Boom Power has secured planning permission to build a new solar farm in Yorkshire, England.
Wakefield Council’s planning committee granted consent for Woolley Solar Farm (artist’s impression pictured), which will have a capacity of 29.7MW.
Located on a 55.3-hectare site to the southwest of Woolley village, Wakefield, the project will generate enough clean electricity each year to power around 11,700 homes and avoid 7300 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
The site is split across two parcels of land, linked by an underground cable that will connect to the grid at Woolley Grange.
While the site lies within the protected Green Belt, Boom Power successfully demonstrated that it qualifies as “grey belt” land, meaning the development does not fundamentally conflict with Green Belt purposes and therefore does not require “very special circumstances” to be justified.
The planning committee agreed that the benefits of renewable energy generation and biodiversity enhancements outweighed any identified harm, and the proposal has been recognised as sustainable development in line with national and local planning policies.
Extensive ecological and landscaping measures are integral to the project, including hedgerow planting, wildflower meadows, and new wildlife habitats to enhance biodiversity.
Public rights of way that cross the site will remain accessible, with mitigation in place during construction to maintain safe use. The development is also reversible, as at the end of its 40-year operational lifespan, the site can be fully restored.
Boom Power founder Mark Hogan said: “Securing approval for Woolley Solar Farm is a positive step forward for renewable energy development in the region.
“The industry continues to play a vital role in meeting the UK’s clean energy targets while balancing environmental and planning considerations.
“Maintaining our 100% planning success rate reflects the thoroughness of our approach and our ongoing commitment to delivering projects that align with local priorities and sustainable development goals.”
Head of planning at Boom Power Jack Spurway added: “The approval of Woolley Solar Farm is a testament to the careful planning and collaboration involved in delivering large-scale renewable energy projects.
“We’ve worked closely with local stakeholders to ensure the development represents sustainable development. Wakefield Council declared a climate emergency in May 2019, and we are proud that our Woolley scheme along with others recently consented will help the council to achieve their net-zero targets.”