Revised planning guidance for solar farms aimed at giving local people more power over proposed developments could stop the 'industrialisation' of the Cornish and Devon countryside

Minister for energy and climate change, Greg Barker, said that the new guidelines will ensure that renewable projects do not “automatically override environmental protections and the planning concerns of local communities".

He said while solar has a big bright future in the UK, it should not be "in any place and not at any price"

Adding: "I want UK solar targeted on industrial roofs, homes and on brownfield sites, not on our beautiful countryside.

"The public are rightly keen on clean solar power but we mustn’t lose that support by deploying enormous arrays in the wrong places. Our new planning guidance will make this crystal clear."

There has been mounting criticism over the development of rural solar farms, with some applications on green-field sites in Cornwall causing fury amongst local residents.

Large swathes of the Cornish and Devon countryside have seen solar arrays built on farmland, with planners giving the greenlight to the vast majority.

Totnes MP Dr Wollaston has warned of "industrialisation and wasteland" highlighting 28 applications for large-scale solar submitted to South Hams council in Devon.

In response to a question from Sarah Wollaston MP which called for the minister to set out the practical steps he was taking to ensure the appropriate development of solar farms, Barker said: “Well-sited solar can be great and often is, but inappropriate developments risk alienating public support. That’s why I am very pleased to say that, in the next few weeks, as a result of close work with DCLG, we will be releasing revised planning guidance for renewables that will mean renewable energy doesn’t automatically override environmental protections and planning concerns of local communities.

“It will make clear that care should be taken to preserve heritage assets and beautiful countryside, including the impact of planning proposals on views and landscapes when it comes to things like solar – in addition to our own sustainability criteria that we are working closely with the industry on."