Plans to build 75,000 solar panels on agricultural land have been recommended for approval amid fears that “peaceful rural living” will become a “prison yard”.
Proposals to build the solar farm in Drinkstone Green, Hessett, near Bury St Edmunds, were submitted by Opdeengery in June 2025.
Now the plans are set to go in front of the Mid Suffolk District Council planning committee on Wednesday.
However, ten objections have been raised in the village, with fears of a culmination of projects in the region, traffic congestion and the impact on agricultural production.
One resident said: “These panels are made in China, the world’s biggest polluter, which isn’t held to the same net zero targets. But we are expected to pay the price – higher taxes, destroyed landscapes, and risks to our health – all while obeying blindly like good little citizens.
“This isn’t climate policy – it’s globalist hypocrisy. Homes will be surrounded by solar panels, turning peaceful rural living into something more like a prison yard.
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Officers who have recommended the plan for approval say that the project would have “clear public benefit” with the capability to supply 9,660 homes with energy.
Meanwhile, they commended the proposal for utilising an existing pylon on the site itself.
Concerns about fire safety have also been raised with Suffolk Fire and Rescue, urging the applicant to restrict the spread of fire through the use of fire-resistant materials and appropriate automatic fire detection.
A spokesman for Opdeengery added that the project would save 1,498,000 tonnes of CO2 over 40 years of operation, and the company has completed more than 100MW in renewable energy across the country.
They said: “The proposed solar farm forms part of a sustainable energy supply for the UK. It assists in ensuring that the UK has a long-term sustainable energy supply that promotes the generation of renewable energy and reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
“The UK needs to ensure, as part of a sustainable development strategy, that it has security of supply and a less volatile energy market.
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