Green Energy International has asked for a screening option for a 33 hectare, 23MW solar farm south of Caynham at Pervin Farm. The documents for the screening option are not yet online (22/00929/SCR). My thanks to Green Energy International for supplying the screening application promptly.
The landscape east and south of Ludlow is considered ideal for solar farms because of capacity to connect to the grid at the Squirrel Lane. This is connectivity not available in many other areas of the county and in many areas of the country. There is an existing solar farm at Henley Hall. A second is proposed nearby but is not yet in the planning system. Another is planned at Greete. A fourth is under consideration at Rock Farm. If all are approved, along with the Caynham scheme, there will be around 160 hectares of solar panels east and south east of Ludlow – that’s more than 100 football pitches or two-thirds of the urban area of Ludlow. They will generate around 150MW of electricity, enough to power around 40,000 homes, around a quarter of the homes in Shropshire.
The Pervin site is Grade 2 and Grade 3 agricultural land. If some of the land is the higher Grade 2a, it gets a degree of protection under the National Planning Policy Framework.
The proposed solar farm will use a “single axis tracking system” which allows the panels to adjust to track the sun. This is expected to produce 20-25% more electricity than fixed arrays. The maximum height of the panels, which will be non-reflective, will be 3 metres.
Two overhead power lines run through the central portion of the site, along with an underground power line, all connecting with the Squirrel Lane substation.
The site will be surrounded by 2.2m high security deer fencing with gates inside the existing hedgerows and tree belts. Infrared CCTV cameras will help secure the site which will not have any lighting. Rights of way will be unaffected and landscape planting, biodiversity enhancements and surface water attenuation measures are promised.
Green Energy International says it’s proposal would not result in any cumulative impact of solar farms on the landscape. However, with proposed solar farm at Greete just 2km to the south and the three Henley Hall / Rock Farm solar farms 2km to the north (two proposed, one installed), their cumulative impact on the landscape will need to be carefully assessed, including views from Titterstone Clee and High Vinnals.
Do it!
True Green power.
Couple of points
1) Shropshire county council declared a climate emergency- so they need to grant these permissions and get on with some of the solutions or was it just more county councillors hot air- we need action not words.
2) Shropshire county council granted permission WPD to increase the capacity of the substation some years ago- what were they thinking would fill it?
3) Shropshire county council part funded the mapping of Shropshire land for renewables.
So what did the council think the outcome of all these policies would be- more renewables so please just get on with it and cut our reliance on fossil fuels, stop the talking and take action on the climate emergency you declared