Villagers in Milton Keynes object to massive solar farm as big as 2,000 football pitches being built on their doorstep
Plans to build one of the UK’s biggest solar farms on the doorstep of a quiet village have caused uproar among residents.
The proposed Green Hill Solar Farm will spread over almost 3,000 acres – the equivalent of 2,000 football pitches or the size of Heathrow airport.
It will spread over over farmland and greenfield spaces in rural Northamptonshire, affecting Grendon, Easton Maudit, Bozeat, Mears Ashby, Earls Barton, Holcot and Old Walgrave, into hundreds of acres of open countryside bordering Lavendon, which is in Milton Keynes.
Lavendon residents have already formed an action group called STOP Green Hill Solar to protest against the plan and launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover legal fees and specialists to help with their fight. So far the fundraiser, which can be viewed here, has raised £25,000.
One of the biggest concerns is the flood risk that the development and its 19 miles of underground cabling could pose. Protestors say Lavendon has endured serious flooding in recent years, with major incidents in December 2020 and September 2024. A newly-commissioned report from the campaign group challenges the developer’s official flood risk assessment submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.
"While the developer claims the risk is only ‘medium’, the independent report identifies the proposed development—particularly on site G—as likely to significantly worsen local flooding. The campaign group’s findings suggest that the developer has underplayed the scale of the risk,” said a spokesperson for the group.
Other key issues include disruption to wildlife, the potential loss of rural landscape and the impact on heritage routes such as the historic Three Shires Way, which would run alongside the development.
Lavendon residents have stressed their support for the transition to green energy but argued this should not come at the expense of greater flood risk. “We are not opposed to renewable energy, but the safety and wellbeing and safety of our village must come first,” said one.
Green Hill Solar developers, Island Green Power, say their mission is to help accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to solar power by making more renewable energy possible, drastically reducing carbon emissions and contributing to global net-zero targets.
They have vowed to consult with local communities, stakeholders and policymakers as well as technical experts at multiple stages during the development to ensure it will enhance the biodiversity of the site
A Development Consent Order (DCO) was submitted earlier this year and accepted for formal examination by The Planning Inspectorate. The plan is out for public consultation until January 14 2026. You can view the application here.
Lavendon campaigners are now calling for wider public awareness and media scrutiny of the alleged risks posed by the Solar Farm.
They are urging decision-makers and the broader community to take the independent evidence seriously and to ensure that the voices of those directly affected are heard before any final decisions are made.
A spokesperson said: “The environmental and ecological impact on the landscape will be dramatic: rural vistas will be destroyed. It will affect wildlife, birds and waterways. Footpaths, bridleways and the countryside will be forever changed. Views from woodlands, around historic and listed buildings, scenic routes in and out of communities will be impacted. Household views may change and house prices affected: the decision-makers don’t take this into account”.