Phillip Coote (Con, Crawley Down and Turners Hill) asked if they should “all live in mud huts and burn wood” instead.

Colin Trumble (Con, Hurstpierpoint and Downs) added: “In terms of planning there’s not a lot we can do about it, but I do feel sympathy with the people and the villagers who are going to be affected.”

Annie Hirst, chairman of Twineham Parish Council, spoke of their “disappointment” at the officers’ decision to recommend the application be approved, and felt the large-scale solar farm would have an “additional cumulative industrialising effect” on the area.

[With apologies to Princeton University for the wilful abuse of their photograph.]