Solar park plan for former landfill site near Bedford

A solar park could be built on a former landfill site in Stewartby as plans are submitted to Bedford Borough Council.

Infinis Solar Development said on its website the solar park is projected to generate enough renewable energy per year to power 3,400 homes.

It added that it has already been generating low carbon power on the site for 19 years by collecting methane.

The site closed to new waste in 2012, but the existing waste ‘below ground’ is gradually decomposing and generating methane. Infinis says it captures this through a series of wells across the site. It is then used as a fuel source to generate renewable electricity.

The company said by adding the Solar Park ‘above ground’ means it can increase the amount of zero-carbon energy it produces from a single site.

Planning documents state the development would be a ground mounted solar PV array with associated infrastructure, including fencing (2.4m high) and security cameras located on 3m high poles.

Whilst the fenced area of the solar array would occupy a total land area of approximately 28.3 ha, the area of infrastructure on the ground associated with the development would be approximately 33 per cent, an area of approximately 9.3 ha, the planning application claimed.

Solar panels can result in glint and glare effects from reflected sunlight, affecting car drivers or nearby residential properties. The Applicant said the impact is generally only of concern at dawn and dusk and is limited by the position of the panels relative to the sun and the position of those viewing the panels.

They also said the panels are designed to absorb maximum daylight to convert it to electricity and therefore have low levels of reflectivity when compared to surfaces such as window glass, water or snow.

Adding that mitigation planting, together with appropriate management of existing boundary vegetation, will progressively filter and screen views of the development.

The applicant considered that there would be no significant visual impacts from the development.

During the operational phase of the development, there will be very low-level noise generated by equipment on the site. The applicant said due to existing background noise from the roads, Cranfield Airfield, existing industrial and commercial activities, any noise from the development will not be discernible to nearby residents.

Additionally, as solar panels only operate during daylight hours, the company said there will be no noise generated in the evening, night and early morning, when ambient noise levels are typically at their lowest.

The application said there was a remote consultation between June and September last year.

This included letters to local residents, emails to Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick Parish Council, Wootton Parish Council and Marston Moreteyne Parish Council, and to Council Ward Members.

The planning application can be viewed on Bedford Borough Council's Planning portal, ref 22/00450/FULWM. The consultation is currently set to end on April, 20 2022.