New solar farm plan submitted to Bedford council

A cross-local authority boundary planning application for a 50MW solar farm close to an existing facility has been submitted to Bedford Borough Council.

The site is approximately 103.7 hectares of agricultural land, and is situated approximately 725 metres west of Hail Weston, and 750 metres north of Staploe and Duloe.

If approved, the new site will partially encircle an existing solar farm.

The applicants said the proposed solar farm will generate enough renewable energy each year to power around 15,000 homes in the local area for 40 years.

The application stated the site is located on predominantly Grade 3b (poorer quality) land and the impact on agricultural land and food supply will be “minimal”.

Staploe Parish Council has submitted an objection, which says that the application should not be considered as a separate entity to the existing solar farm at High Wood.

It said that the proposed site will be directly adjacent to and partially encircling the existing solar panels, share access, and that the new electrical substation will be adjacent to the existing one.

Its letter to planners added that the landowner and developer are the same, so therefore, the proposal should be submitted as a solar farm of >50MW and considered as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, and be scrutinised as such.

A spokesperson for Intelligent Alternatives said: “We have sought to accommodate the various parish councils’ pre-application feedback as much as possible within our site proposal, so we are naturally disappointed that one parish has elected to object.

“That said we still feel the site remains a valid and justifiable proposal. It is worth noting that the existing solar farm is an entirely separate development, with a separate grid supply, planning consent, and ownership.

“Our view is that it is important not to link or confuse the current proposed scheme with that of a separate, consented and built scheme.”

More information about the application can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 22/01998/MAF.

The consultation on the plans is set to run until Monday, October 24.