Fears the Romney Marsh will become a “great big clean energy power station” have intensified after plans for Kent’s largest-ever solar farm took a major step forward.
Bosses behind the huge South Brooks project have confirmed they will seek a development consent order (DCO) from the government – with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband ultimately set to make the final decision.
Part of the site earmarked for South Brooks Solar Farm. Picture: EDF and PS Renewables
EDF Power Solutions UK and PS Renewables first unveiled proposals for the ambitious scheme last September.
Revealing revised plans, the developers say the 500MW solar farm would now cover 1,600 acres of land – the equivalent of more than 1,000 football pitches.
However, this represents a significant reduction from the 2,700 acres initially earmarked for the scheme during its early scoping phase, which campaigners previously branded a “monster”.
If approved, South Brooks would be one of the UK’s biggest solar farms and easily eclipse Kent’s current largest site, the 900-acre Cleve Hill Solar Park in Graveney.
Five parcels of land have now been officially earmarked for the development, including a vast site west of Lydd and others stretching across the Marsh towards New Romney.
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A second public consultation has been launched, eight months after initial feedback was gathered and a scoping report submitted over the winter.
Developers say they have already reduced the battery storage area by 20% and increased land dedicated to ecology by 25%.
But campaigners insist the changes do little to address their wider concerns about the impact on Romney Marsh.
Amanda Farrant, 58, from campaign group Hands Off Our Marsh, said: “We’re being offered a say on how to soften the damage, not whether the damage should happen.
“That is not local democracy – it is consultation without consent.
Romney Marsh is currently a hotspot for planned solar farms on Romney Marsh
“Hands Off Our Marsh is not asking for a token voice in how the damage is packaged. We are asking for a real say in whether this should happen here at all and whether this marshland we call home is even appropriate for such vast infrastructure.”
Mrs Farrant said the reduction in overall acreage and battery storage did not significantly alter the fundamental scale of the plans.
“The 20% reduction means they’re not making a smaller power station – they’re just using a bit less land than what they originally said, which they didn’t need all of anyway,” she added.
Romney Marsh has become a hotspot for major renewable energy projects in recent years.
Two other large-scale schemes – South Kent Energy Park near Old Romney and Shepway Energy Park – also remain in the pipeline and together would take up another 2,500 acres of farmland.
Romney Marsh residents saw Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s planning committee approve plans by Enviromena to build a 16 megawatt solar farm off St Mary’s Road in January. Picture: HOOM
Meanwhile, energy firm Enviromena secured planning permission in January for a 100-acre solar farm on land off St Mary’s Road, opposite Marten Farm.
Developers behind South Brooks say the project could generate enough electricity to power more than 140,000 homes and cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 225,000 tonnes each year.
They also claim it could eventually supply the equivalent of around 20% of Kent’s homes through a connection to the National Grid at Dungeness.
However, opponents fear the growing number of renewable energy schemes could permanently alter the character of Romney Marsh.
Mrs Farrant said: “There are some major concerns with them all happening at the same time.
Residents on Romney Marsh fear the area will soon be swamped with solar farms. Picture: iStock
“The three alone will take up eight-and-a-half square miles of the Marsh, which is just enormous.
“This whole area will increasingly look like a great big clean energy power station and not a unique, rural and agricultural economy.
“I think that’s very sad as it’s going to change its whole nature.”
She pointed out that while Dungeness nuclear power station has been decommissioned, it could return in some form.
Meanwhile, there are already 26 turbines at Little Cheyne Court Wind Farm near Lydd.
Mrs Farrant added: “It’s an ongoing fight and despite calls for the government to rethink its net-zero policies, it seems they’re doubling down, so I imagine we’ll have a very difficult battle on our hands in the coming years.”
If approved, South Brooks would have an operational lifespan of about 60 years and developers insist it would be built “without damage to the land beneath it”.
Because the scheme would generate more than 100MW of electricity, it is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).
That means developers must apply for a DCO through the Planning Inspectorate, which will examine the proposals before making a recommendation to Mr Miliband.
The application is expected to be submitted in early 2027.
Matthew Boulton, EDF UK’s director of solar, storage and private wire, said: “We are grateful to everyone who shared their views with us last year.
“Consultation is a vital part of our design process, and we will continue to work with the local community to refine the plans ahead of submitting our DCO application.”