Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of multiple solar farms on the local environment; whether he has had discussions with the the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on the impact of solar farms on the rural (a) landscape and (b) communities; and if he will take steps to ensure that those farms are distributed over a wide area.

Although the precise location of energy infrastructure is a matter for developers, planning guidance sets out that the cumulative impact of solar developments located close to each other can be a factor in planning decisions. This impact should be considered by decision-makers.

Officials are in regular contact with their counterparts at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with whom they work closely on matters related to the rural impacts of solar farms.