SELBY, NORTH YORKSHIRE – This summer, Light Valley Solar— an ambitious 500 MW solar farm and battery-storage project —moves into Phase Two of its nationally‑significant planning process, proposing an industrial installation spread across 1,050 hectares of prime agricultural land and area of greenbelt land, between Escrick and South Milford. If built, the scheme would cover an area equivalent of 2,600 football pitches, with industrial-scale panels standing up to 4 metres high across cherished open countryside.
But a community of concerned residents are making their voices heard. Frustrated by the prospect of swathes of farmland being sacrificed for sprawling solar arrays, they are urging Light Valley Solar—and ultimately the government—to follow the lead of other countries by prioritising alternative locations: rooftops, car parks, industrial estates and brownfield sites.
Supporters of the solar farm argue that it is needed in order to meet the UK’s net‑zero commitments—including tripling solar capacity to 50 GW by 2030.
Yet critics state that covering high-grade agricultural soil with panels is a step too far. As the Planning Inspectorate has repeatedly ruled in Green Belt cases, this represents “inappropriate development” that inflicts moderate-to-substantial harm on landscape character and the openness of green zones, with long-term consequences.
A recent University College London analysis supports this view, finding that rooftop solar alone could generate up to 117 GW—far more than the government’s target—without consuming arable land.
Local campaigners highlight successful motions elsewhere, such as Suffolk County Council’s “Roofs before Rural” resolution, calling for solar to be directed away from farmland and green spaces, onto roofs, car-parks, and industrial areas. Echoing this sentiment, the CPRE—an organisation for countryside protection—champions rooftop and brownfield solar, while opposing ground-mounted systems in protected landscapes.
Light Valley Solar’s Phase Two statutory consultation takes place from 26th June, during which residents can provide detailed feedback. The development team will then refine their proposal and submit a Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate.
Consultation Dates:
Friday 4th July 2025: 3pm-7pm – Eversley Park Centre, Sherburn-in-Elmet
Tuesday 8th July 2025: 3pm-7pm – St Margaret’s Chapel, Queen Margaret’s School
Wednesday 9th July 2025: 3pm-7pm – Riccall Village Institute
Friday 11th July 2025: 1pm-5pm – Haddlesey Church Community Hall
Tuesday 15th July 2025: 3pm-7pm – Hambleton Village Hall
Saturday 19th July 2025: 11am-3pm – Monk Fryston & Hillam Community Centre
Opponents hope the public pressure will force a rethink. Their message: “solar yes—but not at the expense of farmland and green spaces.”
Why It Matters
- Food security: Covering prime farmland with panels may diminish Britain’s capacity to grow its own food, at a time when agricultural self-sufficiency has already declined.
- Landscape protection: Green Belt and AONB protections guard the openness of the countryside; solar farms of this scale jeopardise those goals.
- Renewables strategy: The UK has vast untapped rooftop, car-park, and brownfield capacity that could deliver clean energy without consuming greenfields
Get Involved:
- Engage: Participate in the upcoming Phase Two consultatation by attending an event near you.
- Write: Share your views with local Parish Councils and MP, asking for a strategic shift to rooftop and brownfield solar.
- Support local groups: Join the fast growing Facebook group – South Milford & Monk Fryston – Light Valley Solar | Facebook
The scale of the Light Valley Solar project is huge—but so is its potential cost: the loss of greenbelt farmland and the character of rural North Yorkshire. Campaigners are calling on developers, planners and policy‑makers to turn the solar revolution skywards, not outwards—on rooftops and repurposed sites, not over miles of beautiful countryside and agricultural land.
If Britain is serious about net zero and protecting it’s countryside, now is the time to rewrite the narrative on where solar panels really belong.
Project overview — Light Valley Solar
South Milford & Monk Fryston – Light Valley Solar | Facebook