Mega solar farms threaten area of Romney Marsh three times bigger than Gatwick Airport

  Posted by: electime      21st November 2025

• An area of Romney Marsh the more than three times bigger than Gatwick Airport could be lost to mega solar farms
• If approved, South Kent, Shepway and South Brooks Energy Parks, would be located entirely on Farmland of the highest grades.
• CPRE is calling for 60 per cent of the UK’s solar energy to be generated on rooftops and opposes mega solar farms due to harmful impacts on rural areas.

More than 2,100 hectares of Romney Marsh, an area more than three times bigger than Gatwick Airport,will be lost to mega solar farms if current proposals are approved, a new assessment by CPRE Kent reveals.

Romney Marsh contains both unique, fragile wildlife habitats and some of the UK’s most productive farmland. The proposed solar farms would significantly alter huge areas of natural landscape and carry a serious risk of wider environmental impact, even if construction avoids important habitats themselves.

Despite national planning policies designed to protect high-quality farmland, the three proposed mega solar farms will be entirely located on farmland classed as ‘best and most versatile’, a highly valuable and important resource for food production. The plans would also see several historic churches surrounded almost entirely by solar panels.

The UK faces a huge challenge as it drastically scales up renewable energy generation. Delivering this is non-negotiable, but it should be done in a way that brings communities together, not drives them apart.

The Government’s Solar Roadmap, published in June 2025, sets a target of 60-65 per cent of the UK’s solar energy to come from large-scale solar farms.

This is unnecessary: previous CPRE research has shown that installing solar panels on the roofs of suitable domestic and industrial buildings, as well as on car parks, could easily deliver over 60 per cent of the government’s target for solar energy.

National CPRE campaigns lead Jackie Copley said:  ‘The speculative proposals, if approved, will completely transform the Romney Marsh landscape. Vast fields of solar panels would dominate the area for miles, altering the character of a well-known and cherished region. Previous CPRE research has revealed that there is enough space on the roofs of suitable buildings, as well as car parks, to deliver more than 60 per cent of the government’s target for solar energy.’

CPRE Kent director Andrea Griffiths added: ‘The transition to renewables does not need to come at the cost of the countryside, which provides a wealth of ecosystem services. We know that there are enough suitable rooftops for at least 60 per cent of UK’s solar energy, but we need to see proper policy support from the government.’