Farming family's fury as landowners linked to Jacob Rees-Mogg's wife want them to make way for more lucrative solar panels

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A family may lose their farm and home after a trust linked to the wife of Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg tries to make way for solar panels, it has emerged.

The trust, which reportedly lists Helena Rees-Mogg as director, wants to convert at least 130 acres of land in Malton, Yorkshire into a solar farm.

Rob Sturdy, whose family has lived on Eden Farm since 1954, told The Times that the proposal would allow solar panel company Harmony Energy to use 110 acres of his 240-acre farm for the project.

The company is expected to pay landowners £800 to £1,200 per acre each year for utilising the land, but Mr Sturdy, 51, claims the offer is 'nowhere near enough' and would make his farm 'financially unviable.'

Rob Sturdy, pictured with his wife Emma and their children, claims a proposal backed by the trust connected with Helena Rees-Mogg (not pictured) would allow solar panel company Harmony Energy to use 110 acres of his 240-acre farm for the project

The trust, which reportedly lists Helena Rees-Mogg (pictured in January 2019 with her husband MP Jacob Rees-Mogg) as director, wants to convert at least 130 acres of land in Malton, Yorkshire into a solar farm

The farmer, whose farmland tenancy agreement has been passed down through three generations, slammed the proposal for 'putting profits before people.'

He told the newspaper that if he lost nearly half of his land, he 'wouldn’t be able to afford to keep the farm going.'

'We were absolutely stunned when they told us they wanted to turn us off the land. They showed us a map and it was horrifying,' Mr Sturdy said, noting how the documents brought his wife to tears.

The farmer argued that his land was rated for having high-quality soil and believes the project should be developed on sites that aren't as good for crop growth.

He also claims that 60 per cent of the farmland earmarked in the proposal fell under the 'best and most versatile' (BMV) designation.

Planning guidance allegedly advises against developing on BMV land. 

Harmony Energy told MailOnline it chose the site because 'it sits directly next to the Old Malton Substation on the A64, the only one of its kind in Ryedale District which has sufficient capacity to allow the solar farm to connect.

'The UK grid is heavily constrained – such solar farms cannot be connected anywhere,' a spokesperson said on Monday, adding: 'A lengthy design and public consultation process has been undertaken over the past 2 years to refine the overall area and produce an optimum layout.

'This means we’ve reduced the development area from 120 hectares to 52.86 hectares and have excluded fields which comprise the greatest quantity of high-grade, agricultural land. Out of the 427,000 hectares of land in Yorkshire and The Humber used to grow wheat, barley and oilseed rape, the development would take up approximately 0.012% of this space. 

'We are in the midst of a climate emergency and record energy prices. The production of local, renewable energy helps to tackle both issues.'

Harmony energy reportedly chose the land in Malton because it 'has sufficient capacity to allow the solar farm to connect'

Meanwhile, those involved in the project have seemingly disputed Mr Sturdy's allegations that the project would make his farm unprofitable.

'We recognised the development would have an impact on the tenant farmers and that is why we are contributing to the significant compensation package they would receive,' Harmony Energy has said. 'We would dispute the statement from Mr Sturdy that it would make the farm he tenants financial unviable. 

'From our side we remain happy to share the financial details of the attractive annual index linked payment he would receive for 40 years if he agrees to sharing them. This would allow the public to make their own assessment. 

The trust told The Times that the farmer was offered 'an index-linked annual income, above and beyond statutory compensation' that it believes would provide him with the 'financial security' necessary to continue 'farming a smaller area for the foreseeable future.'

A Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation also told The Times that officials recognise how the development will impact tenants and is committed to helping them 'adapt their farming business for the future.'

It is unclear if the solar panel scheme will be granted permission or - if accepted - when the project would begin development. 

MailOnline has approached the Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation and a representative for Mr Rees-Mogg for comment.