North East Lincolnshire Council has approved a solar farm and battery project in the north west of Waltham, North East Lincolnshire.
Renewable Connections submitted the application for the 43.7 MW solar farm and 10 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in November 2023 after consultation with the community.
The development process involved extensive community engagement, including writing to more than 1,800 local stakeholders, organizing a public consultation and consulting with legal and political stakeholders. Bradley Road Solar Farm was approved unanimously, following a recommendation for approval by North East Lincolnshire Council planning officers.
The approval marks the 20e project permit granted to Renewable Connections since 2021. According to the company, the Bradley Road Solar Farm will supply green energy to the equivalent of up to 17,694 new homes.
The development process involved extensive community engagement, including writing to more than 1,800 local stakeholders, organizing a public consultation and consulting with legal and political stakeholders.
Renewable Connections has received approval for a variety of low-carbon energy projects, including solar, battery and hydrogen technologies.
Philip Hale, Chief Operations Officer at Renewable Connections said: “North East Lincolnshire Council and locally elected members have been incredibly proactive, declaring their own climate emergency in September 2019 and launching their own Carbon Roadmap with ambitious carbon neutral targets.
“We are pleased that the approval of the Bradley Road solar and battery project will support the area’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2050, supplying green electricity to the equivalent of more than 17,000 homes in its first year of generation.
He added: “We are extremely proud that this project marks our twentieth consecutive project approval, bringing our overall tally of approved projects to more than 885 MW. This is a huge achievement that will make a significant contribution to Britain’s ambitious net zero ambitions.”
The construction of the solar park, designed to enable landscape, ecological and biodiversity benefits, will include the installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels. The project also has a community benefit fund of over £87,000.