Sunita Somvanshi
Britain’s clean energy landscape is changing as East Yorkshire prepares to host one of the country’s largest solar farms. The UK government gave its approval on May 9, 2025, for a project that will power 100,000 homes with clean electricity.
The solar farm will cover 1,277 hectares of Yorkshire countryside between Gribthorpe, Spaldington, Wressle, and Howden. Picture 1,800 football pitches laid side by side – that’s how much land this project will use. The solar panels will turn sunlight into 400 megawatts of electricity – enough power to run every appliance, light, and device in 100,000 homes.
This clean energy boost comes with significant debate. “The East Riding is being industrialized and people need to wake up to that,” warns George McManus from the local campaign group ERASE. His concern isn’t just about this project. “Other projects in the pipeline will see another 20,000 acres disappear under glass,” McManus adds.
The impact on food production weighs heavily on local minds. This land currently grows crops, and the shift to solar energy has sparked intense discussion about the best use of agricultural land. Yet Britain also needs clean power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels while fighting climate change.
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Boom Power, the company behind the project, promises to blend the solar farm into the landscape. They’ll plant new trees and hedges, create wildlife habitats, and keep footpaths open for walkers. The solar panels will stay for 40 years, from 2030 to 2070, before the land could return to farming.
Getting power from these panels to homes requires new infrastructure. Underground cables will connect to Yorkshire’s power hub at Drax substation. Workers will spend a year laying these cables and two years building the solar farm itself.
The decision didn’t come easily. For six months, government planners listened to local voices – from concerned residents to energy experts. Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, ultimately decided the clean energy benefits outweigh the changes to local farmland.
The timing matters. Britain aims to dramatically increase its solar power by 2035 as part of its plan to fight climate change. This project moves that goal forward but raises tough questions about land use that Parliament will debate on May 15, 2025.
Mark Hogan, who founded Boom Power, says they designed the project carefully to balance clean energy needs with local concerns. The company must now prove it can deliver on promises to protect wildlife and keep the countryside accessible while helping Britain move toward cleaner energy.
For Yorkshire communities, this means change. The project represents a significant shift in how the region produces energy, adding to Britain’s growing clean power network while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
This solar farm represents more than just panels in fields – it shows how Britain is wrestling with using its land to meet both farming and energy needs. As similar projects emerge across the country, Yorkshire’s experience will help shape how Britain balances these competing demands.
