Hundreds of local residents gathered near Marton village near Gainsborough on Saturday (18th October) afternoon to protest against the Government’s approval of the Tillbridge Solar Farm, a development widely condemned for its impact on Lincolnshire’s prime agricultural land and rural communities.
The protest, organised by the Lincolnshire Solar Campaign Alliance and Lincolnshire Opposes Renewable Eyesores (L-ORE), brought together farmers, councillors, and residents united in opposition to what they describe as the “industrialisation of the countryside.”
Among those in attendance were Richard Tice MP, Deputy Leader of Reform UK and Member of Parliament for Boston and Skegness, Cllr Sean Matthews, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, and Cllr Ingrid Sheard, Deputy Mayor of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority.
Speaking about the proposals, Richard Tice MP said: “I am deeply disappointed and utterly dismayed by the Government’s decision to approve the Tillbridge Solar Project, a clear example of their blatant disregard for the voices of local residents, local authorities, and indeed, common sense.
This reckless obsession with the so-called Net Stupid Zero agenda is destroying some of the finest arable farmland in the country, land that should be used to grow food, not covered in industrial glass and metal.
It’s time to put British farmers and food security first, not ideological box-ticking. Reform UK stands firmly with the people of Lincolnshire in opposing this needless desecration of our countryside.”
Cllr Sean Matthews, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, initially responded to the approval saying: “It’s appalling that the Government have decided to approve this application. This solar factory will be the biggest in the UK and absolutely dwarf nearby villages, destroying the character of the area, and eating up high-quality agricultural land that the UK needs for its food security.
“The fact the objections of local people and councils are waved aside for these massive projects in our area is beyond frustrating. And with dozens more nationally significant infrastructure projects proposed in Lincolnshire, I fear this won’t be the last time.
“Other than destroying our prime agricultural land and changing the very character of our rural county, what do projects like this actually bring to Lincolnshire? Residents have yet to see any reduction in their energy bills or other benefits from having these mammoth eyesores on their doorsteps.
“We need the Government to start valuing productive agricultural land and the concerns of local communities, and stop treating Lincolnshire as a dumping ground for its projects.”
Protesters held placards and banners, calling for a halt to the Tillbridge Solar Project and for national policy reform to prioritise renewable energy development on brownfield and industrial sites rather than productive farmland.
The Lincolnshire Solar Campaign Alliance says this demonstration is just the beginning of a growing movement across the county, urging the Government to rethink large-scale solar projects threatening the county’s rural landscape, economy, and food security.
