Labour donor Dale Vince says solar farm approval was not politically influenced

Energy boss Dale Vince has hit back at suggestions that the Government’s recent decision to approve his solar farm in Lincolnshire was politically influenced.

Heckington Fen Solar Park, a development owned by Mr Vince’s renewable energy company Ecotricity, was given the green light late last week by ministers.

Mr Vince, who donated £5 million to Labour in the run-up to the general election, told the PA news agency criticism by opponents of the project are “cheap” and “cynical”.

The project, a solar park combined with a battery storage site, will provide enough electricity to power as many as 200,000 homes when it is completed.

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Colin Davie, a Conservative councillor at Lincolnshire County Council, questioned whether Energy Secretary Ed Miliband had “declared the nature of his relationship” with Mr Vince, in comments to the Telegraph newspaper.

Marc Williams, another Lincolnshire councillor, said the decision was “disgraceful” and pointed to Mr Vince’s role as a Labour donor.

In response, Mr Vince said the project would create “hundreds of jobs” and that it is the “right thing at the right time” as the Government pushes to decarbonise the power system by 2030.

He added: “Suggestions of influence are just cheap, cynical comments – I’ve spent the last 30 years pushing for green energy in Britain – the economic and security benefits of that make it now unarguable and that’s why we have a Government committed to it, having promised it in their manifesto.”

A Government spokesperson said: “Political donations have no influence over how planning applications are considered.

“There’s a rigorous process in place to ensure that all planning decisions are taken in accordance with the necessary propriety rules and weigh up only material planning considerations in the decision.”

They said Mr Miliband had recused himself from the decision, which was delegated to Lord Philip Hunt, an energy minister.

The spokesperson added: “Solar power is crucial to delivering our clean energy mission and we make no apology for supporting the development of clean energy infrastructure to provide cheap energy and protect households’ bills.”

It comes as newly filed accounts show Mr Vince’s collection of green energy companies swung to a loss last year after global energy prices fell.

His holding company, Green Britain Group – which includes Ecotricity, posted a loss of £7 million for the year to April 2024, compared with a £50 million profit the year before.

The slump was mainly a result of falling revenues from selling electricity and gas, while the group also suffered a £12 million write down on a green gas project in Reading, which suffered engineering problems after opening in 2023.