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Proposed solar photovoltaic development with energy storage on land at Home Farm, near Strensham, Worcestershire
Community Consultation Website
Welcome to the
Home Farm Solar Farm
Community Consultation Website
Welcome to the public consultation for Home Farm Solar Farm. On this website we introduce the proposals to you, add more information as the project progresses and provide a way to get in touch with us.
It is envisaged that Home Farm Solar Farm will have a generating capacity of up to 49.99 megawatts. In order to fully utilise the network connection, the proposal will include battery storage which could store the renewable energy for times of peak demand from consumers. The scheme will support Government legislation to decarbonise our energy system and make the UK carbon neutral by 2050.
About the Developer
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The development proposals are being proposed by Novergy and Canadian Solar.
The Novergy Team have one of the strongest track records in the UK Solar PV sector with direct involvement in over 1GW of large-scale solar projects, that's about 15% of all sites built to date. The company’s mission now is the origination, development, design, financing, construction and operation of new solar PV in the UK. Novergy is focused on the provision of clean solar electricity, helping to make a more sustainable, low-carbon future.
Canadian Solar was founded in 2001 in Canada and is one of the world’s largest solar technology and renewable energy companies, having delivered around 71 GW of premium-quality solar photovoltaic modules around the world. Likewise, Canadian Solar has developed, built and connected over 6.6 GWp in over 20 countries, with 800 MWp of projects in operation, 5.3 GWp of projects under construction or in backlog (late-stage), and an additional 18.5 GWp of projects in the pipeline. Canadian Solar is one of the most bankable companies in the solar and renewable energy industry, having been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2006, with a mission to foster sustainable development and create a better, cleaner earth for future generations by generating electricity from the sun.
Canadian Solar has a strong track record having developed and built dozens of projects in the United Kingdom including Christchurch Solar Farm (Dorset), Bobbing Solar Farm (Kent) and Ballygarvey Solar Farm (Co. Antrim).
For more information on Canadian Solar, please visit www.canadiansolar.com or LinkedIn.
Canadian Solar and Novergy place value on engaging with parties from all sectors including community groups to understand the requirements of different partners and stakeholders.
Consultant Team
Novergy and Canadian Solar will be supported in the preparation and development of Home Farm Solar Farm by an experienced consultant team. Pegasus Group are the planning agent.
Why are Solar Farms Important?
The Government's National Planning Practice Guidance supports renewable and low carbon energy schemes like solar farms “to make sure the UK has a secure energy supply, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow down climate change and stimulate investment in new jobs and businesses.”
In 2019, the UK became the first country in the world to declare a Climate Emergency and has subsequently committed to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In October 2021 the UK Government set out its Net Zero commitments and obligations in the ‘Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener’. Amongst a number of initiatives, the Strategy confirms that by 2035 all our electricity will need to come from low carbon sources. The Strategy affirms that we need to continue to drive rapid deployment of renewables so that we can reach substantially greater capacity beyond 2030.
The proposal will:
Offer green, clean and sustainable renewable energy which is generated quietly without emitting any carbon dioxide or any other greenhouse gases.
The Home Farm Solar Farm proposal will generate in excess of “51,000MWh pa” which is enough clean electricity to power up to approximately the equivalent of 13,600 homes per year (using the UK average of 3,738 kWh per year) over a 40-year period.
Provide a community benefit fund of fifty thousand ponds to the local area, working alongside local community groups and stakeholders.
Other benefits of the scheme include:
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Enhanced biodiversity through the planting of native hedgerows and trees, the seeding of enhanced grassland and establishing areas of wildflowers.
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Provide appropriate hedgerow management and strengthening to encourage wildlife use and enhancement of habitats and green corridors within the site.
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Create jobs during the construction phase and operation phase with an emphasis on using local contractors where possible.
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Provide a community benefit fund to the local area working alongside local community groups.
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Support the objectives of the Climate Change Act’s target of “net zero” by 2050 as well as the UKs proposed legally binding climate change targets of a 78 per cent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2035.
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Contributing towards Wychavon District and Tewkesbury Borough Councils' ambitions to take action to mitigate the impact of climate change and reduce carbon emissions.
Why Here?
This site has been carefully selected as part of a detailed feasibility process which includes the consideration of grid capacity, sunlight irradiation, environmental designations, cultural heritage, ecology and biodiversity, flood risk and agricultural land grading. The site has been chosen for a number of reasons including:
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This site has a technically and commercially viable grid connection.
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The site is entirely located in Flood Zone 1 (i.e. lowest probability of flooding).
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The site has good access to the main highway network.
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The site benefits from landform and woodland screening that minimises its visibility from its surroundings.
The Site
![P19-1025_01D SLP Planning[923].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ffde8_6788b5fb9f90418a81295b8889cdcc66~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_116,y_110,w_2387,h_2107/fill/w_118,h_104,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/P19-1025_01D%20SLP%20Planning%5B923%5D.jpg)
The site extends to approximately 66.7 hectares and comprises agricultural land across two blocks of land. To the south-east, the site is bordered by the M50. Agricultural fields are located to the north and the west of the proposed site. Ley Farm Lake and Wood is located adjacent to the north-eastern boundary of the site and adjacent to Harbour Wood. Some existing vegetation and hedgerows are present along field boundaries.
