Pegasus Group has helped secure council support for a renewable energy solar farm in Bedford, developed by Renewable Connections. The solar farm will produce energy for up to 11,500 homes every year.
Snakes Meadow Solar Farm crosses three local planning authorities – Bedford Borough Council, Milton Keynes Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council. Milton Keynes Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council planning officers seek to determine the scheme under delegated powers, and Bedford Borough Council resolved to grant planning permission, subject to a S106 Agreement to secure the proposed ecological measures.
The 45.5MW solar farm gained support of planning officers. The application on behalf of Renewable Connections, is for the construction, installation and operation of ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays and associated infrastructure.
The solar farm will be located on nearly 80 hectares of undesignated agricultural land within the North Crawley and Ducksworth Estates and will generate clean, renewable energy for up to 11,500 homes a year. The development brings about numerous benefits including:
- Generation of clean renewable energy
- An anticipated CO2 displacement up to 21,550 tonnes per annum.
- Environmental and ecological benefits
- More than 200% Biodiversity net gain
- Introduction of a permissive path to connect existing rights of way
The solar farm will be operational for up to 40 years after which it will be decommissioned and the site returned to agricultural use.
Henri Scanlon, Senior Planner at Pegasus Group, said: “We are particularly pleased to obtain support from officers after successfully navigating the challenging process involving three local planning authorities.
“The solar farm will provide clean and sustainable electricity for a significant number of homes every year and will help the local authorities to meet their Net Zero commitments. While each has set out its own roadmap to reduce their own carbon footprints, they aim for the counties to be carbon neutral by 2050.”
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