Some of you may have seen the regular newsletter from our MP Pippa Heylings from 15th June 2025. One item in that newsletter was:
Challenging Kingsway Solar Farm, my meeting with David Vernon, CEO
Following my meetings with Parish Councils, local councillors and hearing directly from affected constituents in the villages that would be affected by the proposed Kingsway Solar Farm, I secured a meeting this week with David Vernon, CEO. I challenged him on: poor and shoddy engagement with the community; lack of early and structured engagement with the local planning authority despite this being offered; and heavy-handed tactics with inappropriate use of planning regulation to gain access to properties leaving some residents distressed and angry.
I also raised the following questions and will be sharing the answers I received next week here and with Parish Councils:
- How and when there would be sight of the findings from the non-statutory consultation to see to what extent key concerns and recommendations raised were being considered?
- Whether more time would be given to the forthcoming statutory consultation and whether it would extend beyond the summer holidays so that residents and organisations could have a chance to respond?
- What measures being taken to address concerns over battery safety and fire risk; and whether the Fire Service report would be taken into account even though submitted late?
- To what extent KSF is engaging with the national Land Use Framework and Strategic Spatial Energy Plan and the Local Area Energy Plan which help determine best use of land where there are competing demands; the national and local demand for solar in the energy mix and where and how best to achieve this?
- And what kind of direct community benefit package is being considered by KSF for the villages, if the project were to be approved, and when would this be consulted upon?
West Wratting Parish Council received an email from Pippa on June 16, which we have been told we can share with you on our village website. Here it is:
Dear West Wratting Parish Council,
As you may know, I held an online meeting with David Vernon of Kingsway last week. The local District Councillor for Balsham ward, Geoff Harvey, was also in attendance at the meeting to represent local people who have raised concerns with him. Following the concerns that have been conveyed to me by constituents and the Parish Councils, I brought forward a number of key questions about Kingsway’s process so far in order to hold them to account for decisions taken and ascertain how they plan to move forward as a result.
As I said in my newsletter last week, I began the meeting by challenging Mr Vernon on the poor engagement with the community; lack of early and structured engagement with the local planning authority despite this being offered; and heavy-handed tactics with inappropriate use of planning regulation to gain access to properties leaving some residents distressed and angry.
I wanted to update the affected Parish Councils about the issues raised in the meeting with Mr Vernon, and the answers I received from him.
1. How and when there would be sight of the findings from the non-statutory consultation to see to what extent key concerns and recommendations raised were being considered?
- I was pleased to hear from Mr Vernon that Kingsway plan to publish a summary of interim findings from the non-statutory consultation before the next stage of consultation begins. This will be an important opportunity to see the extent to which key issues raised are being considered.
2. Whether more time would be given to the forthcoming statutory consultation and whether it would extend beyond the summer holidays so that residents and organisations could have a chance to respond?
- Mr Vernon agreed with the need for genuine opportunity for residents to engage and respond and that summer school holidays are difficult for many people. The exact dates will soon be published; the consultation will be launched towards the end of the summer holidays with the consultation meetings taking place after the end of the state school holidays.
- Mr Vernon said that the statutory consultation will be at least six weeks’ duration and that the exact dates will soon be available.
3. What measures being taken to address concerns over battery safety and fire risk; and whether the Fire Service report would be taken into account even though submitted late?
- In response to my comments highlighting the recent debates in Westminster on battery safety and fire risk, Mr Vernon assured me that Kingsway are aware of the issue of battery safety and have a team of experts appointed for battery safety considerations.
- Mr Vernon assured me that his team will liaise with the fire service appropriately and that their input will be considered even though submitted late, and they will be closely involved going forwards as the design proceeds.
- On this issue, I will be fully supporting my colleagues, Charlotte Cane MP and Calum Miller MP, in their parliamentary work raising concerns about battery safety.
4. To what extent Kingsway is engaging with the national Land Use Framework, Strategic Spatial Energy Plan and the Local Area Energy Plan which help determine best use of land where there are competing demands; the national and local demand for solar in the energy mix and where and how best to achieve this?
- I stressed to Mr Vernon that I will continue to push for any large-scale solar farm applications to be informed by a joined-up national approach through the LUF and the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan. We need a system for ensuring appropriate land is selected for development, balancing competing demands for food production, nature, housing and energy infrastructure, rather than leaving it to a postcode lottery of available land. Mr Vernon acknowledged that this would be an ideal situation but confirmed that they are following current government policy to press on with large scale solar as part of the energy mix to reach the government’s clean power targets by 2030. His concern is that there are no published timsecales for the adoption of the LUF and the SSEP. I emphasised how I will continue to push for a more joined-up approach at national level.
5. What kind of direct community benefit package is being considered by Kingsway for the villages, if the project were to be approved, and when would this be consulted upon?
- I raised with Mr Vernon my concern that there is still no government published guidance for mandatory community benefit packages for renewable energy projects, such as large scale solar. I quoted the response from the Minister for Energy to a parliamentary question regarding the way in which “responsible developers” should be providing such packages in the meantime.
- Mr Vernon informed me that Kingsway are currently developing a community benefits proposal for the next stage of consultation which would involve, in his opinion, ‘significant sums’ for a community fund in consultation with the Parish Councils and local authorities. It remains to be seen whether the amounts being considered are proportionate and follow best practice, for example, in Scotland.
Thank you for your engagement and feedback on behalf of residents so far. On behalf of my constituents, I will continue to hold Kingsway Solar to account as the planning process moves forward. I have also sent copies of this update to Cllr Geoff Harvey and Cllr Henry Batchelor.
Best wishes,
Pippa Heylings
Member of Parliament for South Cambridgeshire
Email: pippa.heylings.mp@parliament.uk
Web: https://www.pippaheylings.org.uk
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Simon Chandler
West Wratting Parish Council