A planning application for 72 ground-mounted solar panels on a greenfield site in St Sampson, Guernsey, has drawn criticism from locals, who argue the agricultural land should be protected and that the panels would be better placed on the applicant's own roof. Opponents cite wildlife concerns, saying the field provides habitat for insects and other creatures, and warn that greenfield sites lost to development cannot be replaced. The applicant disputes the greenfield designation, saying former greenhouses on the land were demolished and buried, leaving it unsuitable for agriculture, and that the panels would supply power to his own house and up to seven neighbouring properties.

Islander Chris Chadwick, who describes himself as a supporter of renewable energy, said covering greenfield land with panels "didn't gel" with him and suggested the applicant's large house roof would be a better location. Simon De La Rue of Little Green Energy countered that rooftop installations face practical obstacles, such as reduced space from dormer windows, which can push up costs without meeting a property's electricity needs; he suggested decisions on greenfield solar sites should be made case by case, alongside strong biodiversity planting policies. No decision date has yet been set for the application.