'It beggars belief' - outrage at Ed Miliband after controversial Newmarket solar farm gets green light

A controversial plan to build the biggest solar farm in Europe close to some of Newmarket’s most important gallops has been given the green light by the new Labour government, despite a four-year campaign against it by key racing bodies, local MPs and several councils.

Sunnica solar and battery farm is to cover 2,800 acres of arable land on the west Suffolk and east Cambridgeshire border, parts of which, say opponents, will blight the landscape of the historic Limekilns training grounds to the north-east of Newmarket.

Ed Miliband, new minister for energy, security and net zero, announced on Friday afternoon he had given the go-ahead for the project a little over a week after taking office.