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Concerns raised over Jersey solar farms

BBC Laura Layzell wearing a green coast with a navy blue top and navy blue scarf. She has long dark blonde hair and is smiling at the camera. Behind her is a field with a wooden gate just before it.BBC
Laura Layzell has voiced fears over agricultural land being used for the development

Concerns have been raised over plans to build six solar farms across Jersey.

The first site is nearing completion at St Clement and two other sites have passed the planning stage, with building work expected to begin in early 2025.

Another proposed site in St Mary has left resident Laura Layzell, who says she is pro-renewable energy, fearing damage could be caused to the island's agricultural land.

Steve Tanner, head of capital delivery for Jersey Electricity (JE), said the company wanted to "protect green space on the island" and "the total of all six sites is only 0.8% of the total agricultural land available".

Ms Layzell said: "These fields in St Mary are in the top 50% of land for Jersey Royals.

"We love this island and I think we have to protect agriculture and these far reaching countryside views for our children's generation.

"Sustainability is really important but there's many more locations that we feel would be far better suited."

Steve Tanner pictured in a community hall wearing a navy blue jumper with a white shirt beneath it. He has mousy brown hair that has been swept to one side.
Mr Tanner said JE was not using prime agricultural land

Doug Richardson, from the Jersey Farmer's Union, claimed five of the six proposed sites were considered prime agricultural land.

Discussing the three approved sites, he said: "The process should stop there and at least what they deliver could be assessed before more development continues."

Mr Tanner said JE was not using prime agricultural land: "We do soil quality surveys at the beginning and the key to remember is that we are still developing agriculture on these sites."

Discussing the company's reasons behind building the solar farms, he said: "There are a number of great reasons why we want to do it - including energy sovereignty, there's opportunities to grow our agrivoltaics [the practice of using land for both agriculture and solar energy production], there's opportunities to use land better than it is used today but importantly there is continuity of supply for residents in Jersey.

"All of these things contribute to the overall reasons why we are doing this, not least because it contributes to the carbon neutrality issue for the island."

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