Further concerns have been raised in Parliament over the Mallard Pass Solar Farm project, proposed for land on the Rutland-Stamford Border.

Conservative MP for Melton and Rutland, Alicia Kearns, wrote to the Planning Inspectorate on 13 June about the proposed project by Canadian Solar and Windel Energy.

But when she got a response to her letter, parts of it had been removed and altered, and Mrs Kearns wanted to know if this permitted, so she asked the Leader of the House, and Conservative colleague, MP Penny Mordaunt, about her concerns.

Alicia said: "Canadian Solar and Windel Energy are proposing to build a solar plant in Rutland and Stamford villages. This week the Planning Inspectorate published my response, but they'd redacted the words 'Modern Slavery Act', all mentions of the Uyghur, and even quotes from the Energy Secretary.

"On top of this, The Times newspaper has reported deeply inappropriate approaches from these organisations asking me to drop my opposition in return for 'a school', 'a playground', 'a swimming pool', 'something I might like to help me'. And they state that this has been done before."

Mallard Pass Solar Farm is with the Planning Inspectorate as it is too large for the local authorities to decide upon. Image credit: LDRS.

She continued: "Can my Right Honourable friend please advise me who do I go to in Government to ask for advice whether or not the Planning Inspectorate can do these redactions, but also for what I see as a deeply inappropriate approach?"

Penny Mordaunt replied: "Well, that does sound inappropriate, and I have some experience myself of dealing with similar companies in my own constituency; and it is difficult for colleagues when part of our concerns references national security, or other such issues which are slightly outside of the Planning Inspectorate's direct lane.

"I will write to the Department for Levelling Up and ask for some advice, because I think this is difficult for colleagues. You don't wish to put Ministers who may be making further decisions down the line in a position that they cannot be in. But you do want advice, and I shall write to the relevant Department to see what advice I can get for the Honourable Lady so she is able to ensure that the right thing does happen."

The Mallard Pass project is unprecedented in scale, covering a site of 2,175 acres.

It is ten times bigger than the largest existing solar plant in the United Kingdom, and is proposed in a rural, rather than an industrial setting with 530,000 panels, each 3.3m high, surrounded by miles of 2m fencing, all with CCTV, and across 52 separate field plots.

The project is currently under examination by the Secretary of State's Planning Inspectorate Board who are unlike to come to any decision before November.