Agricultural Land Classification
An Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey has been undertaken at the site. The survey has confirmed that the site comprises Grade 3b agricultural land, which is not classed as best and most
versatile land.
Highways and Access
It is proposed that the main access for the solar farm is taken from the public highway-maintained junction of Strensham Road and Wheelers Farm Road, continuing to the site along the existing access track also forming the route of bridleway Strensham 507(C). Access to the substation is proposed to be taken from the existing agricultural access from Twyning Road. Access tracks within the site will be kept to a minimum and will be approximately 3.5m wide with the purpose of facilitating operation and maintenance of the solar farm. Being a passive technology with low maintenance, the solar farm will only require low levels of vehicle movements once operational.
Cultural Heritage
The nearest heritage asset is Ley Farmhouse which is a Grade II Listed Building located adjacent to the proposed access route. Additional Listed buildings are located within Upper Strensham, Stratford, Naunton and Hill Croome. Towbury Hill camp Scheduled Monument is located approximately 1.6km to the south-west at its closest point, additionally the Moated site and Civil war defences at Strensham Castle (Scheduled Monument) is located approximately 1km north-east from the entrance into the site from the highway. A Desk Based Heritage Assessment has been undertaken and concluded that the proposals will cause no permanent harm to the significance of any built heritage asset through change to setting.
Flood Risk
The site is entirely located in Flood Zone 1 (i.e. with the lowest risk of flooding). It is standard practice to propose simple interception swales around the perimeter and low points of the site to mitigate the small increase in impermeable area created by the proposed development. The swales do not form part of a formal drainage scheme for the development but are provided as a form of ‘betterment’ intercepting existing overland flows.
Landscape and Biodiversity
The nearest statutory environmental designation to the site is the Upham Meadow and Summer Leasow Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)which is located approximately 1.7km south-east of the site. Adjacent to the north-eastern boundary of the application site there is a site of Regional or Local Wildlife importance (Ley Farm Lake and Wood).
A range of landscape measures have been proposed to reduce any potential impacts on the local landscape receptors. The landscape measures include the retention of existing hedgerows and trees, the ‘gapping up’ of sparse / open sections of hedgerows to enhance screening around the site’s boundaries as well as planting of new hedgerows and trees. A Landscape Assessment is currently being prepared to accompany the planning application.
The future application will also be supported by an Ecological Assessment to identify constraints and opportunities for biodiversity enhancements.
It is acknowledged that solar farms present a unique opportunity for long term biodiversity enhancement. The proposal will aim to achieve that through habitat retention and minimising disturbance, as well as achieving biodiversity net gain by increasing the variety and volume of species on and around the site.
Proposed Development
The proposed development is for an up to 49.99 megawatt ground-mounted solar farm with associated energy storage to include boundary landscaping; security / fencing; wildflower planting to provide an on-site biodiversity net gain; and areas for additional ecological and landscape planting enhancements.
Photovoltaic Panels
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The panels would be laid in north to south rows with a space around 3-5m between each row to allow for maintenance, sheep grazing and to avoid shading. Each panel would be installed on a single axis tracker mounting structure, which would be a simple metal framework mounted on piles driven into the ground, avoiding the need for substantive foundations, and which would have a typical overall height not exceeding 3m depending on existing ground levels, which would be unaltered. Utilising a single axis tracker, which follows the movement of the sun, enables a more efficient arrangement and more energy generation than the standard fixed solution.
Ancillary Infrastructure
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Containerised solutions of less than the height of a single storey are envisaged to be strategically placed around the site (central inverters, battery storage containers and a customer substation) to ensure the solar farm operates efficiently and effectively.
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The proposal will also include a DNO substation with a transformer and the underground cabling from the proposed solar farm to the electrical substation located in Lower Strensham. All cabling will be buried underground.
Planting
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Management practices are proposed that will enhance the site for the benefit of local wildlife. The design and long-term management of the land seeks to maintain and improve functionality through protecting and enhancing potentially important wildlife corridors through new hedgerow creation and infill planting to strengthen existing hedgerows and woodland tree planting within and around the Site. The creation of extensive grassland habitat on fields which were formerly arable provides increased habitat for invertebrates and foraging, shelter and breeding opportunities for other wildlife.
Security
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Security cameras monitored 24/7 mounted on poles will be installed around the site’s perimeter to ensure the safety of everyone concerned.
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A fence up to approximately 2.5m in height will be erected around the perimeter of the site. The fence will include small mammal gates to allow native wildlife to freely enter and exit the site.
Access
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The proposed access will utilise an existing farm track from Strensham Road via Wheeler’s Farm and past Ley Farm to enter the proposed site. Being a passive technology with low maintenance, the solar farm will only require low levels of vehicle movements once operational.
What Happens Next?
A public exhibition and consultation event is to be held on Wednesday 30th November 2022, between 3pm to 8pm at Strensham Village Hall (Hill View Road, Upper Strensham, Worcester WR8 9LJ) where you will be able to learn more about the proposal and talk to members of the project team You are invited to attend and we look forward to seeing you there.
Contact and Feedback
Please provide any further comments you have on the proposal in the text box below.
You can also submit comments by email or post using the details provided.
Comments provided by the local community will be taken into account in shaping the final planning application submission. All comments must be provided by 5pm on Monday 12th Decmber 2022.