Harrogate peer in rare intervention over controversial plans for a major solar farm near Knaresborough

The intervention on a local issue is a rare move for the respected former Yorkshire Conservative MEP who was created a life peer in 2016 in Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation honours list.

The proposed solar farm and lithium battery storage plant covering 88 hectares of farmland between Scotton and Brearton was first mooted by UK energy firm Gridserve in early 2021 in the days before the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council.

But the former MP for Leeds North East, who was elected to the European Parliament in 1999, said he feels strongly enough about the issue to join local voices alarmed by the green project.

Lord Kirkhope has already raised several questions in the House of Lords with ministers about the question of solar farms in general.

But this is the first time he has raised the issue of Scotton specifically.

"As I am not an elected representative of Scotton but just enjoy living there I am not in a position to act like an MP.

“I support moves to get more sustainable energy in general.

"But I think that these sorts of plans concentrate the advantages in too few hands and are simply not in the interests of the wider community."

Such is the strength of local opposition to the proposed Solar Generation Power Plant and Substation, which would cover 88 hectares/217 acres on agricultural farmland at the edge of Scotton village, that a campaign group called Stop Scotton Solar Farm was formed.

Residents say they are not against solar farms in principle but the location has to be the right one.

Lord Kirkhope says he has four main objections.

1 The Scotton proposal involves the use of some good grade agricultural land (Grades 1-3).

2 The proposed location is so close to villages that it will invariably entail massive disruption during construction.

3 The village roads, especially through Scotton, are congested and take far too much unsuitable traffic to the area already, bringing with it pollution and disturbance for residents.

4 The lithium battery storage units would be sited only a matter of metres away from Scotton Primary School and beside the boating lake at Farnham.

Lord Kirkhope argues there are safety questions round lithium battery storage units and points to recent fires in Arizona as an example of the potential hazards.

The Tory peer also questions the way the plans for a solar farm at Scotton have been put together.

Solar farm schemes with a power output below 50MW only need local authority approval while those of 50MW or above require approval by the Secretary of State who has much greater powers to reject plans not in line with government policy.

Lord Kirkhope said: “The plans we are seeing for Scotton specifically refer to a 49.9MW scheme, which makes me question why.

"Government policy prefers new solar farms to be on brown land or in industrial areas or in areas away from good agricultural land and away from private communities like the villages of Scotton, Brearton, and Farnham.

"Forgive me for being a little cynical.”

If the plans go ahead, the solar farm could power up to 14,000 homes.