Impact on Norfolk – landscapes and tranquillity

What’s at risk.

Visual transformation

Rows of panels, fencing, and security towers up to 4.5 metres tall create an industrial environment in what were peaceful, open landscapes.

Loss of heritage settings

Many proposed sites lie near listed buildings, ancient monuments, and conservation areas.

Dark skies disrupted

Around-the-clock lighting erodes rural tranquillity and affects nocturnal wildlife.

Public access diminished

Long-used paths and viewpoints are obscured or altered beyond recognition.

A local example: High Grove.

At High Grove Farm, campaigners warn that proposals would change the landscape permanently, affecting both heritage assets and public rights of way.

The surrounding area includes listed farmsteads and a network of ancient paths that have been part of Norfolk’s history for generations.

CPRE Norfolk’s view.

The countryside is not an empty space awaiting development, it is a living landscape of culture, history, and biodiversity.

We must ensure that the transition to clean energy does not erase the very qualities that make Norfolk special.

Everyone needs a place to relax and enjoy nature.

This page is based on the exhibition board “Impact on Norfolk – Landscapes and Tranquillity” from CPRE Norfolk’s Getting Solar OFF the Land Exhibition (2025).

Sources: 

CPRE Norfolk, 2025 – High Grove Case Study.
CPRE National, 2024 – “Tranquillity Mapping and Dark Skies in England.”
Historic England, 2025 – Heritage at Risk Register.