A veteran Tory MP has warned food security and energy must not be competitors in the race to industrialise the countryside.
Sir John Hayes warned pylons threaten to “blot” a 87-mile stretch of the nation’s land while reducing space for growing food.
Speaking in the Commons, said: “Britain’s food security, compromised by cheap foreign imports, now faces a parallel threat: all kinds of industrialisation of the countryside, from large solar plants to interconnectors and substations, and now huge pylons covering 87 miles of countryside.
“These will blot the landscape and use up valuable growing land, filling the fenland big skies.
“Knowing that the Prime Minister’s bow burns with gold, like my own, will he ensure that he joins my fight for our green and pleasant land and so make sure that food security and energy security are not competitors?”
Sir John has previously hit out at plans for over 110 miles of electricity pylons through the East of England from Norwich to Tilbury.
A band of MPs, including former Home Secretary Priti Patel, have warned of destruction to the countryside if proposals go ahead.
In response to Sir John, Mr Sunak said: “The Government has taken steps, which he has supported, to protect prime agricultural land from large-scale solar developments, which I know will be warmly welcomed.
“Our announcements this week at the National Farmers Union conference also demonstrate our support to increase our country’s food security, backing farmers with more funding and enhancing their productivity to produce great British food.
“As he knows, all of that, including our green and pleasant land, would be put at risk by the Labour party, which not only does not want to back our farmers but wants to impose top-down planning targets, which would concrete over the countryside that he and I both love.”
Mr Sunak on Tuesday told farmers “I’ve got your back,” as he announced a £220 million pre-election sweetener for rural voters.
He announced a £220 million funding package for agricultural technology and productivity schemes, which he described as “the biggest ever package of grants this year.”
Red tape will be slashed to ensure less planning issues for buildings wanted to be converted into farm shops or wedding venues to diversity earnings.
