UK government abandons plan for solar canopies on new car parks

Summary

The UK government has decided not to proceed with a policy requiring solar canopies on new car parks, following a call for evidence. CPRE, the countryside charity, expresses disappointment, arguing that solar energy should be prioritized on rooftops, car parks, and previously developed land rather than on farmland. CPRE's research indicates that large-scale solar installations on farmland damage high-grade agricultural land and have negative landscape and visual impacts, potentially undermining public support for clean energy.