News: Plans updated for massive solar farm in Rotherham
Following consultation, early stage plans have been updated for a massive solar farm that could take up acres of green belt land in Rotherham.
Rothbiz reported at the end of 2024 on plans for Whitestone Solar Farm, which if constructed, would generate up to 750MW of energy, enough to power up to 250,000 homes.
Consultation documents from solar developer Green Nation showed that vast areas of agricultural land in Rotherham and Doncaster, some safeguarded for the now-cancelled HS2 route, could make up the solar farm.
The northen site straddles the Rotherham and Doncaster border east of Hooton Roberts and north of Ravenfield.
Farmland adjacent to the M18 south of Bramley and Wickersley has also been identified to host thousands of solar panels, as has vast areas of fields either side of the M1 south of its junction with the M18. This includes sites near Ulley, Aston and Brampton, out towards North and South Anston, and the other way to land between Treeton and Whiston.
In the south of the borough, sites could be included in the solar farm development that are close to Kiveton Park, Harthill and Woodall.
Having recently completed a first consultation stage, developers say that they have made "significant changes to the project design" to respond to the feedback received.
Updated documents explain that one fourth of the land (279 hectares / 689 acres) has been removed across the whole site that was included for solar development to create buffers around homes, villages and public rights of way near the project boundary. This has resulted in the removal or reduction of panels around the most sensitive community areas, particularly around residential dwellings.
Developers say that: "These areas would not have any solar panels or other above-ground infrastructure. Some will now be set aside for environmental enhancement and mitigation, and would be planted with a mix of native grasses and wildflowers to support wildlife and increase biodiversity."
The area for solar development and associated infrastructure would now only account for around half of the total updated site area.
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Whitestone is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which means that it would go for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to authorise its construction, operation and decommissioning. The final decision on a DCO application will be made at the national level by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
A scoping seport is being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. This enables the project to be designed to avoid or minimise negative environmental impacts and provides an opportunity to incorporate positive environmental enhancements into the project. A formal application is not expected until the summer of 2026.
Green Nation is planning a second consultation this autumn based on the updated proposals and the preliminary results of the environmental assessments.
The developers said: "During this consultation, which will be considered ‘statutory’, we will consult with the community, elected officials, and technical experts to fact check our initial results and help inform the final assessments that we will submit in our DCO application. When we get closer to the autumn, we will notify the community of the details of the consultation and how you can take part."
Jake Richards, MP for Rother Valley, who has already raised concerns about the proposals, said of the update: "I am pleased that this has resulted in some significant changes and a 25% reduction in the scale of the plan. It is welcome that particular areas which local residents sought to be protected have been.
"But nonetheless, the revised plan is not good enough. Whilst I support the government’s plans for more renewable energy to cut bills and end our reliance on foreign supplies, my priority is always my constituents. Residents in the affected areas - Harthill, Woodall, Aston, Brampton-en-le-Morthen and Ulley – are rightly worried about this and I will stand with them.
"I will continue to work with the developer, urging them to make further changes."
Whitestone Solar Farm website
Images: Google Maps
Rothbiz reported at the end of 2024 on plans for Whitestone Solar Farm, which if constructed, would generate up to 750MW of energy, enough to power up to 250,000 homes.
Consultation documents from solar developer Green Nation showed that vast areas of agricultural land in Rotherham and Doncaster, some safeguarded for the now-cancelled HS2 route, could make up the solar farm.
The northen site straddles the Rotherham and Doncaster border east of Hooton Roberts and north of Ravenfield.
Farmland adjacent to the M18 south of Bramley and Wickersley has also been identified to host thousands of solar panels, as has vast areas of fields either side of the M1 south of its junction with the M18. This includes sites near Ulley, Aston and Brampton, out towards North and South Anston, and the other way to land between Treeton and Whiston.
In the south of the borough, sites could be included in the solar farm development that are close to Kiveton Park, Harthill and Woodall.
Having recently completed a first consultation stage, developers say that they have made "significant changes to the project design" to respond to the feedback received.
Updated documents explain that one fourth of the land (279 hectares / 689 acres) has been removed across the whole site that was included for solar development to create buffers around homes, villages and public rights of way near the project boundary. This has resulted in the removal or reduction of panels around the most sensitive community areas, particularly around residential dwellings.
Developers say that: "These areas would not have any solar panels or other above-ground infrastructure. Some will now be set aside for environmental enhancement and mitigation, and would be planted with a mix of native grasses and wildflowers to support wildlife and increase biodiversity."
The area for solar development and associated infrastructure would now only account for around half of the total updated site area.
Advertisement
Whitestone is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which means that it would go for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to authorise its construction, operation and decommissioning. The final decision on a DCO application will be made at the national level by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
A scoping seport is being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. This enables the project to be designed to avoid or minimise negative environmental impacts and provides an opportunity to incorporate positive environmental enhancements into the project. A formal application is not expected until the summer of 2026.
Green Nation is planning a second consultation this autumn based on the updated proposals and the preliminary results of the environmental assessments.
The developers said: "During this consultation, which will be considered ‘statutory’, we will consult with the community, elected officials, and technical experts to fact check our initial results and help inform the final assessments that we will submit in our DCO application. When we get closer to the autumn, we will notify the community of the details of the consultation and how you can take part."
Jake Richards, MP for Rother Valley, who has already raised concerns about the proposals, said of the update: "I am pleased that this has resulted in some significant changes and a 25% reduction in the scale of the plan. It is welcome that particular areas which local residents sought to be protected have been.
"But nonetheless, the revised plan is not good enough. Whilst I support the government’s plans for more renewable energy to cut bills and end our reliance on foreign supplies, my priority is always my constituents. Residents in the affected areas - Harthill, Woodall, Aston, Brampton-en-le-Morthen and Ulley – are rightly worried about this and I will stand with them.
"I will continue to work with the developer, urging them to make further changes."
Whitestone Solar Farm website
Images: Google Maps
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