Solar farm could harm food security, council says

A parish council has raised strong objections to a planned solar farm on agricultural land that could generate enough electricity to power more than 15,000 homes a year.

The development would cover about 260 acres of land on the Shuttleworth Estate near Sheerhatch Wood in Bedfordshire.

In an open letter, Jason Whaley, chairman of Cople Parish Council, said the proposal would "undermine food security".

The Shuttleworth Trust, which owns the land, said: "Matters relating to the planning application process will be considered through the appropriate statutory channels."

A public consultation on the plans has closed.

On the project's own website, Quintas Cleantech, the developer, said the location was chosen because it was a "great spot" for a solar farm, as the land was "relatively flat and doesn't cover any protected landscape areas". The company is working on more than 10 proposals across the UK.

The Bedfordshire solar farm would have a capacity of 49.9MW.

A 15MW battery would store excess energy generated by the solar panels during the day, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, Whaley said the proposal was not "appropriate" or "proportionate".

High-quality agricultural farmland would be lost, he said, and there would be an increase in traffic and noise.

He urged planners to give serious consideration to Historic England's conclusion that a solar farm would negatively impact a Romano-British settlement that is adjacent to the site.

It would also undermine the Shuttleworth Trust's farming objectives, he added.

The Shuttleworth Estate said its trustees were responsible for managing the estate in the "most effective and sustainable way".

"Any commercial arrangements relating to the estate are confidential between the parties involved and we are therefore unable to comment on their details."

The application is yet to be decided upon by Bedford Borough Council's planning committee. The council first received the application in May 2025.

The BBC has contacted Quintas Cleantech for comment.

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