'Industrial scale' solar farms attacked by Greens

"Industrial scale" solar farms planned by foreign-owned firms have been attacked by the leader of the Green Party on a county council.

Catherine Rowett, from Norfolk County Council, said overseas investors were aiming to make huge profits and called for solar projects to be locally owned.

Some of the UK's largest solar sites are planned for Norfolk, including the East Pye development - which would cover the equivalent of about 1,500 football pitches.

Island Green Power (IGP), which is behind the East Pye project in South Norfolk, said that the scheme would help meet the UK government's "need for secure affordable and low carbon energy" .

Rowett has been speaking to BBC Norfolk as part of a series of interviews with local party leaders ahead of next month's local elections.

With 84 seats up for grabs, the Greens currently have four councillors.

While the party is traditionally in favour of renewables, she said she was opposed to "industrial scale energy infrastructure schemes" such as the East Pye development at a series of sites in and around Long Stratton, which covers 2,700 acres (1,090 hectares).

IGP is owned by the Australian firm Macquarie Asset Management.

"The basic thing is that these shocking schemes are [proposed by] foreign investors looking to make a profit out of our ridiculous energy prices," said Rowett.

"It's a huge profit margin for those who can get some renewable energy from our sunshine and take the profits offshore."

She said countryside solar schemes should be smaller and locally operated, and called for a stronger drive for solar panels to be installed on rooftops of public and private buildings instead.

East Pye has faced strong opposition from politicians in the other main parties on the council including the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Reform UK.

An IGP spokesperson said the company was a UK taxpayer and pointed to the extensive work that has already gone into a Development Consent Order application.

They added that a "thorough and transparent" process would allow all interested parties to make their views known.

"If consented, the scheme would make a long term contribution to clean and secure energy generation, while mitigating any impacts and responding sensitively to its local environment," the spokesperson said.

The Greens have had a strong base of support in Norwich for two decades, Rowett won her West Depwade county council seat three years ago, and at the 2024 general election Adrian Ramsay won the new Waveney Valley constituency.

Rowett said she hoped the party would win more council seats outside the city with its policies including free bus travel for under-25s, reducing speed limits on single-track rural roads and increasing investment in children's centres for young families.

"I think both in the city and in rural areas, there's a good feeling in the polls," she explained.

A full list of the candidates in the Norfolk County Council election can be found here.

BBC Radio Norfolk will be speaking to the other council group leaders over the next week.

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.