Miliband 'took no part' in solar farm approval

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband played no part in giving the green light to a solar farm in Lincolnshire linked to Labour Party donor Dale Vince, he has told MPs.

In January, the government approved a solar farm at Heckington Fen, on farmland between Sleaford and Boston.

Miliband said he stepped back from making a decision on the 500MW project, which is being developed by Mr Vince's Ecotricity.

Consultation documents showed the farm – which will cover about 525 hectares (about 1,300 acres) – would generate enough electricity to power more than 100,000 homes.

Miliband was questioned in the House of Commons by shadow frontbencher Joy Morrissey about the project.

Morrissey said: "The secretary of state recently approved a 524-hectare solar farm in Lincolnshire – a farm linked to Dale Vince, a £5.4 million donor to the Labour Party.

"The public have a right to be certain that this decision was carried out properly."

Miliband responded: "I took no part in this decision and recused myself from it."

The government is looking to expand the development of solar farms, and approval of projects has accelerated since Labour took office last year.

Lincolnshire County Council leader Martin Hill previously told the BBC that developers were "queuing up to have more solar farms".

Five large energy farms have already been approved for Lincolnshire and nine more are awaiting decisions.

Miliband quickly approved solar projects at Gate Burton, near Gainsborough, and Mallard Pass, on the Lincolnshire/Rutland border.

A green light was also given to the West Burton Solar Project, which will sit on the Lincolnshire/Nottinghamshire border.

In the Commons on Tuesday, Morrissey asked Miliband whether rural land was suitable for new solar plants, and what communities which objected could do to stop them.

Miliband responded: "Let every person throughout the country know that when energy bills remain high, [the Conservative Party] are opposing the things that will bring them down."

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