should avoid harm to valued and special areas, especially those that are nationally and internationally protected: Nationally protected landscapes "” National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

The Government's Solar PV Strategy states that local communities must be willing partners in solar expansion; not just consulted, but respected and wherever possible, financial partners in local projects. This is reinforced by the Government's first Community Energy Strategy. The CPRE welcomed these commitments, but they need to be delivered consistently in practice.