A new campaign aims to prevent large swathes of agricultural land being repurposed for massive solar farms surrounding a historic village.

Protest group Hands Off Thaxted has produced an e-petition urging Uttlesford District Council to take urgent action, after seeing plans for almost 700 acres of agricultural land to be taken out of commission for food production to accommodate solar panels.

They want UDC to put in place a strategy to protect Uttlesford’s landscape and its best and most versatile farm land from further industrialisation, including large scale solar farms.

Campaign spokesman Tom Wilson said: "We are in the middle of a Covid crisis and a major re-configuration of our food importation process; in addition, our planning laws are changing but it is unclear what the changes are, and we still do not have a Local Plan.

"Behind the scenes of this uncertainty, acres of prime farm land in Uttlesford are being quietly sold off or rented out to developers.

"There are already 270 acres of solar farms on Grade 2 land on the east side of Thaxted. Another site of up to 280 acres of solar farms is planned for the west side. This will destroy the timeless rural landscape and setting of Cutlers Green and Thaxted’s medieval village as well as de-commissioning hundreds of acres of prime agricultural land.

"In nearby Wimbish, a third solar farm planned by Low Carbon is further forward in the planning process, and that will take out 136 acres of farmland. In just one small are of Uttlesford, rich in history and natural beauty as well as agricultural land, a total of 686 acres of good land will be lost to food production.

"It will also inhibit access to the countryside and the enjoyment of our rural landscape. And that is not the end of the story, of course: there are likely to be more applications for farm land sites in the pipeline."

Tom said Covid restrictions are preventing proper consultation with residents, and few people are aware of just how much land will be lost across the district.

Apart from the impact on food production, the campaign says the historic landscape setting of towns and villages will disappear, the enjoyment of footpaths and the countryside will be lost, and wildlife will suffer from the changes to habitat, the loss of established pathways, and the introduction of new hazards.

Hands Off Thaxted was set up in spring 2014 by local residents to fight unwanted and unnecessary housing development.

The group says it recognises the stark reality of climate change, and how solar power is a necessary and useful source of renewable energy, but argues that solar farms do not have to be sited on the best and most fertile farmland.

"Solar panels can and should be installed on all public buildings, new housing, industrial sites and scrubland. Agricultural land is far too precious to be used for anything but crops, particularly at a time when the world population is growing and food imports are uncertain.

"Our efforts to combat climate change must take account of the ‘big picture’ through balanced, informed and sustainable planning. That is why this petition is being launched to urge Uttlesford District Council to create a sustainable plan for the development of solar energy that protects farmland and the rural landscape.

"We urge all Uttlesford residents to sign this petition as it concerns us all. The more people who sign, the more quickly UDC are likely to act with urgency on this matter."

A spokesperson for UDC said: "The council welcomes petitions and recognises that they are one way in which people can let us know their concerns. The petition available on the website will be monitored by officers until the scheduled end date on June 30. Following the deadline, the council will respond appropriately as set out in its constitution."

To sign the petition, please go to https://uttlesford.moderngov.co.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=13&RPID=3408346&HPID=3408346