Labour’s Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has approved the construction of what will become Britain’s largest solar farm, despite fierce local opposition and warnings over the loss of productive farmland.
The Tillbridge Solar Farm, near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, will cover around 3,000 acres (roughly the size of 2,000 football pitches) and once operational is expected to generate enough power for up to 300,000 homes, though only when the sun is shining.
The project, approved on Tuesday, has sparked major controversy in the county. Lincolnshire County Council, now led by Reform UK, and several local district councils have all opposed the plans.
Critics argue that the development represents the “industrialisation” of rural Lincolnshire, destroying open countryside and threatening food security by removing valuable agricultural land from production.
Council leader Sean Matthews condemned the decision, saying Mr Miliband was “hell bent on this vandalism of our countryside.”
He warned the approval could pave the way for even more large-scale developments once the solar panels reach the end of their 20–30-year lifespan.
“Tillbridge is one of 25 major infrastructure projects planned for Lincolnshire. Ed Miliband is hell bent on this vandalism of our countryside but it is destroying local democracy,” Matthews said.
“We believe he must hand decision making back to the people affected – meaning the voters of Lincolnshire. Local people should be allowed to choose if they want food or electricity from farms. Regardless of the decision today, Reform UK will stop these plans as soon as we are in government. If you are investing in these types of projects, consider that you will lose your money.”
The Tillbridge Solar project, a joint venture between Tribus Clean Energy (London-based) and Recurrent Energy(owned by Canadian Solar), will sit near the village of Glentworth, surrounded by several other large-scale solar developments either approved or awaiting consent.
Push for Rapid Solar Expansion
Since taking office following last year’s general election, Mr Miliband has aggressively pursued solar expansion, approving multiple projects across eastern England, including Gate Burton, Cottam, Mallard Pass, and Sunnica near the Cambridge–Suffolk border.
In June, he published a “solar roadmap” calling for a tripling of the UK’s total capacity from 18 gigawatts (GW) to 57GW within five years.
At the time, Miliband said:
“Solar offers huge potential to boost our energy independence, bring down bills and tackle the climate crisis. Since this Government came to office my department has consented almost three gigawatts of solar projects – nearly three times as much as the previous 14 years combined – but we know we need to go further to deliver our goals for clean power by 2030 and beyond.”
Backlash Growing Across Rural England
The expansion of large-scale solar projects has generated a growing political backlash in rural communities. In May, Reform UK made significant electoral gains across Lincolnshire, campaigning under the slogan “Lincolnshire opposes renewable eyesores.”
Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho also criticised the Government’s approach, warning that “in parts of the country up to 8pc of all land is now covered by huge solar farm applications.”
“This is only going to get worse due to Ed Miliband’s ideological obsession with net zero,” she said.
“Wind and solar use up to 3,000 times more land than dense, secure, clean, reliable nuclear power, meaning much more of the British countryside will be carved up thanks to Ed Miliband’s plans.”
Worth reading in full in the Telegraph here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/10/14/ed-miliband-approves-britains-biggest-solar-farm/
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