Miliband, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, did not respond to requests for comment, but campaigners against the solar farm say that he has confirmed his support for the development. Documents published by the developer Boom Power said the firm has had “positive” discussions with Miliband as part of its engagement work, including a briefing on the proposals in June last year.
“I am not going to vote for Ed Miliband … I have got two issues with Ed Miliband, one with Brexit and one with this [solar farm],” a resident and Labour member, Stephen Fowle, told POLITICO, as campaigners met on Friday to oppose the project.
Another local voter, Christine Teal, said she, too, opposed Miliband because of the scheme. “It’s breaking my heart, but yes,” she said, when asked if she would withhold her vote from Labour.
“I wouldn’t vote for him,” said a third voter at the campaign meeting. A Facebook group set up to organize against the solar farm has more than 70 members.
In an echo of other anti-solar protests, campaigners say that Fenwick, which could generate enough power for 75,000 homes, poses a potential threat to wildlife and biodiversity, could lead to the loss of productive farmland, and that a potential two-year construction phase will cause disruption in the local area. Boom Power has consulted with local people over the plans for more than a year, and said they are working to "sensitively integrate the solar farm into the local landscape."
Letters seen by POLITICO show that Miliband has intervened on behalf of constituents to preserve public walkways on the Fenwick site. “But for us as a campaign group that is wanting it stopped, full stop, it’s not a great big help that your MP is absolutely 110 percent behind it,” Fowle said.
