Frequently Asked Questions

The use of the site enables biodiversity enhancements and the achievement of a net gain in bio-diversity. Modern agricultural techniques require that land is cultivated to maximise production and this often reduces the amount of wildlife and native planting across the land. In comparison the development is supplemented by species rich planting and wildflower meadows. This delivers restorative functions to the land, which would be returned to full agricultural use upon decommissioning.

The development needs minimal maintenance and its performance is monitored remotely. The site will be secured by palisade fencing and CCTV. This will be monitored and maintained periodically for the lifetime of the project. 

The length of this project is 30 years, after which the project would be fully decommissioned and the site restored to its full agricultural use.

This public consultation is being undertaken so that the views of local people can be taken into account when refining the plans prior to the submission of the planning application. This will allow for the design to be amended accordingly in response to specific local circumstances.

This application will be subject to statutory consultation involving all relevant technical consultees and interested public bodies. It will then be submitted to the Local Planning Authority to be determined.

The site is not constrained by environmental or landscape designations. The scheme will therefore not cause any unacceptable visual harm and will be largely screened by hedges. It is also poorer quality farmland. Due to the amount of land needed, the scheme cannot fit in an urban area and requires a countryside location. It is generally well screened. Importantly there is capacity on the local electricity grid and a viable point of connection on the site. This site is therefore very well suited to the proposed development.

We have selected land which is all sub Grade 3B or below, and is therefore poorer agricultural land with a lower yield than best and most versatile land. The scheme also represents farm diversification and will provide a stable ground rental income stream that will support the wider farming enterprise and help it to remain viable in challenging economic times. The site could also be grazed by sheep and as such will still produce an agricultural yield. The scheme is temporary and will eventually be removed completely from the site allowing the site to return to open farmland with a positive legacy of biodiversity enhancements.

A full review of the brownfield land register has been undertaken and there are no sites which are suitable, available or viable to use.

• There are no sites close enough to the point of connection to the grid. When the distance between the site and the point of connection is too great, the development becomes unviable.
• Brownfield land is suitable for alternative uses including housing and employment development which generate far greater land values. Such values would make a solar farm unviable so solar developers simply cannot compete with housing and employment development. Moreover, brownfield land is nearly always allocated for employment or housing uses (or has specific policy support for such uses) so a renewable energy scheme would usually be contrary to planning policy on brownfield land.

No public rights of way will be affected.