"Consequently, solar farms are now being processed with no Community Benefit Fund at all, and there is nothing that local communities can do to compel developers to provide this."
Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke has challenged the new Government to ensure that farmers and rural communities receive the benefit from hosting ground-mounted solar farm infrastructure on agricultural land.
The Glastonbury and Somerton MP had written a letter to new Energy and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband on Thursday (July 11) to propose the need for developers to provide rural communities with funding opportunities when taking agricultural land out of production for solar farms.听
Ms Dyke, from a farming background spanning more than 200 years, said: "I am writing to you regarding the development of ground mounter solar farms in Somerset, which are sometimes built on the best and most versatile agricultural land.
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"Developments like this are met with concern by residents who rightfully care about maintaining and improving our nation's food security.
"I fully support significantly increasing the amount of electricity we generate from renewables both to decarbonise our grid and to improve energy security.
"However, we must guarantee that Community Benefit Funds receive a fair share of the wealth generated by hosting these installations.
"It is both consistent and crucial that this type of benefit should be extended to communities that host ground mounted solar farms above a certain size, too."
However, Ms Dyke, educated at Harper Adams University, had criticised the current National Planning Policy Framework as 'outdated' due to any commitment to any requirement of a CBF being redundant.
She adds: "An example of this is in practice can be found in my constituency of Glastonbury and Somerton, where a solar park development at Southfield Farm in Queen Camel includes a CBF.
"However, this arrangement was ancillary to the planning process and is not required by the outdated NPPF.
"Consequently, solar farms are now being processed with no CBF at all, and there is nothing that local communities can do to compel developers to provide this.
"The introduction of CBF for grounded mounter solar installations will not only ensure that relations between developers and communities are positive, but it would also mean that local communities see and feel the benefits of renewable energy projects that we must deliver in the national interest."
The department for Energy Security and Net Zero has been approached for a comment.
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