Residents invited to have their say on updated plans for proposed solar farm in North Kesteven which could power over 180,000 homes
Members of the public are able to have their say on updated plans for Springwell Solar Farm, following the acceptance of the DCO application for examination (18 December 2024).
Plans for the proposed solar farm with battery storage, which would be located on land between Lincoln and Sleaford, have been significantly updated following a second stage of public consultation last year. Members of the public are now invited to submit their comments on the application to the Planning Inspectorate to help inform how it will be examined.
Changes include further offsets from homes and villages, updated proposals for new planting and footpaths, as well as an overall reduction in the size of the area proposed for solar panels by 27% (from 816ha to 594ha).
The updated plans include 12km of new footpaths, over 15km of proposed new hedgerows and a community growing area which would be available for public use. A community benefit fund would provide £400 per megawatt of installed capacity for communities to spend on local projects.
EDF Renewables UK’s Director of Storage, Solar and Private Wire Matthew Boulton said,
“We would like to thank everyone who has taken their time to share their views with us over the past two years. Community input has been crucial in helping us to refine our plans for Springwell Solar Farm.
With the potential to supply enough clean, secure electricity to power over 180,000 homes each year*, Springwell Solar Farm would make an important contribution to the UK’s future energy supply and the government’s targets for scaling up solar power generation.”
The application is now in the ‘pre-examination stage.’ Anyone is able to register to participate in the examination by submitting a written summary of their views – known as a Relevant Representation – to the Planning Inspectorate between 15 January – 17 February 2025. These submissions will help inform the topics that are considered during the six-month examination.
More information, including all of the application documents, is now available on the Springwell page of the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010149/.
* Based upon the average domestic electricity consumption per home (temperature corrected) per the Energy Consumption in the UK (published September 2021, Table C9 of ECUK: Consumption data tables)
