CPRE Norfolk, the countryside charity, has launched a major campaign to oppose a wave of industrial-scale solar farm proposals that threaten to transform thousands of acres of Norfolk’s rural landscape. With over 17,000 acres of productive farmland at risk, CPRE Norfolk is calling for a smarter, more sustainable approach to renewable energy that protects both the countryside and the climate.
Several Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are currently in development across the county, including High Grove, East Pye, and The Droves. These massive schemes would see solar panels, up to 4.5 metres high, stretch across swathes of the countryside—complete with fencing, CCTV, new access roads and substations—posing a significant threat to Norfolk’s food security, biodiversity, and cherished landscapes.
“We support the transition to renewable energy,” says CPRE Norfolk. “But we must not sacrifice the very countryside we’re trying to protect. These mega solar farms would cause irreversible damage to our landscapes and agricultural land, when there are smarter alternatives already available.”
Instead, CPRE Norfolk is urging decision-makers to adopt a “rooftop-first” approach to solar power. New research from University College London, commissioned by CPRE, shows that solar panels installed on rooftops, car parks and brownfield land could provide more than half of England’s solar energy needs—all without encroaching on valuable green spaces.
Alliance Formed to Fight Back
In response to the growing number of large-scale solar proposals, CPRE Norfolk has formed the Norfolk Alliance Against Solar Mega-Farms—a coalition of concerned residents, parish councils, farmers and local groups. The Alliance aims to coordinate objections, provide planning guidance and lobby for policy changes that prioritise low-impact renewable solutions.
CPRE is also warning that many of the NSIP solar schemes would fail to connect to the national grid before 2030, meaning they would not contribute to the UK’s clean power goals in the critical years ahead. This raises serious questions about the urgency, viability and environmental trade-offs of such developments.
Join the Campaign
CPRE Norfolk is encouraging communities, councillors and individuals to get involved:
Visit: www.cprenorfolk.org.uk
Sign up to the Alliance
Share your views with local MPs and planning authorities
Demand a rooftop-first solar policy that protects Norfolk’s future
Notes to Editors:
CPRE is the Countryside Charity, working for a thriving, beautiful countryside for everyone.
Full solar research report: CPRE National Solar Report
CPRE Norfolk’s campaign page: Solar Mega-Farms in Norfolk