There are fears swathes of Kent’s countryside could be “absolutely decimated” by plans for huge new solar farms – with one almost the size of Gatwick Airport.
Two projects on Romney Marsh – South Kent Energy Park around Old Romney and Shepway Energy Park in Newchurch – would together take up about 2,500 acres of farmland.
The Old Romney scheme, earmarked for either side of the A259, is the largest ever proposed for Kent, and could produce enough electricity for 140,000 properties – more than 20% of the county’s total.
Bosses say the sprawling 1,482-acre facility, the equivalent of 840 football pitches, will be connected to the National Grid either via an existing substation in Dungeness or a new substation proposed to be built nearby.
The scheme – classed as a nationally significant infrastructure project – will require a development consent order from the government, with a formal application not expected until 2026.
But campaigners are already concerned about the project.
Amanda Farrant, from the Hands Off Our Marsh campaign group, said the South Kent Energy Park “is what we call a sort of new breed, mass-scale industrial solar plant”.
“It’s going to be about 1,500 acres – almost the size of Gatwick Airport if you want to look at it from that perspective,” she said.
“It will decimate the countryside!”
Gatwick Airport in West Sussex covers roughly 1,670 acres, including both terminals, runways, taxiways, and surrounding facilities.
Energy firm Low Carbon is behind the project, which it says would operate for 40 years before being restored to agricultural use.
Meanwhile, the Shepway Energy Park, being brought forward by SSE Renewables, is planned across six separate sites north and east of Newchurch, covering 1,003 acres.
It would have the capacity to supply the equivalent of 73,000 homes and, according to the developer, save about 49,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
The scheme could be generating electricity by 2033, and would also be decided by central government.
But Ms Farrant says both proposals will mean the “industrialisation of beautiful green countryside”.
“This is grade one and two farmland – some of the best farmland of Romney Marsh,” she added.
Other campaigners stress they are not opposed to solar energy but say it should not come at the expense of food production.
Kim Gowing, also part of the Hands Off Our Marsh group, said: “I think the main thing is we’re not against solar per se, but we’re against solar taking up prime grade farmland.
“Put it on top of car parks, on buildings – we just don’t want it on farmland.”
The group has been leading regular walks around the sites to highlight the scale of the proposals.
“This week we’ve walked around the South Kent Energy Park,” Ms Gowing added.
“It’s just about raising awareness to help residents understand the scale of what’s being proposed.
“They can see it on a map, but until they walk it, they don’t quite have an understanding of just how vast it is.”
The group says it wants the focus to be on smaller solar schemes or alternative clean energy.
“We’ve got wind farms, we believe in clean energy, we have former nuclear energy on the Marsh, and we would like to see small modular reactors or new nuclear technology taking up space already designated for nuclear,” Ms Farrant said.
“Small-scale solar farms, like 100 acres here and there, that’s really useful for the country.
“But these oversized solar schemes are going to absolutely decimate the countryside.
“Who’s going to want to live on Romney Marsh if it’s just one big industrial energy plant?”
In a statement, Low Carbon said “it is our firm belief that communities hosting energy park projects should see tangible benefits”.
“Following our first phase of community engagement over the winter, we continue to progress our proposals for South Kent Energy Park,” a spokesman said.
“We are carefully reviewing survey data and the feedback we have received to date to ensure that the design we bring forward is balanced and considered.
“We feel that well-designed solar development can deliver benefits for UK wildlife.
“We are, therefore, committed to providing a significant community benefit fund and designing a project that capitalises on the opportunity to deliver for nature by enhancing biodiversity across the site.”
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Detailed plans for both schemes are expected later this year.
A third, smaller-scale scheme has also been proposed by Enviromena, which has submitted plans for a 16MW solar park on land opposite Marten Farm, along St Mary’s Road near Dymchurch.
The firm says the development would cover about 40 hectares and power an estimated 10,600 homes per year, avoiding almost 6,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
The company has submitted an application to Folkestone and Hythe District Council, which is currently considering the scheme.
SSE Renewables was approached for comment by KentOnline.
