Campaigners say they are feeling “the life-changing weight of Government decisions” as they await to find out if one of Europe’s biggest solar farms will be built on their doorsteps.  

Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, was due to announce her decision on the Sunnica Energy Farm on April 11, but this has been delayed again until June.

The proposed 2,500-acre scheme is planned for the East Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk border and consists of a solar and battery plant. 

The scale of the project – which campaigners say is the equivalent of around 2,000 football pitches - means the proposals were reviewed under the National Significant Infrastructure process. 

It is set to be located across three sites: Sunnica East Site A, near Isleham; Sunnica East Site B, near Freckenham and Worlington; and Sunnica West Site A, near Chippenham and Kennett.       

If given the go-ahead, campaigners say it will stretch to around 15 miles from end-to-end and affect 16 parishes and towns.  

A final decision has already been pushed back three times amid the widespread opposition from various groups including MPs, community organisations and councils.   

Dr Catherine Judkins, who chairs the Say No to Sunnica Community Action Group, said: “Residents here are generally very pro-solar, but polls taken over the past years consistently show over 90 per cent are opposed to the Sunnica plan.” 

She added “it is sheer madness to take some of the UK’s best food-producing land out of production” when alternative options to deliver solar energy are available.  

“Solar doesn’t have to be done the Sunnica way – in fact, it should not be allowed to be done this way,” Dr Judkins said.     

A spokesperson for Sunnica said: “The UK needs to double the amount of renewable energy it generates by 2050.   

“Sunnica would make a significant contribution to this goal."