Wednesday, October 2, 2024

News: Another Rotherham site eyed up for solar farm

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Early stage proposals have been made public for another solar farm in Rotherham, the third such potential project in the south of the borough.

Last year, Banks Renewables secure planning permission for a £60m solar farm to the west of the Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington, which includes thousands of solar panels installed on green belt land. Earlier this year, ABEI Energy identified a site a 56 hectare site at Piper Lane near Aston for a potential solar farm.

Now another Rotherham site has been identified in Aughton by investment firm, Downing LLP, who has partnered with Yorkshire Water to develop, design, build and operate a portfolio of solar sites across Yorkshire. The first phase of solar developments is an investment worth around £25m, and this will generate a total capacity of 20MW.

The land is located in the Greenbelt at West Lane and is next to the playing fields at Aston Academy. It is adjacent to the operational Water Treatment Works (WTW), owned and operated by Yorkshire Water.

At an early stage, the applicants are hoping to secure planning permission through obtaining a Lawful Development Certificate, stating that the site is in operational use and the energy created is connected to the existing WTW.

The firm has submitted a screening opinion to Rotherham Council and planners will now determine whether the proposed project falls within the remit of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, and whether it is likely to have a significant effect on the environment and therefore requires a detailed assessment.

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The application states: "The Development is still under detailed design development but ultimately it would comprise of ground mounted solar panels with associated infrastructure including inverters, transformers, perimeter fencing, CCTV cameras, and access tracks.

"The total capacity of the Development is expected to have an export capacity up to 1300kWp.

"Solar farms are capable of significant carbon offset, it is expected that this Development will produce enough energy to power up to 89% of the energy used at the Yorkshire Water WTW.

"The Proposed Development will also comprise of approximately 3,000 panels which at this stage would have a maximum panel height of 3.6 m. These panels will be piled into the ground for support, the solar development would be enclosed withing a secure compound with deer proof fencing 1.8m in height."

The company adds that its usual solar farms are for a period of 25 years and after operations end, the installation is removed, with the land it once occupied able to revert to its original use case.

Images: Google Maps

12 comments:

Anonymous,  October 4, 2024 at 3:04 PM  

Green energy on Green Belt land, oh the conundrum

Anonymous,  October 5, 2024 at 9:17 AM  

But will it get the Green light?

Anonymous,  October 6, 2024 at 9:19 AM  

I hope so. All that glass looks much more attractive than boring fields.

Anonymous,  October 6, 2024 at 9:59 PM  

A water company actually investing, we should be happy. Oh wait, investing to save themselves money. Let's wonder where those savings end up....

Anonymous,  October 6, 2024 at 10:05 PM  

Most people on here are fooled by shiny new objects, this'll suit them down to the ground!

Anonymous,  October 7, 2024 at 4:36 PM  

Can you explain how it is possible to be fooled by shiny new objects. Are they posing as dull old ones?

Anonymous,  October 8, 2024 at 9:03 AM  

Well my mate Jack Daws has always been attracted to shiny objects.

Anonymous,  October 8, 2024 at 1:26 PM  

As has his wife Marjorie

Anonymous,  October 8, 2024 at 11:26 PM  

See-sawing a bit this thread

Anonymous,  October 10, 2024 at 7:15 AM  

And worth no more than a penny a day.

Anonymous,  October 12, 2024 at 7:36 AM  

On a serious note it is vital that this development does not go ahead. The proposed site encloses a major confluence of ley lines which, if disturbed by electricity generated on levels indicated in the article, will pose a major health risk to traffic wardens and those of a nervous disposition.

Anonymous,  October 13, 2024 at 6:37 PM  

Never mock ley lines or anything else you do not understand. Our toilet sits on a ley line and there have been frequent unexplained explosions in there over the years.

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