Red Barn Solar Farm
We have submitted a planning application for a solar farm on land east of Kington St. Michael, south of the M4 and adjacent to the A350.
SUPPORT THE PLANNING APPLICATION
The planning application can be viewed on the Wiltshire Council planning portal, reference PL/2023/08481, where you can also provide your comments to the council.
KEY FACTS
Capacity: 40MWac.
Electricity generation equivalent to consumption of approximately 15,000 Wiltshire homes.
CO2 savings approximately 13,700 tonnes annually (compared with gas generation).
Fixed tilt, bifacial solar panels with battery storage so power can be used when needed most.
Lower height panels closer to Kington St. Michael.
New hedgerows will be planted and existing hedgerows infilled to provide effective screening from Kington St. Michael.
Continued agricultural use with sheep grazing and substantial biodiversity improvements.
Agricultural Land Classification survey shows that 74% of solar panel area is Grade 4 land (poor quality), with 26% Grade 3b (moderate quality).
Biodiversity Net Gain 54% habitats, 22% hedgerows, 39% watercourses.
Access via the A350 and Kington Farm, with 3 different access points, no construction traffic through the villages.
Additional access via Day’s Lane for maintenance vehicles only.
On site construction expected to take 7 - 8 months with average 8 deliveries / 16 HGV movements to or from the site per day.
Peak delivery period lasts 2 - 3 weeks with approximately 15 deliveries / 30 daily HGV movements spread across 3 site access points.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Community and educational benefit fund for local people of £24,000 per year, index-linked, for the 40-year project life.
Opportunity for shared ownership, with potential for savings on electricity bill via Ripple Energy.
Over 3 km new permissive footpaths and bridleways to create circular routes.
Permissive footpath parallel to stream to improve access.
New 47-acre community access and biodiversity area in centre of site with community orchard, new trees, woodland and traditional pasture, new wildflower meadow, grassland managed to encourage wildflowers, picnic benches.
County Wildlife Site actively managed as hay meadow to encourage wildflowers.
Area near Kington St. Michael provided for allotments and off-lead dog walking.
update: October 2023
Planning application has been submitted to Wiltshire Council.
UPDATE: September 2023
Following feedback from the public consultation in June we have made some minor changes to the project design. Please see the updated map.
The land designated for allotments has been moved further away from Kington St. Michael, while still remaining easily accessible for residents.
As a result the areas for the community orchard and off-lead dog walking have also been moved.
More footpaths have been added to further improve connectivity.
20 acres of new wildflower meadow will be created across the site.
Stiles will be replaced with kissing gates for easier accessibility.
New tree planting NW of community access area infilling woodland.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
On 16 & 17 May 2023 we invited the local community to attend a collaborative workshop known as an Enquiry by Design, with our specialists, in Kington St. Michael, to hear their views for the site and to work together on a design for the solar farm that minimises visual impact and maximises benefits.
This was followed on 26 June 2023 by a public exhibition and consultation, in Kington St. Michael, to share the proposed detailed site design, inviting local residents to meet the team and provide further feedback.
GET IN CONTACT
We value your feedback, please feel free to contact us directly if you have any further questions or feedback. Let us know if you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive updates on the project.
email communityuk@edenrenewables.com or call 07979 368238