Mayor of Swaffham expresses ‘disappointment’ over Breckland District Council’s appeal to landowners to give up fields for solar farms

The mayor of a town that could be surrounded with solar farms if plans go ahead said he was “disappointed” with a district council’s appeal to find landowners willing to give up their sites.

Swaffham and its surrounding villages are at risk of being surrounded by solar panels as proposals for a mega solar farm have been submitted.

The farm would be big enough to power 363,000 homes and be built on land around the Swaffham and Breckland area.

Paul Darby, mayor of Swaffham, spoke to Breckland District councillors at the town council’s full meeting on Wednesday.

He expressed his “disappointment” at the authority over its recent appeal to landowners to offer up fields for solar farm projects.

Breckland District Council has not specified which solar farm projects the land will be going to.

Swaffham Town Council has continuously shown its objection to the plans for the mega solar farm, which they say would take up space for farmland and ruin the surrounding countryside.

Speaking to Breckland District councillor Judy Anscombe, Mr Darby said: “I was disappointed that Breckland is searching for renewable energy sites.

“After all the hassle our council has and the fact that the council voted against them, I was disappointed that they have done this.”

In response, Cllr Anscombe said that it wasn’t just Breckland Council that launched the appeal and that several authorities across the country have done the same.

Breckland Council carried out its previous call for sites in 2022 but has launched an appeal to source additional land after the government published new mandatory housing targets.

However, in light of the government’s hugely ambitious net-zero targets, the council is seeking land suitable for renewable energy projects as well as housing.

Cllr Darby has recently met with neighbouring villagers and councils over concerns about the solar farms.