Antony Gormley dubs solar farm plan 'cruel'

Sculptor Antony Gormley has warned that one of the UK's largest planned solar farms would be "cruel and destructive beyond belief".

Gormley owns a home near to the proposed site of a 2,800-acre development which would be built on farmland close to Swaffham, Norfolk.

In a submission to the Planning Inspectorate, the Angel of the North sculptor said it would be "a massive industrial development" in the countryside.

Developers Island Green Power (IGP), who are behind the plans for the Droves site, said it "welcomed a wide range of views" being offered on its proposals.

"We remain confident in our proposals, which have been shaped through extensive consultation with local communities and stakeholders," said project development manager Harman Sond.

Equivalent to the size of 1,500 football pitches, the Droves is one of several major solar farms which have been proposed for Norfolk.

IGP has said it would generate up to 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity — enough to power about 115,000 homes annually — and would be in use for up to 60 years.

The government is currently inviting comments on the project, which would be built on farmland close to Gormley's property in the small village of West Acre.

Gormley and his wife Vicky Parsons have both made submissions in which they describe themselves as "passionate supporters" of transitioning from fossil fuels to green energy sources.

But they argue the Droves plan is "a profit grab at the cost of a special and much-loved area of farmland, fields, woods and lanes".

Describing the area as a "precious, tucked-away corner of England", they added that "putting one of the largest solar arrays in the country here feels cruel and destructive beyond belief".

Gormley has been known for raising environmental issues, building a snowman in the Arctic to highlight climate change and later speaking out against BP's sponsorship of the National Portrait Gallery.

Alongside the Angel of the North, other notable works of Gormley's include life-size cast-iron figures, with a collection of 100 displayed in the grounds of Houghton Hall in Norfolk two years ago.

Large solar farms are a major part of the government's plans to transition to green power, with the aim of tackling climate change and making the UK less reliant on foreign energy.

Because of the scale of such projects, it will have final say on planning permission for them, rather than local authorities.

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