Councillors are preparing to vote on a massive new solar array that many fear will spark an industrial takeover of the Kent countryside.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council planning officers have already given the nod to the 40-hectare project at St Mary in the Marsh. The site, proposed by the energy firm Enviromena, would stretch across a space roughly the size of 55 football pitches. It would sit just off St Mary’s Road.
The developer says the 16-megawatt facility is a necessary step if the UK is to hit its net-zero goals. They estimate the site will power roughly 10,600 homes every year. But the local community is far from convinced. More than 80 formal objections have hit the council’s desk, with residents warning that this single decision could set a “dangerous precedent” for the entire region.
A “finely balanced” call for planners
Planners admit this isn’t an easy choice. While the land is currently used for farming, it is not officially classed as “best and most versatile” agricultural soil. Under the current national rules, that makes it a prime target for renewable energy projects.
According to the council’s own reports, the need for clean energy carries “significant weight” in the final balance. If the scheme goes ahead, the panels will stay in place for 40 years. Enviromena has promised that once the time is up, they will pack up the equipment and return the fields to their original state.
Losing the character of the Marsh
For people living in the shadow of the proposed site, the loss of open green space feels like a heavy blow. Pamela Batt, a local who formally opposed the plans, says the location is simply the wrong fit.
“While I fully support using solar panels to produce energy in the right locations, such as on roofs, car parks and existing brownfield or industrial sites, using good agricultural land for this purpose is unforgivable,” she argued.
The protest group ‘Hands Off Our Marsh’ (HOOM) shares that frustration. They believe miles of glass panels and high security fences will ruin the quiet, flat beauty of the Marsh. There are also nagging worries about how the construction might impact the area’s unique drainage systems and bird life.
The shadow of the “mega-farms”
What really keeps locals awake at night is the idea that this project is just the beginning. Three much larger “mega-farms” are already being planned for the area by giants like SSE and Low Carbon. These aren’t local council matters; they are so big they are classed as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, meaning the final word belongs to the Secretary of State.
Residents fear that if the local council says yes to a 16MW site now, it will be much harder to stop the hundred-megawatt industrial parks later. There is a growing sense that a rural treasure is being turned into a giant power station.
Biodiversity and the “dual-use” promise
Enviromena has tried to calm these fears by talking up the environmental benefits. They are proposing a “dual-use” model, which means sheep would still be able to graze underneath the solar panels.
The firm’s plan includes:
- Planting new native hedgerows to help local wildlife.
- Sowing wildflower seeds to support bees and other pollinators.
- Cutting roughly 5,900 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.
A national debate on local doorsteps
This row in Kent is a snapshot of a much bigger struggle across the country. The government wants a five-fold increase in solar power by 2035 to meet its green targets. This puts local councils in a difficult position, caught between national policy and local heritage.
Opponents of the scheme want a “rooftop first” policy. They argue that if solar was mandatory on every new warehouse and housing development, there would be no need to touch the English countryside.
The planning committee is expected to make its final call on Tuesday. The result will be seen as a huge signal for the future of the Kent coastline.
