We need more renewable energy, but we also need to think carefully about where we put it.
New maps developed by KSCA raise important questions about the amount of large-scale solar development being proposed in areas containing some of England’s highest-quality agricultural land.
These maps compare large-scale solar projects in the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) system with the Government’s new 2026 Predictive Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) map. They show concentrations of solar projects in the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber, all regions with extensive areas of Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land.
Figure 1. NSIP solar projects and Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land across England. Red dots show solar projects recorded in the Planning Inspectorate Register on 15 June 2026. Dot size reflects proposed generating capacity, scaled at 2 hectares per MW. The background shows Grades 1, 2 and 3a BMV land.
Why the quality of the land matters
Much of the debate around solar focuses on the proportion of land it uses, sometimes drawing comparisons with golf courses. But this misses the point. What matters is not simply how much land is used, but the quality of the land being taken out of food production.
BMV is our highest-quality agricultural land and is particularly important for growing cereals, vegetables and other crops. As drought, extreme heat and reduced yields make growing food increasingly difficult, retaining high-grade agricultural land becomes even more important.
Lincolnshire is a good example. It is one of England’s most important food-producing counties, yet it is also seeing significant large-scale solar development. Around 55% of the land within the recently approved One Earth Solar Farm is BMV agricultural land.
This is also reflected in Government policy. National planning policy for solar states that, where agricultural land is needed, poorer-quality land should be preferred to higher-quality land, with Best and Most Versatile agricultural land avoided where possible.
Where does Kingsway fit?
Kingsway provides a useful local example. The proposed 500 MW development sits within the East of England, where our mapping shows a much wider concentration of major solar projects, including Sunnica, East Pye and East Park.
Figure 2. NSIP solar projects and Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land in the Eastern Region. Red dots show solar projects recorded in the Planning Inspectorate Register on 15 June 2026. Dot size reflects proposed generating capacity, scaled at 2 hectares per MW. The background shows Grades 1, 2 and 3a BMV land.
For Kingsway, detailed site-specific surveys show that much of the agricultural land assessed is high-quality agricultural land. The developer’s own ALC data identify approximately 919 hectares of Grades 1, 2 and 3a land, with BMV accounting for around 62% of the agricultural land assessed.
Figure 3. Kingsway Solar Farm and Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land. Hatched areas show the proposed development and grid infrastructure. The red dot represents Kingsway’s proposed 500 MW capacity, scaled at 2 hectares per MW to match the national map.
Kingsway is just one example, but it shows why we need to look at the bigger picture.
When multiple large solar developments are proposed across the same productive farming regions, we need to consider what that could mean for the land available to grow food in the future.
The right solar in the right place
This is not an argument against solar. We need renewable energy. But we also need a clearer strategy to ensure the right solar is built in the right place.
Government policy already recognises the importance of protecting our best agricultural land and says that BMV land should be avoided where possible. The question is whether that principle is being reflected strongly enough in where large-scale solar developments are being proposed. We need greater use of lower-grade land and brownfield sites, alongside much more support for smaller-scale and community solar and solar on homes, businesses, warehouses and public buildings.
We can increase renewable energy without unnecessarily sacrificing the land we need to grow food. But we need to make sure that happens.
If you agree, help us make the case for the right solar in the right place.