Bid for major solar farm near Newent

Major plans to build one of the UK’s biggest solar farms between Newent and Gloucester look set to be approved this week.

JBM Solar Projects 21 Ltd wants permission to create a 49,9 megawatt solar farm with battery storage on land near Highleadon.

The proposed development would cover more than 286 acres of farmland be for a period of 40 years and would comprise of photovoltaic panels ground mounted with a maximum height of 9.8ft.

Vehicle access would be from the B4125 via a new priority T-junction and substations including inverters to convert the direct current electricity generated by the PV panels, into alternating current for transmission, and transformers.

If approved, there will also be switchgear substations which are the export point for the transmission of electricity, battery storage facilities, 132kv substation and a security system to prevent unauthorised access.

This would consist of about a 6ft 5ins high post and wire fence enclosing the site, and pole mounted security cameras and infrared sensors at key locations.

Newent Town Council has not commented on the proposals while Taynton Parish Council objected saying there should be greater separation of the panels from Kents Green at the western end of the development.

They said glint and glare may be an issue for residents, particularly Kents Green and noise from inverter cabin cooling fans.
Rudford and Highleadon Parish Council objected, raising concerns over mud from the proposed access during construction off the B4215 which carries a large number of vehicles each day.

Parish councillors are also concerned biodiversity enhancements won’t be implemented and will be one of the largest solar farms in the United Kingdom and, by some distance, the largest in a rural residential area.

However, consultants working on the scheme say the solar farm supports the UK Government’s intention to move to a low carbon economy, which represents a substantial benefit.

“The impacts of the proposal have been shown to be acceptable and, where necessary mitigation measures have been set out to reduce potential impacts,” their planning statement reads.

“The significant benefits associated with this proposal provide a valuable contribution towards meeting the challenging obligations of the Government regarding renewable energy generation, and also in the form of economic investment, recreational benefit, educational benefit and ecological and landscape enhancements, are factors which weigh heavily in favour of this development.”

The Forest of Dean District Council’s development management committee is due to consider the scheme on October 10.

Officers have recommended approving the proposal as on balance, they believe concluded the plan’s benefits would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the harms.