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Antony Gormley joins battle against huge Norfolk solar farm project
As reported in today’s edition of the Eastern Daily Press, the world-renowned sculptor Sir Antony Gormley has joined objectors to a solar farm which would cover 2,800 acres of Norfolk farmland.
Sir Antony Gormley, the world-renowned sculptor, has added his voice to the opposition against plans to build one of Britain’s largest solar farms in the Norfolk countryside.
The 75-year-old artist, who owns a £3m home and studio at West Acre, near Swaffham, has lodged a formal objection to the Droves renewable energy scheme, which would cover 2,800 acres of nearby fields in solar panels.
He and his wife, fellow artist Vicken Parsons, have both registered to have their say during hearings to determine whether the project should go ahead.
In his representation, Sir Antony, who is best known for his monumental Angel of the North sculpture near Gateshead, said:
“The idea of putting one of the largest solar arrays in the country here feels cruel and destructive beyond belief.
“It is hard for us to imagine somewhere less suitable for this massive industrial development – including the huge battery storage complex – than here.
“We are passionate supporters of the necessary transition that our society must urgently make from fossil fuels to green energy sources.
“We recognise the climate emergency and have made many steps in our own lives to reduce our carbon footprint.
“We also believe that solar is an integral part of the blend of sustainable energy sources that the UK will need to develop in the coming years, but we cannot be convinced that this proposal represents anything but a profit grab at the cost of a special and much-loved area of farmland, fields, woods and lanes.”
Read the full story by clicking on the image below.
Original EDP article written by Dan Grimmer
Want to voice your objections too?
CPRE Norfolk is extremely concerned about the number of very large-scale solar farms which are being planned in the county.
We are strongly of the opinion that climate change needs to be addressed and that reaching Net Zero is an essential goal, not least through mandatory solar on suitable roof-spaces of new domestic and commercial properties.
The construction of mega-solar farms would result in the industrialisation of large areas of attractive, tranquil countryside with solar panels, security fences, CCTV cameras, access tracks and substations covering huge numbers of fields and meadows, as well as loss of good quality agricultural arable land.
Join our Alliance against mega solar farms in Norfolk for guidance on how you can voice your objections.
Want to learn more?
Click the button below to visit our online Getting Solar OFF the Land exhibition, a major exhibition that explores what large-scale, developer-led solar schemes could mean for our county’s countryside, and what a better path to Net Zero could look like.
