Lower Wyke Farm Solar Park

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This webpage provides an overview of the proposal so members of the community can comment prior to the formal application being finalised and submitted.

The Proposal

The project is situated approximately 2 miles south west of the village of St Mary Bourne. The approximately 86 acres (34 Ha) site will be located across three fields which are currently used for arable farming.

The proposed scheme will utilise this land therefore creating potential benefits of avoiding large inputs of fertiliser, pesticides and herbicides into the land, assisting in ecological benefits for wildlife.

In addition to having solar panels on the site, the proposal also includes biodiversity and landscape enhancement measures, such as the gapping up of existing and planting of additional hedgerows to ensure there are minimal visual and environmental impacts.

Key Benefits;

Economic

• There is now a growing demand for renewable energy sources within the UK as a result of increased awareness of the current climate emergency. Solar farms such as this development present an ideal solution given their relatively quick start up and low maintenance costs.

Environmental

The proposed development will minimise any potential impacts on the environment and in addition provide biodiversity net gains throughout the site.

The proposed development will over its’ lifetime result in a net reduction of over 256,000 tonnes of CO2! Solar farms such as this development are considered imperative to secure the carbon reductions which is a legislative requirement of the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019.

Climate Change Act

This act requires the UK to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions to below 80% of the country’s 1990 levels by 2050. Both the (local area development plan) and the National Planning Policy Framework support and encourage this shift to renewable energy production.

Access:

Direct access to the site is provided via an unnamed road at the eastern end of the site, which passes over a railway bridge to the south and joins Walworth Road. The unnamed road will require surfacing in places to prevent further deterioration, this would be kept in place following construction. Furthermore, the construction period would be short in duration, and once the solar park is operational there would be very little additional traffic created by the development. It is considered that the proposal will not cause any harm to the safety of the users of the public highway network.

Operational Lifespan and Decommissioning

The development would have a lifespan of approximately 40 years. At the end of the useful life of the facility, it will be decommissioned, with all associated equipment being removed. It is considered that the land can be quickly reverted to agricultural use following this.

Key Figures:

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