Located in south Derbyshire, the project will deliver a solar farm with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and a connection to the UK’s electricity transmission network. The scheme will provide up to 163 MW of renewable solar power and an additional 37.5 MW of energy storage capacity. Alongside the energy benefits, the project will deliver a 125% net gain in biodiversity across the site, including new hedgerow planting, improved grassland and wildflower management, and retention of key habitats.

Our EIA, Ecology, Landscape and Heritage teams prepared the Environmental Statement and Landscape and Ecological Management Plan submitted with the DCO.

We worked with a large sub-consultant team for the EIA, with specialist inputs from ITP, Aqua Terra, Pager Power, Sustainable Acoustics, Kernon Countryside Services, 3ADAPT, Air Quality Assessments Ltd and Barton Hyett.

The EIA process played a central role in identifying site constraints and likely environmental effects, shaping the project design and informing mitigation measures. Key steps that will be taken to reduce environmental impacts include:

• Placing infrastructure away from nearby residential properties to reduce visual and noise effects
• Avoiding flood-prone areas
• Retaining valuable habitats, such as ancient and veteran trees, hedgerows and woodland
• Keeping the existing Public Rights of Way (PRoW) unchanged
• Choosing access points to minimise disruption to local roads
• Reducing operational lighting across the site

This project demonstrates how large-scale renewable energy infrastructure can be delivered while enhancing local biodiversity and respecting the character of the surrounding landscape.

More information about the project can be found here.