WEEKLY COLUMN by South Cotswolds MP Dr Roz Savage 

The massive Lime Down Solar Park, in the rural Wiltshire part of the South Cotswolds is a pressing challenges on the resource we can’t create more of – our land. 

I feel a profound connection to our land.

The decisions we take about its use today will shape the world we leave for the children and grandchildren of tomorrow.

We owe it to them to make those decisions wisely. 

Building new homes here may lead to flooding there. Installing solar farms may lose precious grazing land.

Development may well hit nature hard. These are not easy choices about how we use our land. 

Last week I met Dame Fiona Reynolds, a former Director of Council for the Protection of Rural England and Director-General of the National Trust.

Her approach is to look for multiple uses of the same land to meet different, complementary needs. 

For example, agroforestry is a technique that intersperses fruit and nut trees with crops or livestock to boost biodiversity and improve soil health.

Living roofs and walls can transform our built-up areas into greener environments, providing homes for wildlife, reducing storm water runoff, and improving insulation.

Car parks can be roofed with solar panels, providing shade for cars while generating electricity for EV charging points and nearby shops and homes. 

By thinking creatively, we can get more value from our land while minimising the size of our human impact on our precious natural world. 

Our Cotswolds countryside is a treasure. Preserving its beauty is as vital as reducing carbon emissions and supporting wildlife.

Our rolling hills, lush green fields, and vibrant ecosystems are a part of our heritage, and we owe it to ourselves and future generations to protect. 

As we navigate these challenges, I am committed to working with others to find solutions that honour our past, meet our present needs, and safeguard our future.

Together, we can make choices that ensure our land remains a source of pride and joy for everyone, particularly our young people. 

For many of our young people and their families these have been important days as they get their exam results.

For those who got what they wanted, well done and good luck with the next steps on your journey.

To those who were disappointed, do not despair.

New opportunities are there for you. Reach out to those ready to help you find your new path.

You are our future, and I am committed to ensuring that future is an ecologically, economically and socially inclusive and sustainable one.