Stop Longmarsh Green Energy: Protect Rural West Norfolk

We call on the Government, the Planning Inspectorate and decision-makers to reject the proposed Longmarsh Green Energy development in West Norfolk and protect our countryside, communities and rural way of life.

This is about more than solar panels. It is about the scale of industrial development being proposed for our countryside.

Longmarsh Green Energy plans to combine a vast solar farm, battery storage, substations, overhead power lines and a major data centre campus across two sites near Tilney St Lawrence, Tilney cum Islington, Fincham and Barton Bendish.

The 6,000 acre proposals could transform thousands of acres of rural Norfolk and leave a lasting impact on the landscape we call home.

We are deeply concerned about:

The destruction of rural character: Replacing open countryside and agricultural land with extensive industrial infrastructure, security fencing, substations and a major data centre risks permanently changing the character of our villages and surrounding landscape.
The impact on residents: People living nearby deserve to enjoy their homes without the threat of industrial development dominating their views, introducing noise and lighting, or undermining the peace and tranquillity of the countryside.

Agricultural land and food security: We must carefully consider the long-term consequences of taking substantial areas of land out of agricultural use when food production remains essential.
Wildlife and the natural environment: The potential effects on local habitats, biodiversity, drainage and the wider ecosystem must be taken seriously before any decision is made.

Construction traffic and infrastructure: Years of construction could bring heavy goods vehicles, disruption to rural roads and pressure on local communities.
The cumulative impact of development: This proposal must not be considered in isolation.

The combined effect of major energy and infrastructure projects across West Norfolk needs proper scrutiny.
Who really benefits? Promises of investment and jobs must be weighed against the permanent changes local people could face. Our communities should not be expected to bear the cost of development simply because the countryside is available.

We recognise that the UK needs renewable energy and modern digital infrastructure. But supporting a cleaner energy future does not mean every proposed development is right for every location. We must be able to question whether projects of this scale are appropriate, whether alternatives have been properly considered, and whether the benefits genuinely justify the local and environmental costs.

The developer’s own consultation acknowledges that important aspects of the design and environmental assessments are still being developed. This is precisely why residents must make their voices heard now, before the proposals progress further.

What we are calling for

We ask the Government and relevant decision-makers to:

1. Reject the Longmarsh Green Energy proposal in its current form and give proper weight to the concerns of affected communities.
2. Require a rigorous, transparent assessment of the full environmental, agricultural, landscape and residential impacts, including the cumulative effects of other developments.
3. Ensure that less damaging alternatives and more appropriate locations are fully considered.
4. Put the long-term interests of West Norfolk’s residents, countryside and future generations ahead of the convenience of large-scale development.
5. This is not about resisting progress. It is about demanding responsible progress that respects the places people live, the countryside that sustains us and the communities that make West Norfolk special.

Our countryside is not an empty space on a developer’s map. It is our home.

Please sign and share this petition to show that local people care deeply about the future of West Norfolk and do not want this development to proceed.