Elements Green has published the summary of the first phase consultation of its 800MW solar project in the UK.
The Great North Road Solar Park project’s Phase One Consultation Summary Report provides an overview of the comments submitted to the developer during the first phase community consultation.
Elements Green said it will use this feedback to shape a set of proposals that are sensitive to and respect the views and recommendations of local communities near the project which is being developed near Newark in the east midlands.
The report also outlines further opportunities for the local community and interested parties to comment on the updated proposals and how these have evolved since Phase One Consultation.
Mark Noone, Head of UK Development at Elements Green, said: “The feedback we received during the first phase of consultation has helped our team to improve our understanding of the local environment and the aspects of Great North Road Solar Park that local communities considered most important for us to prioritise as we further develop our proposals.
“We have already made changes to the scheme, and in March, we published early visual amenity changes to the design.
“In most cases this involved the panels being removed and in one case a substation has been relocated.
“This initial change was achieved through the valuable input of the community.
“Continued engagement with members of the local community, as well as with key organisations and stakeholders, is crucial to this process and we look forward to further keeping our commitment to meaningful communication throughout the development of our proposals.”
Further to developing more detailed proposals for the project, Elements Green will then carry out a second stage of community consultation.
This is a statutory stage of consultation and is intended to give local communities the opportunity to comment on updated proposals and see how they have evolved since this initial consultation.
Elements Green expects to carry out this second stage of consultation towards the end of 2024 and will seek views on the location of equipment for the solar and energy park, and the cable connection between the solar energy park and Staythorpe substation.
The developer will undertake further environmental assessments ahead of publishing a Preliminary Environmental Information Report, anticipated for Autumn of this year ahead of the second stage of consultation.