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New solar farm plans for the UK’s leading science and innovation hub at Harwell Campus have been revealed.
An initial proposal for a large new solar panel array has been put forward to the Vale of White Horse District Council by the Science Technology Facilities Council and EDF Power Solutions.
The Environmental Impact Assessment screening report has indicated plans for a 15MW solar panel array on a field at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory site on Harwell Campus, which is south of East Hendred and south-west of Didcot, west of the A34.
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It is anticipated the panels would be operating for around 35 years, and will offset 3,250 tonnes of CO2 every year.
Solar panels would be ground mounted in rows in a 25ha field, around 12.5ha of which would be for the three metre-high solar photovoltaic panels.
The proposed development also includes ancillary infrastructure such as inverters mounted behind the panels and transformers, and an access track.
The applicant said an ‘extensive’ planting scheme of trees, hedgerow and grass land would ‘screen views from public rights of way, provide enhanced wildlife habitat and enhance the National Landscape’.
The developers hosted a public exhibition introducing the proposal on March 12, inviting locals to hear about the plans and speak to the project team.
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A statement from developers said: “As an organisation whose operations and facilities are energy intensive, and recognising the impact of climate change, Science Technology Facilities Council is conscious of the need to reduce emissions.
“Having installed PV solar panel arrays on existing building roofs and car parks, the Science Technology Facilities Council now proposes a dedicated off-site PV solar array which will make a substantial reduction on their emissions and also reduce the overall cost of electricity to the organisation.”
The Vale of White Horse planning officers established that no environmental impact assessment will be required for the development and a planning application is expected to follow.
Officers said in a planning statement: “Having regard to the characteristics of the development, it is not considered that there is potential for significant environmental effects.
“All issues are considered to be of local significance only and can be examined through the normal planning process.”
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The applicant said all construction traffic would be diverted through the Harwell Campus to prevent disruption on the roads.
The applicant added: “The proposed solar array has been determined to be a viable, sustainable and achievable way to help deliver the current energy requirements of Science Technology Facilities Council and to support growth and development.”
Harwell Campus is a 280ha science and technology business park which hosts more than 250 organisations on site, and more than 7,500 scientists and workers.
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