Residents outraged at Whitestone Solar Farm plans on Doncaster and Rotherham green belt

Rotherham and Doncaster residents have voiced their objections to plans for a new solar farm on green belt land.

A meeting on August 6, 2026 at Ravenfield Parish Hall saw residents from Rotherham and Doncaster come together to discuss the scale of the Whitestone solar farm project.

If approved, the farm would be active for 60 years, designed to power about 250,000 homes.

It was originally proposed to cover 3,500 acres. However, Green Nation, the company leading the project, said this had since been “reduced substantially” by 17 per cent.

The solar farm would go from Conisbrough through Ravenfield, Bramley, Wickersley, Hallaby, Thurcroft, Brampton-en-le-Morthen, Anston, Aston, Whiston and towards Brinsworth.

Residents have formed online campaign groups called Whitestone Warriors, and Save Our Green Belt.

One woman said: “Today is about these communities, who it affects the most, having updates. A lot of people don’t even know it’s happening.”

Jonathan Holdsworth, a farmer who owns a dog boarding and breeding kennels near Conisbrough, says he fears for the future of his business.

“I will have to shut down my business if this isn’t sorted,” he said.

“My kids wanted to carry on what we did. My daughter when she leaves college, she wants to carry it on. That’s what’ll be taken away, our livelihood, my daughter’s livelihood.”

People have been campaigning to protect the green belt land at risk.

Terry Huggett, a resident from Firsby, said: “We’ll be going from surrounded by green belt land to an industrial wasteland.

“We are not against renewable energy, but these are private businesses that have come in here, who are financially incentivised to look at the best financial outcome, not sustainability.”

Others questioned why developers have not looked at putting solar farms on top of already existing buildings.

Lauren Clay, local to Harthill in Rotherham, said: “Why don’t they put it on the top of industrial buildings, like massive warehouses? I just feel like there’s other ways and I get that this is probably the quickest and maybe the easiest way.

“Whenever you talk about this, people immediately assume you’re against solar, but I’m not.

“If it was the right thing, I would be like ‘brilliant, come and put the panels on my roof’.”

A representative from Green Nation said: “The land that we are proposing for Whitestone Solar Farm is green belt; however, solar farms can be designed in a way that supports the goals of the greenbelt, helping to support recreation, increase biodiversity and maintain openness between settlements.

“All of the existing public rights of way will remain open during the operation of the project, and we are proposing 14.5 km of new permissive paths which will be open to walkers, cyclists and equestrians to expand access across the site.

“We held two rounds of consultation on the project in Autumn 2024 and Autumn 2025. These consultations included a series of public events, including some on Saturdays and evenings to accommodate various work schedules.

“We have sought to minimise impacts to local communities in the development of the updated design, as well as the traffic management plans and other construction management plans that will be finalised through ongoing engagement with the local authorities.”

Planning inspectors will hold an examination period from autumn, 2026 to spring, 2027.

A final decision is expected to be made in winter, 2027 by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.