Productive farmland could be lost to the rapid expansion of large-scale solar projects unless environmental assessments become more consistent, new guidance has warned.
The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) said inconsistencies in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for solar developments on agricultural land risk undermining food production and biodiversity as renewable energy deployment accelerates.
The warning comes as the UK government pushes to deliver 47 gigawatts of solar power by 2030, almost tripling current installed capacity. That target is expected to drive a sharp rise in the number, size and scale of solar schemes seeking planning consent across the country.
ISEP said growing complexity across energy, environmental and planning policy, including differences between UK and devolved administrations, has led to uneven approaches to EIAs for large-scale solar photovoltaic projects.
In response, the institute has published new guidance aimed at improving consistency across the planning system. The advice note, Solar PV on Agricultural Land – Essential Components of Environmental Assessments and Reports, is designed to support developers, environmental consultants and local planning authorities.
It sets out expectations around agricultural land classification surveys, soil assessment, biodiversity net gain, pollution risk management and socio-economic impacts, with the aim of strengthening evidence-based decision-making.
Dr Rufus Howard, ISEP’s senior policy lead for impact assessment, said current practice was falling short. He said: “There is inconsistency in the approaches taken for Environmental Impact Assessments and planning applications for solar PV projects.”
With a surge in applications expected over the next five years, he warned that “there are risks for agricultural land in the UK without proper assessment”.
Dr Howard said the challenge was to strike the right balance. “We need a balance between tackling energy security and the climate crisis, our need for food security and preserving biodiversity and natural habitats,” he said.
He added that clearer guidance would help deliver “consistent, transparent, and high-quality assessments”, ensuring renewable energy development does not come at the expense of rural sustainability.
A central focus of the guidance is protecting the most productive farmland. Dr Howard said it “emphasises the importance of protecting the ‘best and most versatile’ agricultural land and maintaining the reversibility of solar developments”.
ISEP recommends prioritising poorer-quality land wherever possible and calls for independent soil audits after decommissioning to ensure land can be restored to good condition.
The guidance also highlights wider social and environmental impacts, including effects on rural livelihoods, alongside potential benefits such as biodiversity enhancement and carbon sequestration.
Solar developments can range from small schemes covering a few hectares to projects spanning hundreds of hectares, with some proposals exceeding 1,200 hectares. Under current rules, local authorities decide schemes of up to 100 megawatts, while larger projects are considered nationally.
ISEP noted that solar farms currently occupy less than 0.1% of UK land, but said the location of development is critical. Recent analysis shows a significant proportion of the largest operational solar farms in England are sited on productive farmland, including land classed as best and most versatile.
With planning decisions expected to accelerate in the drive towards net zero, ISEP said clearer and more consistent environmental assessments will be essential to ensure renewable energy expansion does not undermine long-term food security or the resilience of the rural environment.
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