The UK government has granted planning permission to BayWa’s renewables business for the 138MW Oaklands Farm solar project in Derbyshire, England.
Energy Secretary Ed Milband approved a Development Consent Order for the scheme today (19 June), which has been under planning review since early 2024.
Construction of the ground-mounted array is planned on agricultural land between Rosliston and Walton-on-Trent in the south of the county.
BayWa r.e UK managing director Christine McGregor said: “Oaklands Farm solar park marks our fourth planning approval this year, bringing our total of consented solar power in 2025 to 235MW and reinforcing our role as a leading renewable developer in the UK.
“The project will add meaningful renewable capacity in the near term, helping to accelerate the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.”
The company’s chief operating officer Daniel Gäfke added: “Securing NSIP approval for Oaklands Farm is a pivotal achievement that reinforces BayWa r.e.’s leading position as a developer of renewable energy projects.
“This process demands the highest standards of planning, environmental stewardship and stakeholder engagement, and we are proud to have met these benchmarks in the UK.”
It is the German developer’s first solar DCO project in the UK.
An around 37.5MW battery energy storage facility is also planned for co-location.
Connection to the grid is expected into the Drakelow substation, located at the former Drakelow coal-fired power station near Burton-upon-Trent.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026 and BayWa r.e. anticipates the project can be operational by 2028.