Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of Grade (a) 4 and (b) 5 land would be suitable for building of solar farms.

The Agricultural Land Classification uses grades 1 to 5 to determine the quality of agricultural land. A combination of climate, topography and soil characteristics and their unique interaction determines the limitation and grade of the land. The highest quality agricultural land is known as ‘Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land’, defined in the National Planning Policy Framework and Natural England’s guide to assessing development proposals on agricultural land as land in grades 1, 2 and 3a.

Grades 4 and 5 fall outside this definition as they are classed as poor and very poor-quality agricultural land respectively. This means that the land has severe limitations, which significantly restricts the range and level of yield of crops. Defra does not hold data on the generic suitability of grades 4 and 5 for solar farms.

The development of large-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic farms is regulated through the planning system. Planning policy is clear that there is preference to use poorer-quality agricultural land over higher quality. There is also a need through planning guidance to show that any development of agricultural land is necessary.