A proposed solar farm at Pent Farm, Postling has been rejected by a Green-led district council.
The site, covering six fields between Folkestone and Ashford, would have featured three-metre high panels with sheep grazing beneath them. It was predicted that the solar farm would be able to power 5,000 homes.
However, at a meeting of Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s (FHDC) planning committee on Tuesday 19th March, councillors were left split over the plans over fears it could visually harm the landscape.
The location sits entirely within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and on this basis, planning officers had recommended that members reject the scheme.
Members appeared torn over the decision to approve the solar farm when weighing it against the potential harm to the landscape.
Power firm RNA Energy first put forward the plans for a 55-acre solar array – the size of 30 football pitches – at Pent Farm, Postling, in December 2022.
Cllr Anita Jones (Green) described the decision as a “huge dilemma.”
She said “A solar farm is an amazing idea and we do need more of those, and of course I’m in favour of solar energy but I think it needs to be in the right place – and there are other locations you could have such a site. I took a walk up there this morning just to get an idea of the scale – it’s beautiful and I think it would be a real shame.”

Cllr Rebecca Shoob (Green) backed the proposals, saying “The demand for clean energy is huge and we need to provide it rapidly – this is proven technology that can do that. So we could wait around for other things to come forward but the climate emergency is getting worse and worse. The climate emergency for me overrides the harm to the landscape”.