Bridgwater MP Sir Ashley Fox has urged Somerset Council to reject plans for a new 30MW solar farm near the M5 motorway in North Newton, a small village south of Bridgwater. The project, proposed by Ampyr Solar Europe and covering nearly 141 acres (57 hectares) along Tuckerton Lane, aims to generate renewable energy sufficient to power 13,000 homes.
Following a public consultation held between August and September 2025, the developer’s related company, North Newton Solar Farm Ltd., formally submitted the proposals in December 2025. Despite the clear environmental benefits, Sir Ashley Fox has voiced strong opposition, warning the development could heighten local flood risks and threaten valuable agricultural land essential for UK food production.
The planned solar farm would be situated south of North Newton Cricket Club, roughly equidistant between the M5 and the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. It is located approximately one mile from another proposed solar farm along the canal towpath in Fordgate, with further plans expected to be submitted in late spring.
To facilitate access, the junction at Moon Lane and Brook Street will be converted from a T-junction to a crossroads, involving the removal of ten meters of hedgerow to accommodate heavy goods vehicles. Local residents and the MP express concern that this could exacerbate already narrow, poorly maintained roads with limited visibility, increasing road safety risks.
JBA Consulting, representing the applicant, emphasized that renewable energy projects are strongly supported by government policies aimed at expanding electricity generation capacity and responding to climate emergency goals. They stated the solar farm would produce over 13,000 household-equivalent green energy annually and reduce carbon emissions by more than 400,000 tonnes over its lifetime. The proposal has been refined in consultation with stakeholders to minimize environmental impact and integrate sympathetically within the local landscape.
However, Sir Ashley Fox highlighted that many constituents worry the installation will worsen existing surface water drainage problems, raising flood risks in the region. He pointed to the Sedgemoor Local Plan’s requirements to prevent developments that increase flood hazards or fail to manage surface water adequately, questioning whether the proposal meets these standards.
Beyond flooding, Fox underlined concerns about the loss of grade one agricultural land, the highest quality farmland in the UK. He stressed the importance of protecting such land to maintain domestic food production and national food security, arguing the proposal’s justification for sacrificing prime farmland remains unclear.
The council is expected to announce its decision on the North Newton solar farm application by summer 2026.