Knowl Green Solar Farm
Clean energy with benefits that go beyond the grid
Knowl Green Solar Park is a 49.99MW solar project at Baker’s Road, near Belchamp St Paul in Essex. The site generates enough renewable electricity to power approximately 12,500 homes each year while avoiding around 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
Alongside clean energy generation, Knowl Green has been designed to create more space for nature, strengthen local habitats and support the surrounding community. As an independent power producer, we own and operate our projects for the long term, keeping us responsible for the energy we generate and the land around it.
Timeline
See how our project timeline progresses and what we do
The project secured planning permission in December 2024 following detailed technical assessments and consultation with local stakeholders. Construction began in September 2025 and is expected to complete in twelve months.
Identify & survey
Engage & tailor
Approvals & construct
Operate & steward
Working with and for communities
Knowl Green is providing £100,000 in community funding to support the local area.
£50,000 has been donated to the Belchamp St Paul Community House Energy Savings Fund, supporting improvements to the local hall. A further £50,000 will be provided to Essex Community Foundation, giving communities across seven local parishes the opportunity to apply for grants for local projects.
The Knowl Green Effect
Tonnes CO2 emissions avoided
Avg. domestic households served each year
Approx. acres of land protected by solar parks
Designed to work with nature, season by season
Knowl Green has been designed to generate clean energy while creating more space for nature, with habitat improvements expected to deliver 234% Biodiversity Net Gain.
Existing hedgerows will be strengthened with native, species-rich planting, closing gaps and creating more continuous wildlife corridors. Plants including honeysuckle and traveller’s joy will provide nectar, berries and shelter throughout the seasons, supporting insects, birds and bats.
Native tussocky grassland will add further habitat across the site, creating nesting opportunities for skylarks while supporting other wildlife such as hedgehogs. Additional tree planting along the southern boundary will also provide greater screening from Baker’s Road.
Supporting skylarks
Skylarks are among the notable bird species recorded at Knowl Green and are a particular focus of the site’s ecological management.
The grassland is being managed to provide suitable nesting habitat for this red-listed species. Dedicated skylark monitoring has already begun and will continue in Years 1, 3, 5 and 10, helping us understand how skylarks use the site and informing its long-term management.
How many species can you spot?
Kestrel
Kestrels are a familiar sight over open countryside, often spotted hovering while searching for small mammals and insects below. The grassland and field margins around Knowl Green provide valuable foraging habitat for this distinctive bird of prey.
Skylark
Known for their unmistakable song, skylarks are ground-nesting birds that rely on open grassland and farmland habitats. At Knowl Green, grassland management and dedicated monitoring are helping us understand how skylarks use the site over time.
Brown hare
Brown hares are well suited to open farmland, using their speed and powerful hind legs to move quickly across the landscape. They are one of the mammals recorded around Knowl Green and can be spotted across grassland and field habitats.
Roe deer
Roe deer are found across a variety of woodland, hedgerow and farmland habitats. They have been recorded around Knowl Green, where the mix of established and newly created habitats provides opportunities for wildlife to move through the wider landscape.
Wildlife at Knowl Green
Knowl Green supports a rich variety of wildlife, from bird of prey to bees and pollinators.
Farmland & grassland birds
- Yellowhammer
- Linnet
- Meadow pipit
- House martin
Woodland & hedgerow birds
- Song thrush
- Whitethroat
- Wren
- Long-tailed tit
- Willow warbler
- Great tit
- Wood pigeon
Wetland & water-associated birds
- Mallard
- Herring gull
Birds of prey
- Red kite
Bees & pollinators
- Buff-tailed bumblebee
- Red-tailed bumblebee
- Common carder bee
- Honeybee
- Hoverflies
Butterflies & other invertebrates
- Small white
- Meadow brown
- Seven-spot ladybird
- Common wasp
- Devil’s coach horse beetle